Love in Action

 

As a cold front struck Formosa during the 2005 Christmas season, Taipei Center initiates transformed the winter’s gloom by distributing gifts to their less fortunate friends at the House of Concern and Care for the Homeless, the House of Peace and the Jhonghe Shelter for the Homeless in downtown Taipei. The practitioners’ also visited the elderly in Taipei’s Wanhua District, and mentally disabled, physically handicapped and cerebral palsy-stricken patients at Bali’s Ai-wei Center.

In addition, when the Taipei City Labor Department was seeking to obtain business attire for homeless clients attending job interviews, the initiates provided clean, comfortable clothes that gave the interviewees confidence to begin life anew.

The House of Concern and Care for the Homeless is a suburban Taipei halfway house whose dormitories were converted from old barracks, and whose broken windows and doors allowed gusty winds and cold air to enter the facility. So the initiates used funds provided by Master to add eaves onto the walls around the clothes-drying compound and install new windows, ceiling fans and fitness equipment to allow the residents to do rehabilitation exercises. Then, after the practitioners painted the inner walls, the buildings were ready to welcome in the New Year. Upon seeing the renovations, the residents showed great appreciation for Master’s love and concern in giving them a cozy new home.

In addition, the Taipei brothers and sisters prepared gift packs and fragrant vegetarian snacks for the residents, and as the dining table filled with delicacies, the House’s director Ms. Huang said with emotion, “I’m very grateful to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her love. Only the Supreme Master can let our homeless friends feel so loved and respected.” And street friend Mr. Wei, who had read Master’s The Key of Immediate Enlightenment sample booklet and saw bright Light while he slept said, “This year I also received gift packs from your group at the Taipei Main Station and Sun Yat-sen Park. Thank You, Master, for Your loving concern and thank you for your wholehearted efforts in renovating the old dormitories and bathing facilities so that residents who have difficulty walking need no longer worry about slipping on the moss-covered floors.” These remarks showed how Master’s loving kindness in enhancing their quality of life had deeply touched the residents.

Besides the House renovation and gift-sharing activity, the initiates also served their less fortunate friends on a cold December night when a group dressed as Santa Claus and guided by local social workers distributed bags of warm clothing and gifts at various homeless hangouts. Upon receiving the presents, the street people shivering in the evening chill were delightfully surprised. Then on the afternoon of December 15, aided by Director Huang Mei-ying of the Taipei County Volunteer Service Association and several volunteers, the brothers and sisters again braved the wintry weather to distribute copies of The News magazine and sample booklet along with candy, cereal-and-nut porridge and warm clothing to the homeless of Banciao, Sinjhuang and Shulin. On the way, the group met an ailing street friend who could barely stand and another who was suffering from a wound sustained in a traffic accident. On seeing the men’s condition, Director Huang contacted a local hospital and the practitioners accompanied them to the facility. The initiates also visited many other underprivileged friends in parks, near temples and in basketball courts, moving the recipients to tears with their gifts.

Also, a local counselor for the homeless, Mr. Qiu Ren-zhao, described how two street people had begun new lives with help from the local service center. Their personal transformations set an excellent example for their peers seeking to regain self-confidence. And the material and spiritual aid provided by The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association had helped motivate them.

The Christmas 2005 love-sharing activities conducted by the Taipei initiates helped them realize that the Golden Age of mutual love and assistance is truly dawning. And although good fortune continues to evade some of Earth’s inhabitants, sharing God’s love beyond social and cultural boundaries compensates for any deficiencies or discontentment they may feel, kindling hope in the hearts of the underprivileged and leading them on to a new phase of life. ♥

As 2006 approached, Hsinchu initiates recalled Master’s reminders to care for their less fortunate fellow human beings during the holidays, when most people are too busy to notice their needy compatriots. So the practitioners decided to share God’s love by distributing Christmas gifts to the homeless and low-income elderly that would help them through the chilly season.

To determine how they could best offer assistance, the practitioners first consulted the Social Affairs Bureaus of Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County, and the latter agency suggested giving provisions to the Cyun Ying Work Group Advance Confraternity for distribution to those most in need. The Confraternity has long counseled the homeless and visited senior citizens living alone on behalf of the Bureau. The City agency recommended that materials be sent to the Zenan Social Welfare Foundation’s Hsinchu Peace Port, which offers street people meals and a place to rest.

