The world of Tzu Chi March 2020(Vol.120)

43 TZU CHI 120 Different places, same spirit When I had finished covering her story and was taking leave of her the next day, I saw her discreetly giving money to volunteer Ong Hok Ki, who had come to pick me up. It turned out that she was hoping that Hok Ki would treat me to some tea. She felt that she had not been a good enough host to me, especially as I had come all the way from Taiwan. I was very grateful to her when I witnessed this display of thoughtfulness. She was treating me like a grandson. A Chinese saying goes: “A person’s appearance reflects what is in their heart.” This is definitely true in Tan’s case. She has a good heart, and it shines through. She is not only a loving mother to her children, she is also polite and kind to others. People cannot help but like her. I askedmyself if therewere any differences between Tzu Chi recycling volunteers in Taiwan and Malaysia, and I concluded that they are intrinsically the same. More than 3,000 kilometres from Taiwan, there are more volunteers who love the Earth as mothers love their children, who demonstrate their love for the environment by rolling up their sleeves to collect and sort recyclables. Though what each of them can do is limited, they persist at their work, day in and day out. They persevere in their commitment for the good of the Earth. That spirit of unwavering dedication is what moves me the most.