Celebrating Lunar New Year away from home
A flight from Singapore to Medan, Indonesia takes about an hour. However, due to the evolving pandemic situation, Indonesian Tzu Ching, Winy had not been able to return home for Chinese New Year. Winy, who stayed on in Singapore for the Spring Festival, had decided to do something different for this year’s Chinese New Year. She signed up as a volunteer for the annual Chinese New Year distribution event organised by Tzu Chi Singapore and stepped into HDB homes along with senior home visit volunteers to visit Tzu Chi aid recipients.
Winy who hails from Medan, Indonesia has been studying in Singapore for 7 years. She has not returned home for close to a year since the outbreak of COVID-19. Winy who could not return home for the festive season seized the opportunity to participate in the annual CNY distribution event. On this day, Winy had also sought the advice from her father who has many years of volunteering experience.
Tzu Ching｜Winy
“In January I will be visiting a care recipient at his home Is there anything that I need to pay attention to?”
Winy’s Father｜Shu Tjeng
“We should provide the aid recipient with what he needs, and see if he could accept such help. If you wish to inspire him to become a giver you must first relieve his sufferings, and help him find mental satisfaction before you invite him to do good with us and subsequently learn to give.”
Tzu Ching｜Winy
“Then after he said that, I will be more mindful of the situation instead of going there and just spend my time there and after that it is done. But instead, I go there and see if there is something that I can learn from the other party.”
A total of 27 Tzu Chings had signed up for this year’s CNY distribution, to join senior volunteers to visit care recipients at their homes.
Tzu Ching｜Winy
“I’ve been very blessed all these times. When I go there, I don’t really feel that I’m going there to give them something, instead when I go there I gain something from them. It’s always good to remind ourselves to be thankful so that we can go through obstacles a lot easier, because we will have a more open mindset towards what we are going through.”
When we acknowledge suffering, our hearts will become gentler. Cherish what we have, and learn to give.