Then, the practitioners contacted the Confraternity and Shelter to determine the items and quantities needed and purchased the goods. Next, on the morning of December 16 over twenty brothers and sisters set out in ten fully loaded vehicles to deliver the items, with their first destination being Jhudong’s Ci En Center run by the Confraternity. There they contributed sleeping bags, winter coats, instant noodles and blessed food for their street friends, in addition to 140 warm coats to low-income senior citizens. While providing the aid, the initiates also introduced the recipients to the Quan Yin Method through copies of Master’s sample booklet and The News magazine. And finally, the Center’s director Mr. Lin and the Bureau officials received Master’s lecture DVDs and books.

The next stop was the Zenan Social Welfare Foundation’s Hsinchu Peace Port near the city’s railway station, where the homeless eagerly helped to unload and carry the materials inside. The practitioners then presented the supplies, which included clothes dryers, rice, soy sauce, vegetable oil, instant noodles, blessed food and sleeping bags, to the foundation’s local office as the Hsinchu Social Bureau officials looked on. While the gift packs were being distributed, everyone felt God’s infinite love within as the recipients expressed their sincere thanks to Master and some took out The News magazines to read.

Then on the way home, the initiates were delighted to see some of the homeless contentedly hugging their sleeping bags. And after witnessing the Port patrons’ misfortunes, they clearly realized that human life is ephemeral and only God’s love eternal. ♥

▲▲ As fellow practitioners unload aid materials, senior citizens at the Ci En Center look on and laugh happily when they learn that the materials are for them.		▲▲ Together with representatives of the Hsinchu County Social Affairs Bureau, initiates distribute warm jackets to lonely old folks and help them into their new clothes.

►►Initiates pose for a photo with representatives of the Hsinchu City Social Affairs Bureau, the Hsinchu office of the Zenan Social Welfare Foundation and the Hsinchu Peace Port.

During the winter of 2005, Chiayi initiates noticed a substantial increase in the number of homeless on their city’s streets so they initiated an activity to extend warmth and care to the street people, hoping to convey Master’s love and concern at year’s end.

The project was conducted after midnight since the homeless could only be found at their usual hangouts at this time. On December 15, the initiates brought sample booklets, warm clothing and hot, nutritious vegetarian soup to parks, bus and railway stations and other places frequented by the homeless, several of whom expressed their needs and the practitioners tried to fulfill them. Thus the brothers and sisters came to a deeper understanding of the adage “It’s better to give than to receive” as they felt a steady flow of Master’s love and blessings throughout the activity.

Then, when a second cold front struck Formosa on December 22, the practitioners visited more of their homeless friends. The temperatures were falling and it was the winter solstice so besides distributing thick, warm coats to the homeless, the initiates also served glutinous rice balls in sweet soup while the recipients thanked God repeatedly, expressed their sincere gratitude and lauded Master for Her infinite love. Of course, some also asked for second helpings of the delicious soup as it tasted good to them for they had not had such food for a long time! Touched by the practitioners’ generosity, the city’s railway officer Mr. Zhang informed them that there was one more homeless friend sleeping inside the station and led the way in search of the forgotten one. Later, while the sisters and brothers were visiting with this street friend, Mr. Zhang sketched a picture for them as a gift.

The Chiayi practitioners also shared the sweet soup with passengers in the station’s waiting room. Among them were two Aulacese visitors, who highly praised the delicious dessert and were overjoyed to receive Master’s sample booklets as they shared in the glory of their greatest compatriot.

This second series of visits ended at about 2:00 AM, when the temperature had reached six degrees Celsius, the coldest of the winter but also the warmest because every heart was filled with Master’s love. ♥

In late 2005 a series of strong cold fronts struck Formosa and initiates in Changhua knew that some residents would need help as the local economy was depressed. Viewing the others’ misfortune as their own, they thus conducted a love-sharing activity for destitute households.

In addition to Master’s sample booklets, magazines and relief funds, the practitioners prepared sleeping bags, quilts, wool clothing, hats, socks, coats and food and then visited destitute families in the villages of Shansi and Siansi, where they first asked what the villagers needed and offered the much-needed aid. The initiates next visited Jiasi, but the village chief conveyed the good news that his diligent, loving service had ensured peace and happiness to the locals and so not a single household required help. The initiates nonetheless took the opportunity to express Master’s love by handing out sample books and magazines in hopes of elevating the residents’ spiritual consciousness.

Through their 2005 gift-sharing activity, the Changhua initiates witnessed many of their compatriots suffering from mishaps and difficulties, thus increasing their gratitude to God and reminding them to cherish their own good fortune and the blessing of following a living Master in spiritual practice.  ♥

On the evening of December 13, as cold and rain sweep through Formosa and Yilan initiates bring sleeping bags, thick coats, gloves, thick socks and other warm clothing, convey Master’s love, enquire about their condition and wish them peace and happiness, the homeless recipients are visibly touched. ♥

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