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

2021 • 03 44 lobal Presence large-scale distributions. Donning masks and gloves, volunteers with trucks of supplies went from village to village, distributing goods to small number of households at a time. The villagers who came to collect the supplies were also cautious. As they could not afford masks, they covered their mouths and noses with the corners of their saris (a traditional Indian garment) to reduce the spread of droplets. The sight of their predicament was worrying. “Every time I contacted the volunteers, I would tell them ‘Be careful, be careful.’ Whenever they went out or sent me messages, I would anxiously ask: ‘Are you protecting yourself well?’” Shang-wei vividly recalled, when the distribution operation started, the first remark Pravin uttered when he video-called her was, “Sister, I am still alive!” While distributing supplies in the midst of the pandemic, no one could guarantee that they would be safe; they could only take precautions. If venue conditions allowed, the volunteers would display portraits of the Buddha and the famous Buddhist politician Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. A few things truly resonated with the aid recipients, who were primarily from the lower castes, were the Buddha’s doctrine of sentient beings’ equality and compassion through reaching out to the needy, as well as the late Dr. Ambedkar’s commitment to reviving Buddhism, promoting the abolition of the caste system, and liberating the untouchables; they were the symbols of hope. The ABM volunteers also put up a banner in Chinese, English and Hindi, declaring “Tzu Chi Cares for You”, conveying support and Camillians India invited many entities, including church members and police departments, to carry out aid distributions, in adherence with anti-pandemic regulations and local religious regulations.