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

2020 • 05 48 ouching Life Story money from Thanaletchumi for a new mobile phone and was reproached by his mother for indulging his whims without a thought for the family’s hardship. Both mother and son ended up arguing. When Mui Ling and Soo Fen arrived the following day, the floodgates opened and Thanaletchumi voiced her grievances to them between sobs. Mui Ling promptly turned to Sanjay and offered an alternative: “You’re already a Form Five student. Earn your own allowance to buy the phone by working in a part-time job over the school holidays. This way, you’re not only reducing your mother’s burden, you’ll find satisfaction in pocketing a wage through your own hard work.” Sanjay made no attempt to respond to Mui Ling’s patient counsel, but his actions spoke louder – he began searching for part-time work during longer school holidays and landed a job as a logistics worker. Over time, Thanaletchumi found herself embracing Mui Ling and Soo Fen as family, for she was touched by their sincerity and generosity. She vividly recalls the volunteers fixing the toilet door for her; Mui Ling prepared congee for her when she fell ill and brought her to the optician for a pair of spectacles upon learning she was short- sighted. In January 2019, Mui Ling came to her timely rescue by presenting her with monetary assistance from Tzu Chi when she was fretting over her sons’ school fees for the new term. Thanaletchumi’s appreciation for the volunteers’ kindness was especially evident as she reminisced about the heart-warming story behind her treasured sewing machine. Back in March 2019, she told Mui Ling and Soo Fen: “I’ve longed for a sewing machine since young as I’ve taken an interest in tailoring. Every time I passed by a shop selling sewing machines, I’d linger around. For many years, I’ve been thinking of buying one and settling the payment in instalments, but this wish never came true.” Thanaletchumi also hoped to make a living tailoring garments – if only she owned a sewing machine. Mui Ling took Thanaletchumi’s words to heart and embarked on a quest for a sewing machine, starting from the recycling centres. She finally found a traditional sewing machine suitable for use at home and delivered it to Thanaletchumi after sending it to fellow volunteers for restoration. In addition, she even sought assistance from other volunteers to equip the sewing machine with a small motor for easier operation after noticing that Thanaletchumi struggled with the pedal. On top of that, she handed Thanaletchumi some fabric to work with. In October 2019, Thanaletchumi was elated after earning RM20 from tailoring a set of curtains for a friend – her first income after being unemployed for the past few years. She was confident of her ability to boost her earnings by improving her tailoring skills. Soo Fen also noted that although volunteering at the recycling centre was inconvenient for Thanaletchumi due to the chronic pain in her leg, the latter willingly offered to sort recyclables at home, accepting tasks such as organizing used paper products according to category. Despite her limited mobility, she insisted on contributing in any way possible. Thanaletchumi registered herself and her sons as regular donors to Tzu Chi, contributing RM10 monthly despite their limited finances. Now, she is able to donate from her own earnings. She is eager to start anew, envisioning a promising future ahead that brings fresh hope.