Love In Action

Report from Formosa

Paralyzed Patient Regains Mobility

Paralyzed and bedridden after a car accident, this indigenous man can now sit up in bed.

[Taitung] The Tupan tribe of Rukai aborigines live in a remote mountain area in Tawu rural township in Formosa's eastern coastal county of Taitung. Here, transportation is inconvenient, employment opportunities are few, and the standard of living is not high. Since last year, local initiates have been paying regular visits to a Tupan aborigine left paralyzed by a car accident. In the beginning, he could neither move nor speak. However, due to Master's loving blessings and the unconditional love and care of his brother and sister-in-law, the patient can now respond with some simple words. His improvement with each visit has touched us deeply. In addition, his formerly lifeless hands are beginning to show signs of life, and he can now pick up fruit with his not too dexterous fingers. During our last visit, he surprised us by sitting up in bed, which was really beyond our expectations! In our hearts, we thanked Master silently: "Such a wonder might be impossible for humans to accomplish, but nothing is impossible under Your almighty love and power!"

 Our recent visit coincided with the Tupan tribe's annual harvest festival, and the atmosphere was permeated by the warm and carefree attitude characteristic of Formosa's indigenous people. We also met the elder brother of the paralyzed patient for just the first time, since he works for months and years on end in Taipei in order to sustain his seven children and bedridden brother. He greeted us with emotion and gratitude for taking care of his brother and children, and said that he had carefully read all the magazines that we had given to his family, adding, "Had it not been for Master's immaculate care and concern, we really don't know what would have happened to us!" He earnestly invited us to join the tribe's annual ritual, but we had to bid him farewell and go on our way to visit other families.

This paralyzed, lonely, old man expresses his gratitude to Master and fellow practitioners for their help.

The next person we visited was an eighty-one-year-old man, who suffered a stroke over twenty years ago and now lives alone. As soon as he saw us, he clutched the back of his rattan chair and tried to stand up. In the Fukienese dialect, he told us happily that he repeated Ching Hai Wu Shang Shih several times in the morning and evening, and after his afternoon nap. He was extremely grateful to Master for Her loving concern. "Perhaps because I helped lots of people and did many good deeds when I was young, now that I am old and have no one to rely on, Master and you brothers and sisters are here to help me." He concluded: "Master is silently taking care of me!"