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

2020 • 02 20 eature transfixed by the group, only snapping out of her reverie when one of the female volunteers approached her, embraced her gently and greeted her in a soft voice. Pak Nang was taken aback, as most people tended to steer clear of leprosy patients due to the stigma attached to them, even after the availability of leprosy drugs in the 80s contained the spread of the disease. As a former leprosy patient, Pak Nang instinctively kept a safe distance from those outside the settlement, convinced that others would be repelled by her disfigured features. She was caught off guard by the volunteer’s kind gesture, never expecting anyone to willingly express concern for her. “Is there anything you need help with?” asked the volunteer in earnest, to which Pak Nang blurted in response, “All I need is love and affection.” Upon learning that Pak Nang took upon herself the responsibility of caring for her ailing husband, volunteer Wang Yueh Jiuan gathered a few other fellow volunteers to assist Pak Nang in lifting her husband from his sickbed to wipe him clean and massage his limbs. Pak Nang was initially sceptical of the volunteers’ generous display of goodwill before discovering that Tzu Chi volunteers have been conducting monthly visits to the settlement to extend care to its residents since 1994. She was pleasantly surprised by the volunteers’ persistence in helping her to care for her husband during their monthly visits. Pak Nang had developed a quick temper and an indignant sense of injustice to defend herself against the constant discrimination and prejudice directed towards her, leaving her irritable and prone to snapping back at others. Yueh Jiuan was aware that Pak Nang has a habit of reading Jing Si Aphorisms , hence she started to counsel her by quoting Master Cheng Yen’s teachings, advising her to avoid holding grudges and practise the values of contentment, gratitude, understanding and forgiveness when dealing with others. Warm smiles started appearing more frequently on Pak Nang’s face; her resentment began to dissipate too. She has also managed to communicate calmly and tactfully with her fellow residents without provoking conflicts. Helping others filled her heart with an unexplainable surge of joy. “The volunteers taught me to live with joy, to love others and to help others,” she shared, recounting a memorable instance of the kindness shown to her by volunteer Tan Eng. At that time, Pak Nang was covered in festering sores that emitted a repulsive stench. Yet, Tan Eng wrapped her arms around Pak Nang in an affectionate hug without the slightest hesitation. Pak Nang quickly dodged out of her way, conscious of the foul odour escaping from her sores. However, Tan Eng seemed unruffled, prompting Pak Nang to note, “The volunteers’ love knows no bounds. They treat us as equals, with unconditional compassion.” Once, Pak Nang visited her husband in the patients’ ward to find his bed vacant. The other patients informed her that her husband was wheeled away by a nurse. She panicked and frantically searched high and low for him. In her anxious state, she tripped and fell, collapsing into a helpless, wailing heap on the ground, grieved by the apathy of onlookers who refused to help her up. Although she subsequently discovered that her husband was sent for a routine check-up during his unexplained absence, the trauma of losing her