The World Of Tzu Chi December 2019 (Vol.117)

2019 • 12 56 my group twice. He was initially reluctant to participate in home visits over concerns that he might be emotionally overwhelmed by the experience. However, he changed his mind and decided to give home visits a try after a senior volunteer encouraged him to not only partake in activities that he was comfortable with, but rather, venture beyond his comfort zone to broaden his horizons. He immediately agreed to take part in the home visits to the refugees when invited. After visiting three households over the span of five hours, Chuen remarked that the visits were not as emotionally overwhelming as he had expected. Instead, he regretted not participating in the home visits earlier upon learning that the visits meant a lot to the refugees, showing them that someone cares for their welfare – that we care. He added that waking up early on a weekend morning was worthwhile in exchange for the opportunity to bring hope to the refugees. When asked if he would continue to take part in the CBI programme, he replied with a firm “Yes!” and even committed himself to an entire cycle! A couple from Hong Kong who had joined us in a previous cycle shared with me their reflections on our tendency to take various aspects of our life for granted, blissfully unaware of the pain and suffering experienced by the less fortunate. They cited the instance of some image-conscious individuals who intentionally skip meals or eat next to nothing in their bid to maintain the ideal figure when the refugees struggle to even land a decent meal. Food is a necessity for us, but a luxury to them. We have the freedom to choose from a variety of dining options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even supper, while the refugees live hand to mouth with a sole concern on their minds: putting food on the table for their families. Indeed, witnessing the suffering of others reminds us to count our blessings. The home visits for the current cycle have concluded, but our duty as volunteers is similar to that of farmers – we continuously cultivate a field of blessings and plant the seeds of love. With each seed that flourishes, we touch the lives of others and reap the wisdom of the Dharma. We receive an abundance of blessings by extending love and care to the underprivileged. Let compassion shine through your heart and share the light with others. Peace and harmony will prevail when the light in our hearts shines bright. Amer is one of the 177,800 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the UNHCR in Malaysia; thousands more remain unregistered. Hopefully, the number of volunteers joining us on this journey will increase, so that we will be able to take on more cases in the CBI programme and spread the seeds of love far and wide. nspiration