Helping out with the Aftermath of the Typhoon
人間菩提--守護心宅多造福
This typhoon, Jangmi, has truly taken a very unusual course.
Although its eye left Taiwan at 4 a.m. yesterday given the large size of this typhoon,
It wasn’t until yesterday afternoon that the entire typhoon moved out of Taiwan.
This typhoon has brought very heavy rainfall in many parts of Taiwan.
We see muddy water rushing down from the mountains.
With such muddy water washing down, parts of the mountains also came down, outing off roads, damaging bridges and flooding many areas.
This is why it is very dangerous for those living near to the mountains when typhoons come.
Even the cities have been flooded as some streets were submerged in water.
It’s truly------
This year, so many typhoons have passed through Taiwan within very short intervals of almost once a week.
It’s truly tormenting.
The typhoons in August and September brought especially heavy rainfall.
(Look how Lushan has been devastated)
(Not long ago, rivers there overflowed)
And so soon Typhoon Jangmi came bringing more devastation to the area and unspeakable suffering to the people.
Nearly 600 people have been evacuated.
With mountains collapsing and the rivers flooding their banks, the devastation has altered it beyond recognition.
However, despite such a powerful typhoon that caused so much damage, it’s fortunate that most people are safe and sound.
The elderly lady we see in the footage owns a grocery store.
Upon hearing that the area was being flooded, she wanted to move the goods at her store.
Her son is a rescue worker, and he knows very well that his mother would try to rescue her goods so he called his mother and told her:
“It’s more important that you’re safe”
“Forget about those goods”
Indeed, what matters most is people’s safety.
As long as people are safe, there is no need to worry about not being able to survive.
People in Taiwan are especially blessed.
Yesterday, right after the eye of typhoon left Taiwan, Tzu Chi volunteers across Taiwan immediately went out to see what they could do to help people in their community.
Is everyone safe and sound?
Yes, we are.
Yesterday, I also went to see our schools and I saw that classes have resumed in our primary and secondary schools.
Everywhere was very clean and tidy, and everyone was safe and sound.
Then, I went to our Tzu Chi College of Technology.
The teachers and students all spent the first period class cleaning up the school grounds
When I arrived there at around 9 a.m. the campus was already very clean and tidy.
When I went to Tzu Chi University, I saw only a couple of trees lying on the ground, and our staff and students had already begun to erect and secure the trees.
They said to me:
“It’s wonderful to have Tzu Chi volunteers” as Tzu Chi volunteers quickly went there to help and offer their support.
See how our volunteers care for others of their own accord like this.
Everyone is like one big family.
It truly warms my heart to see this.
When I went to the relief coordination center we’d set up in Jing Si Hall, I asked:
“Are everyone’s homes safe and sound?”
“Yes”
“Why haven’t you disbanded yet”
“since the typhoon has already passed?”
“Not yet, everyone is still out and about”
“to see where and what help is needed, “they said.
They were still waiting for news.
Our volunteers started working even before the typhoon arrived, and then helped with cleanup work right after the typhoon left so that everything could return to its original state.
Moreover, they stayed behind at the center to wait for news about where help was needed.
We also saw that in Pingdong yesterday, our volunteers delivered meal boxes on rafts.
It’s truly very heartwarming to see.
(Because both the water supply)
(and electricity were cut off,)
(we sent over hot meals for them)
Tzu Chi volunteers all over Taiwan are continuing to provide care and support to those affected.
In Yilan, Tzu Chi volunteers also reported that a school has been covered in mud and has asked whether Tzu Chi volunteers can help with cleaning up their school grounds.
Tzu Chi volunteers will definitely go to their aid.
We also see other places that have been affected by floods.
Apart from providing emergency cash, Tzu Chi volunteers are also helping with the cleanup effort.
All in all, Taiwan is still a very blessed place even though there has been some disaster.
We truly are blessed in Taiwan.
Take a look at the people in Haiti and what a truly sad lot they have.
Within a month, Haiti was hit by two tropical storms and two hurricanes.
