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The Tzu Chi Commissioners Association
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| (Translated by Douglas Shaw) |
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When the Tzu Chi Foundation
was first established with the charitable mission of helping the
poor, in order to build a team spirit among the commissioners
and provide a forum to communicate the affairs of the foundation,
a meeting of commissioners was held every month in Hualien. At
these meetings, commissioners would bring up cases of poor and
needy people that they had discovered, and discuss ways to deal
with the cases and the amount of money that would be distributed.
At first, the commissioners all came from Hualien.
As the foundation spread from Hualien to Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung
and Pingtung, the commissioners needed a way to strengthen their
fellowship and exchange views on their work. In 1972, Master Cheng
Yen decided that representatives from each of the areas around
the province of Taiwan would go to Hualien for a provincial commissioners
meeting.
With the rapid development of the work of the
foundation, the increasing number of commissioners, and the numbers
of foundation members who would take the "Tzu Chi Train"
to Hualien, meetings began to include both commissioners and members.
Association meetings are regularly held
on the Sunday before the twenty-fourth day of each month on the
lunar calendar, when the regular distribution to the poor is held.
At each meeting, Master Cheng Yen presents candles made at the
Abode of Still Thoughts as blessings to those who are celebrating
their birthday in that month. After the Master speaks to the audience,
heads of the Tzu Chi missions or other specialists give their
reports. Tzu Chi members take the stage to share how they came
to join the foundation. Afterwards, members of organizations such
as the Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth Association, "little bodhisattvas,"
the Tzu Chi Children's Enrichment Class, and the Tzu Chi Teachers
Association share their experiences and feelings. Outside the
meeting room, there is a blood donation bus, a bone marrow donor
registry office, and a financial donations service office, so
that those who attend the meetings won't miss the chance to show
their love.
