The world of Tzu Chi September 2020 (Vol.126)

TZU CHI 126 43 Upon receiving the monetary assistance, Nursahara was moved to tears. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she tried to search for words to express her profound gratitude to Tzu Chi, eventually only managing to pray to the heavens above to grant the volunteers health and longevity. Home at last As a new mother, Nursahara felt a mix of joy and worry in anticipation of the arrival of her child. She had only undergone three prenatal check-ups over the past eight months of her pregnancy as she was unable to afford the medical fees; the gender of her child remains unknown. She funded her first prenatal check-up costing RM120 with a loan from her husband’s employer, spent RM90 on her second prenatal check-up and paid RM195 for the third session, inclusive of processing fees for childbirth-related documents. The medical costs incurred amounted to a substantial sum for Nursahara and her husband. On May 20, the volunteers brought Nursahara for a prenatal check-up at a private obstetrics and gynaecology clinic prior to her return, as she seemed to have exhibited signs of premature birth. Fortunately, the doctor concluded otherwise after consulting her medical records from the Miri Hospital. Nursahara’s hope for the much-awaited return to her hometown was restored. On May 26, the volunteers received a call from Nursahara. She sounded elated on the other end of the line as she informed them that she was finally able to travel home the following day. However, the transport fare had again been raised to RM1,050. As the financial aid she had received had been spent on her medical and transport fees, the volunteers supplemented the remainder of her revised transport fare. The volunteers were in a race against time, shuttling between two relevant agencies within three days to settle the documents necessary for Nursahara’s return, enabling her to embark on her journey home on May 30. She was anxious to reunite with her husband back in their hometown. Before Nursahara’s departure, Ming Mei presented her with some infant garments donated by fellow volunteers and an ornament bearing the characters meaning “happiness” as a token of blessing as she wished Nursahara a safe trip home. On June 1, Nursahara sent the volunteers a message to notify them of her safe return. Although living standards were less favourable in her homeland, Nursahara preferred working hard with her husband for the family’s future to staying unemployed in Miri. Despite the lack of blood relations, the volunteers stood by Nursahara and rescued her from distress in a heart-warming display of empathy and compassion. A nurse from the private OB-GYN practice attended to Nursahara outside the clinic to spare her the trouble of undergoing tedious Covid-19 precautionary screenings.