The world of Tzu Chi July-August 2022 (Vol.142)

2022 • 08 14 pecial Feature together. Interactions during such times became the source of joy and laughter. To his amazement, Swee Nyun realized that it was a period where he had spent the longest time with his children, and a time most memorable to him. From his personal experience, Swee Nyun could tell that the book study sessions were platforms for heartfelt revelations of our deepest feelings and thoughts. It was also a medium through which the Master guided her followers to rid ignorance about the truth of life. He wished that more people could find their happiness through participating in this musical adaptation. Dharma for the wearied mind “Before I became a Tzu Chi volunteer, I just used the profit I made in business to buy properties and cars, and let my children indulge in luxuries like good food and travels. I gave to charity at times. That was all to my life then. But I was not comfortable at all. I always worried about the future for my son…” As a mother of four, Yan Moy was also busy in the commercial world. She was always thinking about providing a comfortable life for her children. To her, the best thing to do was leaving them huge amount of assets, for it was the best guarantee for their future. Yan Moy’s greatest worry was about her son with learning disabilities. Besides assets, she was also looking for a school that could provide a compassionate learning environment for him. By chance, she came to know Tong Siew Bee, a Tzu Chi Commissioner, at a dinner function. The latter recommended a school for her son. She also told her about Tzu Chi, and encouraged her to find out more about the organization. In the same year (2017), Yan Moy went to Jakarta with fellow Tzu Chi volunteers for a visit to Tzu Chi’s missions. The trip was an eye opener; she could feel the Master’s compassion in founding Tzu Chi, and the urgent call to act before it was too late. Upon returning home, she became an active volunteer. Swee Nyun also became a volunteer under her influence. The couple found a common goal through volunteering, and their relationship was enhanced. As a Tzu Chi volunteer, Yan Moy has had the opportunity to see various facets of life so different from hers. Visits to the care recipients made her wonder how anyone could survive in such unimaginable conditions. Cases of care recipients in absolute poverty clouded with illnesses made her realize what suffering really meant. Such stark realizations Learning the Dharma was an olive branch to the strained relationship between Wong Swee Nyun (second from left) and his eldest daughter, Wei Ming (right). [Photo courtesy of Chong Yan Moy]