See what hardship people in
(The U.N. estimates that)
45 percent of
(will require food assistance by early 2009)
Some go as long as 3 or 4 days without eating anything solid while some survive on roots from edible plants and trees or wild fruits that have dried up or rotted
Look at the ordeal they are going through
(and the controversial land reforms,)
(the experienced farmers didn't have land to farm)
Hence, agricultural production has fallen considerably.
On top of that, severe drought also contributed to poor harvests, eventually leading to today's hyperinflation and the severe economic slowdown of the country.
Now the Zimbabwean dollar truly has very little value.
In July 2007, Mr, Cai, a Taiwanese businessman in
He came to know about Tzu Chi through Da Ai TV.
Later, he came to Hualien and described to me what an impoverished life the Zimbabweans lead.
At the time, Mr. Huang, CEO of Global Affairs, was also at the Abode.
Hearing what Mr. Cai said, last November, he went to
They went and saw that the locals are truly living in great hardship.
Our volunteers from
But when they arrived at
The hyperinflation is truly horrifying and unbelievable
Why has the inflation rate surged so rapidly with no end in sight?
For example, a teacher's monthly salary is not enough to buy half a loaf of bread.
So, the local teachers would rather stay at home than go to school to teach.
Think about how serious the situation is.
Now, not only are food and commodity prices increasing because of surging inflation rates.
There is also a shortage of food and commodities.
Nevertheless, Mr. Cai and the other local businesspeople in
They planned to hold another large-scale aid distribution a year after the first one.
However, with
So, they began storing up on supplies from the middle of this year.
For instance, they bought however much cornmeal.
(they could afford and was available) and stored it up bit by bit.
But recently, even with money, one cannot necessarily get cornmeal.
It's also very difficult to buy cooking oil.
So, they'd take empty oil containers with them.
(to whichever factories they heard produced oil,)
And buy it there and accumulate it in a big barrel bit by bit.
It was very difficult to collect 1,000 liters of oil they needed for the distribution event.
So, they bought. stored and gathered things up bit by bit over several months.
Can we imagine what hard work it must have been?
Can we imagine how many trips they had to make just together enough oil to fill half a bottle?
What hard work it was.
Likewise, we don't know how many trips or purchases they had to make to collect enough cornmeal to fill a bag.
But, that was how they purchased and accumulated supplies to be given out to the poor.
See, even with money, you can't buy what you want not to mention the fact the locals are poor.
Even the local businesspeople from
But every one of them worked very hard.
(to overcome the difficulties they encountered) because all they had in mind was to carry out Tzu Chi's mission of love there.
See how they purchased and accumulated the supplies bit by bit until there was enough to give out to those in need.
Despite the hardship, they did it willingly.
They didn't mind the trouble, they had to go through.
All they wanted was to help these people in need.
Seeing that my heart goes out to them
They are not rich themselves as the whole country is poor and in short supply of food and basic commodities.
On top of that, there is also the issue of hyperinflation.
It is truly very worrying.
See how our volunteers worked so hard and endured such hardship just to accumulate supplies to give to those in need.
Seeing that, now could I possibly not be moved?
They spent over six months purchasing and accumulating these supplies bit by bit until they had enough to give out to over 700 families at the aid distribution from Nov.7 to 9.
These supplies did not come easily.
The supplies that our volunteers gave to each family was worth around US$10.
Just US$10 provides so many supplies for a family to get by for a month.
How can we still continue to be wasteful?
We should encourage people to lead a frugal life.
If everyone in the family can practice frugality and be more diligent people will not be lacking in anything and ten society will be well-to-do.
So, we must not be wasteful and indulge ourselves in luxury.
Seeing so many people living in suffering, I feel so much pain and anguish.
What can we do to help them?
The locals are all very kind and good-natured and they accept their lot without resentment.
Before our volunteers went to give out supplies, I kept reminding them to be careful as the locals have been starving for some time and when they see the supplies.
(they might fight with each other for it)
But, the locals were very peaceful at the distribution and lined up in an orderly manner to receive the supplies.
It was very moving to see.
I am very grateful to our volunteers in
I must also thank the local businesspeople from
What they have done is truly not an easy feat.
Seeing the hardship people in
How are we to bring aid to people living on that land.
(that is in dire need of help?)
How are we to help so many people in suffering?
I am confident that as long as there are more loving people joining together bringing aid to the suffering will not be hard.
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
非洲糧倉陷貧困
黎民饑荒亟待援
克勤克儉灑愛心
居安思危作警惕
2007年開始，台商蔡慶洲成為辛巴威第一個慈濟種子，就此生根發芽，召募越來越多人，再次舉辦大型物資發放。證嚴上人在今天的志工早會提到，人世間許多地方雖然是苦不堪言，但是再深再大的傷痛，都要靠愛來撫平。上人也讚歎辛巴威與南非慈濟人，是靠著智慧度過難關。
南非的辛巴威物資匱乏，通貨膨脹嚴重，許多民眾只能以樹皮、樹根果腹，有45%的人口，急需糧食援助。當地台商蔡慶洲，不忍居民受苦難，帶著慈濟的愛，在去年底展開發放工作，事隔一年，當地慈濟志工在南非志工協助下，再度舉辦大規模發放，延續這份長情大愛。
證嚴上人開示：藍天白雲出現的地方，苦難眾生的身心，都會受到膚慰，真的是看到這樣的人間世界，雖然苦不堪，卻也是如冬天的暖陽，一樣溫馨。
這次的發放，當地志工早在好幾個月前就開始準備，因為當地物資缺乏，即使有錢，不見得買得到東西，志工只好一點一滴的收購民生物資，在不影響市場機制下，不斷的屯積，克服總總困難，才累積了發放物資。
證嚴上人開示：克勤、克儉、克難，也要承擔起了 慈濟的愛心，晴天要積雨時糧，我們以前的人所說的，我們現在的生活平平安安，也應該要提高警覺不要透支的浪費。
心存大愛克萬難，人人克勤克儉，未雨綢繆，懂得知足，才能平安度過每一天。
2008/11/24
Regards, Jenny
Today's Jing Si Aphorisms: Let our state of mind always remain positive no matter what we hear.
今日靜思語:要學習聽到任何話,都保持歡喜
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