Initially unable to speak Mandarin and computer illiterate, Sister Florence Chew started picking up Mandarin and computer skills in order to understand Tzu Chi’s notifications of upcoming activities. She said: “I don’t know how long my life journey will be, but I want to volunteer in Tzu Chi, until my last breath!” (Photo by Chai Yu Leong)
Never too old to learn
The video clip on ‘Da Ai People: Sister Chiang Lai-fu’ demonstrated how an 83-year-old Taiwanese grandma dedicated her life to recycling. On stage, Sister Florence Chew, another grandma who is over 60 years old declared: “I don’t know how long my life journey will be, but I want to volunteer in Tzu Chi, until my last breath!”
Sister Florence joined Tzu Chi on 1st March this year (2011). Through initial exposure to Tzu Chi’s recycling mission, she eventually took up the Buddhist path. She joked that she was initially afraid to lose out when she realized that some of Tzu Chi’s activities required uniforms in order to participate. So she began to immerse herself and undergo more training in order to join. Gradually, she realized that she has benefited the most from it. Sister Florence’s favourite activity in Tzu Chi is the monthly blood donation drive, the Foundation’s collaboration with the Singapore Red Cross which she helps out without fail. She joked, “It’s not that I like sucking other people’s blood, but I think donating blood can help many people!”
During these community drives, Sister Florence would enthusiastically persuade the public to participate. “Every time I managed to recruit one person to give blood, I felt that I have just won a lottery!” Despite discouraging responses from some, she never gets angry, and instead replies them with a courteous 90-degree bow, saying, “Thank you and bless you.” She always believed in using a sincere heart to invite and encourage people to donate blood to save lives.
Sister Florence shared that the joy and comfort she gained through participating in Tzu Chi’s activities cannot be easily described. Initially, she does not understand Mandarin or how to use a computer. In order to understand the notifications on Tzu Chi’s upcoming activities, she started picking up Mandarin and computer skills from the other volunteers and her grandchildren diligently. She believes that through determination, one will definitely succeed someday. Even when she had to spend half an hour just to reply a text message while others can do it in a minute, she still does not give up.
Sister Florence’s perseverance and self-motivation is a testament for the Mandarin saying: “The elderly is the gem in a family.” Likewise, in Tzu Chi, everyone is a “gem” too!
Portraying the image of dignity
Since the humble inception of Tzu Chi until today, the 45-year journey has seen Tzu Chi volunteers constantly listening and reaching out to the calls of help in the wake of disasters, local or abroad. These footages, compiled in the complete Da Ai Documentary ’The Mission – Looking Back at 45, The Best of Tzu Chi Edition II’, were screened for the audience.
Brother Chen Zhao Yun then took the stage to talk about the volunteering missions of Tzu Chi in Singapore. He introduced the history of Tzu Chi Singapore branch, as well as the training process and eligibility criteria for a new Tzu Chi volunteer. He also encouraged everyone to visit the Da Ai TV website. He went on to explain the difference between a committed volunteer and an ordinary volunteer – an ordinary volunteer only helps out when he or she has extra free time, whereas a committed volunteer regards serving others as a responsibility, as well as a part of his or her life, in order to cultivate the right belief and perspective. To become a committed Tzu Chi volunteer, one needs to participate in training and sharing sessions, to know the Tzu Chi organization, and to understand its visions and missions well.
The collective elegance of Tzu Chi comes from every volunteer, through self-discipline and understanding. In the sharing of ‘Tzu Chi Etiquette’, Brother Quek Ji Ming shared the basic etiquette and consensus of the organization. Hopefully through this collective elegance of Tzu Chi, everyone can show their dignified image to the public.
Topic on recycling resonates with participants
“Recycling is not just about putting recyclable materials into recycling bins!” The recycling cadre for South 1 Zone, Brother Jae Seah shared his take about doing recycling in Tzu Chi for the past several years.
Brother Jae stated that among the three types of recycling – environmental, physical and mental, mental recycling is the most important. He alluded that those who blindly follow their materialistic desires are usually discontented and frustrated. Only when one changes their perspective, and resist temptations, will they have enough time for others, as well as the environment. He always applies Master Cheng Yen’s aphorisms in his daily life to see past short term worries. “Even though the words of the aphorisms are simple, the meaning behind them are far-reaching and practical.”
Brother Jae also shared his experience of being a vegetarian for three years to encourage everyone to practice physical recycling.
