The world of Tzu Chi (Vol.110)

TZU CHI 110 23 determining the ups and downs in life. She contended, “I have to keep my spirits up and not dwell on negativity. I am destined for a life of poverty with my family, hence I shall accept my fate and Ngoi Lee’s misfortune. I must stay strong. Otherwise, how would Ngoi Lee fare in life without me? I cannot bear to leave him behind!” Before Ngoi Lee’s mother relocated to Kuala Lumpur, Ngoi Lee and his older brother would travel back to their hometown in Sungai Siput, Perak, for the reunion dinner on the eve of every Chinese New Year. Back then, Ngoi Lee had already started on dialysis treatment, but he was still able to make the trip home on his motorcycle. The journey home, spanning over 200 km, would take more than three hours, inclusive of roadside breaks in between. He was taken ill one Chinese New Year, yet he insisted on returning home to his mother. Ngoi Lee’s mother ached to see her son travelling a long way home despite his illness. She advised him against it and offered to travel to Kuala Lumpur herself for the Chinese New Year reunion. Her concern for Ngoi Lee’s declining health led to her decision to stay with Ngoi Lee permanently. Seeking reprieve from suffering Ngoi Lee’s mother is grateful to have encountered Tzu Chi volunteers during her time in Kuala Lumpur. The volunteers introduced her to programmes on Da Ai TV that guided her on Dharma teachings and enabled her access to Master Cheng Yen’s lectures. They also presented her with copies of The World of Tzu Chi , supplying her with nourishment for the soul through the stories of kindness and compassion imparted within the pages. Since then, she has been turning to the Master’s teachings to guide her through life, and seeks solace in the Master’s nuggets of wisdom. “The Master once said that when we perceive ourselves to be mired in suffering, we should give a thought to the suffering of others instead. It made me realize there are indeed many others who are worse off than us. I have committed the Master’s teachings to memory, especially those that extol the virtues of being courteous in speech, performing kind deeds, and harbouring a heart of gratitude,” she shared. The volunteers’ willingness to serve left a lasting impression on Ngoi Lee’s mother. She once attended a year-end distribution event, and was moved to see the volunteers bustling around to provide attentive service to the care recipients in attendance. Besides that, she recalled being intrigued by the sight of care recipients of all races with a bamboo bank in hand, lining up for their turn to transfer its contents into a large earthenware urn. She found out the significance of the curious deed by consulting a volunteer, who explained to her the origins of the bamboo bank movement, starting from Tzu Chi’s early days of collecting donations from 30 housewives who would contribute NT 50 cents daily to the bamboo bank for charity. She was deeply touched by the cause and immediately adopted a bamboo bank. From then on, Ngoi Lee’s mother would reserve spare change from her grocery allowance to be deposited into the bamboo bank. She would then either hand over the bamboo bank to the volunteers once it is filled, or bring it along to the next Tzu Chi event for collection. The coins in the bamboo bank might seem insignificant, but every small contribution, when amassed, goes a Touching Lives with Unconditional Love