The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.114).

TZU CHI 114 41 her to undergo surgery to separate the joints and restore them to their original positions, but the operation left her paralysed. Since then, Aunt Rose had lost all faith in medical intervention, as trauma manifested into distrust and apprehension towards medical treatments. True grit Fortunately for Aunt Rose, her devoted husband, Ajang Janea, stood by her through the ordeal. Ajang left his work commitments behind and dedicated himself to caring for his bedridden wife. Driven by her husband’s love, Aunt Rose regained her confidence and embarked on an independent life by learning to move around on her hands and knees. “I refused to give in to my disability. In the beginning, my knees would hurt badly from the gravel scraping against my skin as I crawled around. Now, I’m perfectly capable of handling household chores all by myself on my calloused knees,” she declared. However, happiness seemed to elude the couple when Ajang was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2015. He underwent numerous surgeries before eventually landing in a coma. With only each other for support, Aunt Rose had to muster all her strength to take upon herself the responsibility of caring for Ajang. “I was unable to work at that time, so it was difficult to make ends meet by relying on the RM500 welfare handout by the government. Further expenses were incurred by purchases of adult diapers and milk powder for my paralysed husband. It occurred to me that I ought to earn an income on my own,” she recalled. Aunt Rose found her niche in making handicrafts for a living. In addition to weaving straw hats and sewing patchwork quilts by hand, she cultivated greens and yams on the vacant plot of land in her front yard and entrusted a friend to sell the produce on her behalf. “My husband’s condition deteriorated in April 2016 – even visits to the hospital were futile. He passed away six months later,” Aunt Rose related with an air of resigned composure. Aunt Rose now lives alone in her wooden hut. Her yam farm has flourished over time, yielding abundant harvests. She settled herself on the damp ground and slipped into her farming gear as a precautionary measure to prevent her skin from coming into contact with murky water or sharp objects strewn on the ground. She would start by wearing a pair of long trousers and socks before covering her knees and ankles with a layer of plastic bags and securing the bundle in place with nylon strings, alternating between layers of garments and plastic bags. Her penchant for light-hearted banter belies a steely resolve. There is nothing she is incapable of handling by herself, save for a few: activating the power generator that supplies electricity to her house every evening, taking out the trash and shopping for groceries. She has to enlist the help of her neighbour for the former, while the latter tasks are taken care of by Tzu Chi volunteers. Help comes knocking On September 27, 2018, Miri-based Tzu Chi volunteers, Chung Ming Mei, Caroline Sim Kui Kim, Tan Wee Yong and Yiap Choo Boi visited Aunt Rose with her favourite vegetables – round, white aubergines and cassava leaves. Aunt Rose was thrilled upon seeing the gifts and thanked the volunteers merrily. The volunteers also brought her a pair of water-resistant trousers to be worn while farming, specially made by