Many in the Fil-Chi community have heard of the Tzu Chi Foundation, and probably know someone who volunteers there.
Out of all the charitable organizations I have heard of, this is the one that I really trust to get 100% of donations to those in need.
The people from the Tzu Chi Foundation do their charity work without fanfare, nor do they expect anything in return. The aura when you meet them is just unbelievable – each and every one is kind and compassionate. If you can sense it, the atmosphere they give off is totally calm and light and spiritual. I don’t know how else to describe it. The only time I have ever sensed this kind of peace in a place was in a Buddhist nunnery in Taiwan.
Do you know that when they give out blankets to those in need, that the volunteers bow to the recipient? This is to make the recipient feel like they are worthy of help, and not feel like they are a charity case.
I was invited to their 25th anniversary celebration (25th year in the Philippines) a few days ago.
TZU CHI FOUNDATION
Tzu Chi Foundation was founded by Dharma Master Cheng Yen, a Taiwanese Buddhist nun, in 1966 in Hualien, Taiwan. I was told the story of how this happened. While at a hospital, she witnessed a pregnant woman being refused treatment because the woman had no money. The pregnant woman was told to leave. Dharma Master Cheng Yen continued to worry about the woman and eventually found out what happened – while looking for another place that would help her, the pregnant woman died along the way, and so did the baby.
This affected Dharma Master Cheng Yen so much that she started the Tzu Chi Foundation to spread relief and compassion. Tzu Chi now has over 10 million members worldwide, and it is one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the world.
Tzu Chi Foundation is most well-known for their disaster relief and medical missions. Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s teachings of helping the ones in need led to the construction of hospitals, schools, universities, and communities.
DISASTER RELIEF AND MEDICAL MISSIONS
My ophthalmologist friend regularly goes on medical missions to far-flung parts of the country for volunteer work. Aside from that, every Friday, the Tzu Chi Great Love Campus in Sta. Mesa has FREE eye services in their Eye Center.
We were given a tour of the facilities, and I was flabbergasted at all the state-of-the-art equipment! Their set-up can rival the well-known hospitals’!
Well-known eye doctor Dr. Say is a volunteer, and he only wants the best equipment. No cheapie equipment here – they use Carl Zeiss! Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s teaching is that they should give the best to those in need, because it might be the only time they ever receive such.
They even have a very high-tech operating room which I didn’t go in to because it required us to take so many precautions.
EVERYTHING IS FREE. They have never accepted any payment for any of the eye services they provide. They are limited by licensing issues, so they can only offer out-patient services. Most of the services they do are removing cataracts and providing free glasses. Around 300 or more people show up every Friday. Right now, this is only happening on Fridays, but they plan to expand to more days because it is a waste of all this available equipment to only use it once a week.
Here are some students getting check-up and glasses for free:
Not only do they provide all this for free, they also feed the patients with nutritious, delicious, vegetarian food.
Many of those whose lives were touched by this compassion end up volunteering or donating what they can.
TAIWAN FOOD MARKET
Speaking of food, we also enjoyed delicious vegetarian fare for lunch. If this is the kind of vegetarian meal I can expect, I wouldn’t mind so much!
The food was filling, but doesn’t feel heavy. The food is delicious, and I don’t feel guilty for eating – literally because I am not party to hurting a sentient being, and also because I am actually eating healthy.
A MISSION OF LOVE – MS. ALYA HONASAN
This event also coincides with the book launching of Ms. Alya Honasan’s book, “A Mission of Love”. The book shares her story on the 25 years of the Tzu Chi Foundation’s activities in the Philippines.
I was able to get a signed copy 🙂
The Tzu Chi Great Love Campus is located at 1000 Cordillera corner Lubiran Streets in Sta. Mesa, Manila. This used to be the old Boystown. This is maybe 5-minutes’ walk from Town & Country Hotel. If coming from Quiapo/Pureza/Stop and Shop areas, you can take the Bacood jeep, it will pass by the Tzu Chi Great Love Campus.
Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines appeals to all interested donors and volunteers to coninue the mission of relief and compassion to promote love and service in the Philippines and throughout the world.
To know more about Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines and its activities, follow these social media pages:
https://www.facebook.com/TzuChiPH
https://twitter.com/TzuChiPH
https://www.instagram.com/tzuchiphilippines/
Follow hashtag #TzuChiPHat25 for the 25th Anniversary celebration of Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines.
Interested volunteers or donors may contact the following numbers:
(632) 8732-0001 and (632) 8732-0002