From young, he hardly ate vegetables, and had to take seven to eight days of sick leave every year. Even if it was a minor ailment, he still had to rest at home for several days. After taking up vegetarianism, he takes only one day of sick leave annually. “With a balanced vegetarian diet, one can also eat healthily (even without taking in meat),” he added.
The topic on recycling resonated strongly among the audience. Brother Derek Tan, a nurse who volunteers with the Singapore Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA), shared the change he experienced after becoming environmentally conscious.
“I used to buy a lot of things when I go shopping, and when I reach home I do not know where to keep them. When I was spring cleaning three years later, I realized the items bought were still at the same place all this while. I then realized that it was such a waste, and totally unnecessary!”
Ever since volunteering at the recycling point, Brother Derek now questions himself before making purchases: “Do I need this? Will I use it? Is this necessary?” This resulted in buying less, as well as taking note of the little expenditures he made. He jokes, “My family tells me I'm like the guy from public utilities – recording how much water, electricity and gas we use in the house. Eventually, my actions influenced my family, and now everyone is learning to save resources together.”
Reflecting on our own lifestyles
“I didn’t think I would gain so much by attending this training!” said trainee Lin Fu Lai.
It was his first time attending a Tzu Chi volunteer training session. He expressed his wish to continue attending other training sessions in order to be a uniformed volunteer, get himself involved in more Tzu Chi activities, and play his part. Agreeing with the concept of “mental recycling”, he said, “As an earthling, recycling is something we must do.”
Through his work as a teacher, he saw many examples of wastage in daily life. During the group sharing session, he was stirred when someone mentioned about “getting new recyclable bags every time one attends an event”, and started reflecting on what the modern lifestyle has become today.
Mr Lin recalled that during the old days, the ladies would bring bamboo baskets to the market and the men would bring containers to buy food, and so on. On the contrary, people today regard convenience as a priority, thus resulting in massive accumulation of garbage daily. He believes that human greed has caused much damage to Mother Earth and feels strongly about “recycling and loving our planet from the heart”.
Mr Raja, from India, learnt about Tzu Chi a year ago when he was doing his health check-up at Yuhua Community Club. The frequent recurrence of disasters caused him to reflect deeply, and he truly wanted to help more people, so he started participating in Tzu Chi’s English Sharing Sessions as well as recycling activities. After watching the video ‘The Cries of Life’, which is about the killing of livestock for human consumption, Mr Raja started consuming less meat hoping that he may one day fully embrace vegetarianism, and in this way, do his bit for Mother Earth.
At the end of the training session, everyone gathered to pray. The 4-hour session has provided these 120 trainees with many new insights, and instilled in them a greater determination to join the Bodhisattva Path of Tzu Chi.
Tzu Chi Singapore made good use of the Christmas holiday to organize the last New Volunteers’ Training session of 2011 to promote a better understanding of Tzu Chi among the new volunteers and members of the public who are interested in joining Tzu Chi. (Photo by Chai Yu Leong)
Brother Chen Zhao Yun explained that a Tzu Chi volunteer sees helping others as a responsibility, as well as a part of their life, in order to cultivate the right belief and perspective. (Photo by Chai Yu Leong)
Brother Quek Ji Ming shared the basic etiquette and consensus of the Tzu Chi organization. The grace from each individual volunteer, not only displays the beauty of Tzu Chi, but also portrays one’s dignified image. (Photo by Chai Yu Leong)
The recycling cadre for South 1 Zone, Brother Jae Seah thinks that “mental recycling” is very important. He held that only when one changes his or her perspective, and resist temptations, will they have enough time for others, as well as the environment. (Photo by Chai Yu Leong)
Brother Derek Tan, a volunteer nurse with TIMA Singapore, shared that after practicing recycling, he has not only reduced unnecessary spending, but has also started to take note of the little expenditures he made. Together with his family, they are learning to save resources in everyday life. (Photo by Chai Yu Leong)
During the sharing session, Mr Lin Fu Lai stated: “I love the idea of ‘mental recycling’. As an earthling, recycling is something we must do. However, it is not the facade, but the thought that matters.” (Photo by Chai Yu Leong)
Mr Raja, who is from India, started consuming less meat after watching the video ‘The Cries of Life’. He hopes to one day fully embrace vegetarianism. (Photo by Chai Yu Leong)
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