It has truly brought unspeakable suffering to the people of Haiti.
The first storm struck over a month ago.
(and the place is still covered in mud and water)
Everyone, just imagine how they have had to live in muddy waters for more than a month.
Haiti is already very impoverished to begin with and now floodwaters and mud.
Have inundated their homes
There is not a dry piece of land where they can retreat to.
They truly have no way out.
Although the UN World Food Program (WFP) is currently providing aid to the people there, (the aid work will be long-term)
As the size of the devastated area is too large.
How are we to bring relief to a country like Haiti and help the people there?
We must think of ways to help them as the people are still affected by the flood.
Speaking of which, we truly must be very grateful that we live in Taiwan because wherever disasters occur in Taiwan. Tzu Chi volunteers will quickly rush to bring aid.
(and help those in need)
I also mentioned yesterday that we should be grateful at every moment.
We also need to keep in mind Nature’s might and be fearful of it.
So, we must learn to be humble and be grateful for being safe and sound and for being so blessed.
We must be humble and sincerely pious at all times as well as be very careful and on guard.
(to cultivate the right mindset)
The abode of our mind---we are its owners, so we need to take good care of this abode--- our mind.
Within us, there is a priceless treasure and we must guard this treasure carefully.
As we are already its owner, and are masters of this abode, we are actually very rich.
We have a lot of love within us and have the power to help others.
So, we should be grateful at every moment.
(and try to inspire people to understand)
the need for us to be humble and the need to be a person who helps others.
Only then can we truly benefit humanity.
In fact, there is another tropical storm forming over the ocean (near the Philippines)
So, we truly must remain cautious and sincerely pious at all times and make it a part of our daily cultivation.
So, everyone, please remain vigilant always.
In seeing how blessed Taiwan is.
We must know to create more blessings.
Look at Haiti again.
We truly must try to think about how we can help the people there.
As long as there’s a glimmer of a chance, we must try hard to see what can be done.
Meanwhile, relief work in parts of the U.S. affected by Hurricane Ike is still underway.
Tzu Chi volunteers are still surveying the disaster areas and bringing aid to those affected.
All in all, it is my hope that Tzu Chi volunteers worldwide can work hard to inspire people everywhere to understand the need for us to be pious, vigilant, and humble.
In all, I am truly very grateful for everyone’s dedication.
May the world be safe and sound always.
首播 每日19:45
重播 週一到週五
09:48 11:45 15:15 23:00
重播 週六
07:45 11:45 15:18 23:00
重播 週日
02:45 07:45 11:45 23:00
風災橋斷遍泥濘
平安即福整家園
守護心宅為道場
戒慎謙卑多造福
颱風一個接著一個來，慈濟的防颱協調中心也沒有休息過，從颱風前的宣導到風雨中送便當，一直到颱風遠離了、志工協助受災戶清掃。證嚴上人在今天的志工早會提到，同樣是風災，但台灣已經比海地要幸運多了，而美國在艾克颶風後，也面臨凱爾風暴的威脅。上人呼籲大家，不分遠近親疏，能共同祈求人人平安天下無災。
薔密颱風逐漸遠離，慈濟人的腳步馬上走入受災戶家中，從颱風來臨前的防災宣導到風災過後的打掃關懷；哪裡有難，藍天白雲的身影就出現在哪裡，陪伴所有災民走出災難。
同樣是風災過後，在美國艾克颶風重創德州，美國慈濟人及時的膚慰，安撫災民。還有接連而來的凱爾風暴，慈濟人也加強宣導，希望民眾提高警覺，以謙卑的態度來面對。
懂得知福惜福，才能再造福，人人心懷感恩，謙卑的面對天地，互助互愛才能化解天災。
2008-09-30 20:16:05
Regards, Jenny
思慧合十
Today’s Jing Si Aphorisms: Learn to be agreeable, learn to be humble, but don't learn to resolve matters with your fists.
今日靜思語: 學點頭, 學低頭, 不要學拳頭
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