Love In Action

Narrated By Sister Initiate Chen Shou-ying, Formosa
Recorded By Sister Initiate Zhang Yan-shou, Formosa

Every time on the way to my mother's home, I would see a vagrant, dressed in rags and slightly mentally disturbed, searching for food among the trash. Looking at him, I would always feel sad and empathetic. It occurred to me many times that I should buy him some food. However, my mind consistently created trouble by saying the silly question, "There are so many people on the street. How embarrassing it would be if he rejected your offer!" This continued to trouble me as time passed.

Once at the night market, I saw him standing in front of a noodle stand, as if he was begging for food. At that moment, I felt the urge to ask the owner of the noodle stand to cook a bowl of noodles for him! However, my ego got in the way again, "What if the owner refused to cook it for him? Or if he did cook it, what if the vagrant refused to eat it?" Once again I failed to turn my intention into action. My inner "general of courage" was again defeated. I went home, feeling upset. As I opened one of Master's News magazines, my eyes fell on an aphorism that seemed to be meant for me. Master said, "There are two things that cannot wait: one is spiritual practice, the other is doing charity." Exactly! I asked myself, "What are you waiting for?" This bolstered my courage. I told myself that it was time for action.

The next day, when we were passing a supermarket, my husband suddenly suggested that we get some ice. I immediately asked my son to buy a bag of apple bread as well. Then we came to the familiar street. The car was traveling fast as we passed the man. I turned back to look at the familiar figure and before I had even spoken a word, my husband, a non-initiate, had stopped the car and backed it to where "Mr. Homeless" was. Deep in my heart, I prayed to Master to give me strength. As I forced myself to offer him the bread, he gently raised his hands and accepted it gratefully. It was so natural and simple; none of the complicated scenarios that I had imagined happened. As we drove away, in the rear-view mirror, I saw him gazing down at the bread and then at our departing car.

As though relieved of a heavy load, I was overwhelmed with the joy of having emerged victorious over my ego. I thought of just how great that homeless person was, and I appreciated the fact that he had awakened my inner compassion and given me chance after chance to overcome my prejudices and habits. Of course, I was even more grateful to Master; it was Her aphorism that gave me the courage and strength to conquer my ego.

---

Disaster Relief Contributions By Supreme Master Ching Hai To Victims
Throughout The World February 1996 ~ October 1997 (Monetary Unit: U.S. Dollar)

Country	Year/Month	Description	Amount Received	Amount Spent	Re: News No.
Taiwan
96.01~10		Destitute households in Formosa		14,210.00
96.11~12		Winter relief contributions to charitable groups in Formosa		767,721.00	76,77
97.01		Winter relief in Formosa		54,181.00	78,79
97.02		New Year relief in Formosa		65,993.00	80
97.09		Consoling fire victims		1,535.00	86
97.09		Consoling typhoon victims		2,877.00	87
97.01~10		Destitute households in Formosa		11,677.00
Hong Kong
96.12		Christmas gifts for boat people		16,358.00	77
Thailand
96.12		Winter relief in north Thailand		75,117.00	76
96.12~ 97.01		Flood victims in south Thailand, destitute households in Ching Mai		28,713.00	77,78
Philippines
96.02~08		Subsidizing living expenses of Palawan Refugee Camp		51,500.00
96.12~ 97.01		New Year gifts, medical fees and subsidizing village project in the refuge camp		50,000.00	77,79
97.05		Visiting lepers on Culion Island		2,760.12	83
97.09		Flood victims in Palawan		20,000.00	87 *
China
96.12		Flood victims in Hunan		300,000.00	77
Vietnam
97.02		Consoling artists and authors		50,000.00	80
97.09		Helping boat people to rebuild their homestead		60,000.00
North Korea
96.06		2,000 tons of rice for famine victims		526,397.00	66,67,78
Cambodia
96.04		2 bulldozers		59,090.00	62
Canada
97.01		Homeless and poor people in Montreal		9,114.00	78,80
U.S.A.
97.01		Flood victims in central and north California		77,258.86	77,78,79
97.04		Flood victims in North Dakota		33,195.21	82
Chile
97.07		Flood victims		30,000.00	84
97.09		Flood victims		30,000.00
97.09		Earthquake victims		10,000.00
Mexico
97.10		Tornado victims		50,000.00	87 *
Dominica
96.03		Donations to charitable groups and the government		55,000.00	59
Iran
97.05		Earthquake victims		50,000.00	85
Bangladesh
96.06		Tornado victims		10,000.00	66
Venezuela
96.06~08		Flood victims		33,419.33	67,68,70
Rwanda
97.04		War victims		100,000.00	82
		Contributions by Supreme Master Ching Hai	2,032,297.52
		Contributions by Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association	613,819.00
Total			2,646,116.52	2,646,116.52

Note: Remark "*" means the relief work is still going on. Follow up reports and relevant
receipts will be published in later issues of the Supreme Master Ching Hai News magazine.

Tornado Inflicts Severe Damage To Mexico Floods Leave Many Homeless Developing Love For Fellow Countrymen During A Flood Disaster Report By A Social Worker The Sun Shines On The Mid-autumn Festival Typhoon Victims In The Deep Mountains A Lighthouse In The Dark Relieving Pressing Needs Thank You Homeless People