The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.116)

2019 • 11 28 pecial Feature attending an event at the KL Tzu-Chi Jing Si Hall. “I was moved by the stories shared by the speakers, which motivated me to make use of my time on Earth to not only live a meaningful life, but also strive to help others. Rather than leaving behind a fortune for the next generation, we should leave behind a legacy of virtue, passing down life lessons through the generations to make the world a better place. I aspire to participate more actively in Tzu Chi’s work upon returning to Indonesia. After all, our life derives value not from work, but from our contributions to society and our efforts to improve ourselves,” surmised Sutrisno, who is currently involved in home visits to care recipients and recycling work on a casual basis. Sugianto Kusuma, an Indonesian entrepreneur and the chairman of Agung Sedayu Group, offered participants a glimpse into the disaster relief efforts of Tzu Chi volunteers in Indonesia by recounting his observations during the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake that struck the city of Palu with a magnitude of 7.4. The earthquake triggered a tsunami with waves reaching six feet high, wiping out several villages and claiming lives. In the aftermath of the disaster, volunteers from Tzu Chi Indonesia constructed two Great Love Villages to support the disaster victims in rebuilding their lives. Liu Su Mei, the CEO of Tzu Chi Indonesia, commended the participants from both countries for their enthusiasm for learning from each other and their dedication to charitable causes, fostering an environment that encourages mutual growth. “Our shared belief in the spirit of kindness has guided us towards our purpose in life. It is up to us to decide the best way to utilize the time we have on our hands,” she said during the event, besides expressing her gratitude to the organizing team based in Malaysia for their efforts in ensuring a welcoming reception and a fruitful experience for the participants and speakers from Indonesia. Participant Tai Lee Ming, who hails from Ipoh, was constantly moved to tears by the speakers’ heartfelt insights. “I rarely shed tears. The last time I cried was when my supervisor reprimanded me during a part-time stint when I was studying in Japan,” he confessed. As the speakers shared their humbling experiences of serving the needy, Lee Ming wept in remorse as he reflected on his own inadequacy in extending concern to the suffering. He was particularly touched by Indonesian entrepreneur Eva Wiyogo’s willingness to swallow her pride and bathe the feet of more than 100 patients, as well as devote her time to ferrying Tzu Chi care recipients to and from the hospital for treatment, inspiring him to translate the lessons learnt from the speakers into action. Agreater purpose in life The highlight of the event was a series of Josephy Chen, Da Ai TV Taiwan newscaster and manager of the station’s news department, presented a talk detailing Tzu Chi’s history and her experiences of participating in international disaster relief missions.