The world of Tzu Chi February 2020 (Vol.119)

17 During the year-end and Chinese New Year festive seasons, Ean Nee would receive offers from various organizations to deliver daily supplies and gift hampers to the residents. Once, she had even encountered a mother who was keen on sponsoring a lion dance performance. “In this time and age, the residents are no longer in dire need of material supplies. Rather, care and companionship are more valued, as is fair treatment. Treating the residents as we would any other ordinary person is the way to go,” stressed Ean Nee. Ean Nee is fairly supportive of the unwavering commitment of the Tzu Chi community, from the students of Da Ai Kindergarten and Tzu Ching members to seasoned volunteers, to the care of the residents and keeping them company for over two decades, including contributing their time and energy to provide nail-trimming services and haircuts to the residents. Ean Nee has resolved to continue serving as a custodian of the settlement’s treasure trove of stories and defend the residents’ memories from the ravages of time, as she believes that she has benefitted immensely from the process of recording the history of the settlement and planning communal events for the residents. “I hope to share this gift with others. This gift is intangible, yet it boosts one’s morale and assures one of his or her ability to overcome any obstacle,” she remarked. On November 2, 2019, a group of volunteers from Care & Share Circle joined the residents of the Sungai Buloh Leprosy Settlement and students from a nearby kindergarten for an outdoor sketching session. [Photograph courtesy of Care & Share Circle] Love Lives On in the Valley of Hope