The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.112)

this, Cai-yun offered enthusiastic praise – “Way to go, Grandpa Cai! Let’s do this together!” – adding that seniors are easily motivated by such words of encouragement. Upon discovering that the pillar supporting the rain-resistant panel in the toilet was at risk of collapsing due to erosion, the volunteers managed to replace it with a sturdier stone pillar but lacked cement to secure it, so they promised to continue with the repairs on another day. When the volunteers returned the following week, they were pleasantly surprised to find that Grandpa Cai had already cemented the stone pillar to the ground with the materials he bought himself. Apart from Grandpa Cai, Cai-yun holds 98-year-old Grandpa Wu, who also lives alone, close to her heart. She would take the trouble of navigating through narrow, winding alleys and climbing a flight of steep stairs to Grandpa Wu’s dwelling on the second floor, calling out “Are you home, Grandpa Wu? It’s me, Cai-yun!” to announce her arrival. At the age of 17, Grandpa Wu was forcibly taken from his family home on Changsha Street, Hunan, China to be conscripted into the army, without even the chance to bid farewell to his family. He travelled with the troop to Taiwan and has remained single ever since. In 1998, Tzu Chi Foundation participated in a social welfare programme focused on providing care to seniors who live alone. This programme TZU CHI 112 43