The world of Tzu Chi May-June 2022 (Vol.141)

TZU CHI 141 29 On the first day of delivery, Teng Kwang faced numerous challenges and was half an hour late. He later changed his route to ensure on-time delivery. He said, “Most of the participants are office workers with limited lunchtime. We must think for them. I would rather work a little harder than to delay their lunches.” Teng Kwang was thankful for the volunteers’ efforts in contacting the BOL participants and confirming their locations beforehand. This saved him from running into problems, such as going to the wrong address or being unable to locate the participants. Moreover, he found the participants very friendly. They did not lose their temper even when his first delivery was late. Instead, they understood his difficulty, and often arrived at the designated locations ahead of time to avoid delaying him. They would also thank him for his service. He related, “I feel that those who participate in Tzu Chi activities are very nice people. Or perhaps, people who like vegetarian food have a good temper. Hence, I can always complete the task happily despite the time constraint.” Teng Kwang shared a heart-warming story about an 81-year-old participant, Grandma Wu, who lives alone on the fourth floor of a shophouse. When Teng Kwang delivered the first bento to Grandma Wu, he saw her walking down the dimly lit stairs. As he could not bear the sight of it, he delivered the bento upstairs the following day. “I am unable to donate money to help people for now,” he said, “but I can help people through my actions. Though it is a simple action as bento delivery, I hope people can feel my sincerity.” The human touch is a beautiful thing. Teng Kwang looks forward to contributing again through Tzu Chi activities. To him, it is an honour to be able to join Tzu Chi volunteers in good causes. Let love grow Grandma Wu was a beneficiary of Tzu Chi “Kita1Keluarga” short-term cash relief programme back in 2020. She was later converted to a long-term care recipient of Tzu Chi. Upon learning that the BOL was available in their community, Chia Oi May and fellow volunteers, who have been caring for Grandma Wu and knew that she enjoyed vegetarian food, decided to pay for her bento meals out of their own pockets. After tasting the bento lunches, Grandma Wu’s liking towards vegetarian meals grew and she is now having them more frequently. When volunteers praised her for her kindness towards animals and shared with her that “Going vegetarian for 15 meals is equivalent to the effect of planting a tree, or saving a chicken”, she readily expressed her intention to continue practising vegetarianism to protect lives and curb the spread of the virus. Editor’s note: Following the first successful round, Tzu Chi KL & Selangor plans to run the BOL initiative in May, July, September and November, hoping that the plant-based food experience will create awareness that vegetarianism is a compassionate choice we can make for the planet and all living beings, including ourselves. Bento of Love