The world of Tzu Chi January 2020 (Vol.118)

01 TZU CHI 118 By Dharma Master Cheng Yen Translated by Ho Joo Lim aster’s Teaching Pave the Tzu Chi Path with wholehearted commitment and wisdom. May everyone cultivate blessings and wisdom, and make each and every second in your life meaningful and worthwhile. F or this year, the Tzu Chi Spiritual Training Camp for overseas commissioners and volunteers-in-training was held across two sessions in Hualien and Banqiao respectively. Volunteers from 33 countries/regions congregated in Taiwan for the spiritual cultivation session and to participate in the Year-end Blessing Ceremony, while 1,064 were commissioned as Tzu Cheng Faith Corps members or Tzu Chi Commissioners. I believe everyone could feel the cosiness and warmth of this spiritual home and the close-knit bond in this Dharma family. I am also grateful for the volunteers who supported the various functional groups formed for this camp. They had been mindful and thoughtful in handling various tasks. For example, they prepared meals that catered to volunteers from different cultural backgrounds and eating habits, so that they would feel at home. Seeing a Catholic priest and a Catholic nun attending the camp held at Banqiao in early November, I could not help but admire and feel grateful to them, for giving of themselves to serve for the good of the world. Take Father Zucchi from Haiti for example. He aspired to serve in the most destitute of places, to be there with those who are suffering, and had taken more than 20,000 impoverished children under his care. Tzu Chi also aspires to relieve the suffering of the needy. However, this cannot be accomplished without adequate manpower. Hence, I am grateful that Tzu Chi has this affinity to work with Father Zucchi to help those in Haiti. James Chen, our US-based volunteer, has made numerous trips to Haiti these past few years, tolerating the long and arduous journey as well as the huge gap in living conditions, all with the intention of providing long-term aid and care to the local people. What is more heart-warming and touching than selfless love? In fact, I envy that they are able to serve among the masses, truly becoming the ones who are needed by others and whom others could fall back on for mental and emotional support. Although Tzu Chi people may have different religious beliefs, they embrace the diversity and treat each other with gratitude, respect and love. This love transcends national borders and is pure and impartial, driving everyone towards a common goal to Paving and Walking the Bodhisattva Path Wholeheartedly