The world of Tzu Chi May 2020 (Vol.122)

2020 • 05 30 to start a small business, selling biscuits, candies, medicated oil, traditional medication and other merchandise from his room. At the same time, he assumed the role of a warden’s assistant, helping to distribute meals to fellow residents. He would contribute RM20 from his monthly allowance of RM30 to Tzu Chi’s charitable cause. Shook Lin was concerned that Sek San would be exhausted by his multiple endeavours, but the latter insisted on working harder to earn a surplus as his way of helping to raise funds for Tzu Chi’s work. He noticed that his fellow residents had been contributing monthly donations to help those in need and was inspired to participate in the movement himself. Shook Lin also observed that Sek San would encourage his fellow residents to save the monetary gifts received from their benefactors during festive seasons in anticipation of any fortuitous opportunity to commit charitable deeds. Shook Lin was also moved by Sek San’s enthusiasm in mobilizing the residents for recycling duties. Whenever Shook Lin and her fellow volunteers arrived at the settlement, the ward began to hum with activity. The volunteers would follow Sek San to an abandoned hut, which he repurposed into a storage shed for the collected recyclables. The door opened to heaps of cardboard scraps and biscuit tins bundled together neatly, as well as plastic bottles and medicine bottles packed in plastic bags. A group of residents, led by Sek San, would assist the volunteers in transporting the recyclables onto the collection truck. Meanwhile, the other residents would deposit their recyclables along the corridor for collection by the volunteers. The volume of recyclables collected varied from resident to resident, but when accumulated – including Sek San’s portion – the total collection culminated in a considerable load that required two trips by truck to cart away. Sek San would be kept on his toes every collection day as he hobbled his way around, carrying the recyclables from one point to another. “The theories behind the concept of environmental conservation are lost on me. All I know is that disposing of cardboard scraps and cardboard boxes indiscriminately is wasteful and pollutes the environment. I’m only doing my best. Wong Ping is my role model. I think of nothing other than following his example,” revealed Sek San to Shook Lin of the motivation behind his dedication to recycling work. Giving back to the community The late Wong Ping shared an easy camaraderie with Sek San. He was admitted to the settlement at the tender age of nine and had never received a single visit from his family since. Whenever he was seized with pain, he longed to be liberated from his suffering in death. In 1996, the volunteers learnt of Wong Ping’s predicament. He lived alone and impoverished in his wooden chalet. His right leg had been amputated and was subsequently fitted with a prosthetic limb. Moreover, his left ankle was bundled in bandages due to a festering wound. He was unable to move freely, hence his dwelling had been left unkempt. The volunteers sympathized with his plight and decided to assist with the housekeeping chores, in addition to sharing homecooked meals with him during their monthly visits, keeping him company during the festive season and celebrating his birthday with him. Upon noticing that Wong Ping had become diabetic, the volunteers supplied him pecial Feature