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

2021 • 03 46 lobal Presence Go to the poorest places, serve those who suffer the most “F athers, have you had a rest?” “What is rest? Rest is extravagant!” “The weather is hot. You should drink more water.” “We will drink more water, but the longer we rest, the more impoverished people there will be, so we must hurry.” In May and June 2020, I participated in video conferences with Father Baby Ellickal, the chairman of Camillians India. I learned that despite temperatures of 40 to 50 degrees Celsius, the Camillians persisted in putting on their uniforms and going out to distribute supplies. This relief project was a collaboration with Tzu Chi that began in April, but by May, the number of people living in poverty had increased six-fold compared to the previous Narrated by Huang Jing-en (staff member in the CEO office, Tzu Chi Foundation) Compiled by the Editorial Department The streets are full of destitute people waiting, not to live, but to leave the world someday. There are always lengthy queues outside the church, even if the wait merely yields a meal or half a portion. Upon receiving supplies, the nuns open the gates and distribute what they can, day after day. month. The pandemic lit the fuse of a second wave of poverty; more and more people were in distress. From April to August, the Camillians and Tzu Chi distributed supplies to 80,000 people. No repeats were necessary; the amount given was enough to last three months. The priest said that if the government did not lift the lockdown, everyone would not have livelihoods, money or food, but if it was lifted, more people would be infected, with the poor bearing the brunt of it. “How can we save everyone? Even if we can’t, we have to save as many as we can! We have gathered Catholics, Protestants and Women’s Associations across India to work together for the sake of reaching out to the poor.” Tzu Chi prepared flour, white rice, millet, more than 10,000 surgical masks, etc. to be continuously donated to the Missionaries of Charity. The nuns applied for travel permits, assisted in customs clearance and delivery, to quickly distribute the aid to residents.