The world of Tzu Chi March 2021 (Vol.132)

2021 • 03 32 pecial Feature Over the past 17 years, Tzu Chi volunteers have been paying monthly visits to Onn Mui Ching’s family. Picture shows volunteers interacting with Lim Yew Heng in December 2016, when he was about to start Form 6 education. [Photograph by Yong Siew Lee] northern region of Malaysia. He also managed to secure a government education loan for his studies, which included a monthly living allowance of RM300. In order to save money, he rationed himself to one meal a day and drank water to ease his hunger. Learning of his predicament and his difficulty in getting a part-time job due to the campus’ location, the volunteers spoke to his mother about it. Since she had welfare financial support and subsidies from her church, and that her younger son had a part- time job and was also studying away from home, Tzu Chi would further contribute an additional RM100 for Yew Heng’s living and educational expenses, on top of the family’s living subsidies. With that, Yew Heng was able to fully focus on his studies and pass his subjects with flying colours. He got on the Dean’s List for five semesters and was presented the Tzu Chi Study Grant’s Excellent Performance Award. He used the award money to buy books and enrol in a professional certification course, enhancing his ability in future job opportunities. Tzu Chi volunteers are my family For 17 years, Yew Heng’s life was never without the love and care from Tzu Chi volunteers. He recalled, “When Mum was sick and could not leave the house for long periods, we spent most of the time at home as we did not have our own transportation. At that time, we most looked forward to the volunteers’ visits. They would take us out, and those were the fondest memories of my childhood.” Back then, volunteer Chew Woon Teck and wife, Tan Soo Kwail, would sometimes take the brothers to bookstores and buy them the comics they liked, or bring the family out for meals to enjoy some family time together. The volunteers’ companionship and love have been deeply imprinted in Yew Heng’s heart. To date, volunteer Siew Cha would ring him up to see how he is doing at the university. Whenever he returns home for the holidays, volunteers would invite him to participate in voluntary work. Through home visits to underprivileged families, Yew Heng witnessed various conditions of life suffering, but also observed the power of love and support in times of adversity. He remarked, “When I start working and have the ability, I too, want to emulate the volunteers’ spirit and give back to society.” “Every Tzu Chi volunteer is my family. They watched me grow up and changed my life and my family’s!” Yew Heng expressed gratefully.