| A
Christmas party for the children of migrant farm workers |
 |
Translated by Peiying
Chou
December 13, 2002
Chinese
Version
MIAMI,
USA - Tzu Chi volunteers held a Christmas party and distributed
gifts at a day care center for children of migrant farm workers.
Migrant farm workers, who move with the seasons of the crops,
play an important role in the United States agriculture industry.
However, as many are considered illegal immigrants, the majority
of migrant workers have not been allowed to receive needed medical
care. The Tzu Chi volunteers of California have already been
providing this community with medical services for many years.
At the end of 2002, the volunteers of Miami, Florida started
participating in the lives of farm workers by distributing Christmas
gifts to their children. By this act of giving, Tzu Chi hoped
to encourage the public to feel a spirit of community and promote
concern for the workers.
Living with poverty and few choices
The farm workers live in poor conditions without protection
from the law or medical insurance. The state of Florida is one
of the richest agriculture areas in the United States. Many
beautiful fields of strawberries and tomatoes stretch for miles
along the Turnpike Highway. But the workers picking the crops
are a group of people who have been forgotten by the public.
Unable to earn a living wage due to their illegal immigration
status nearly all migrant workers and their families live in
poverty. Their status also prevents them from receiving simple
medical insurance or protection from the law. The children of
the farm workers move with their parents and also work to help
support their family. This often results in their delay for
education or dropping out of school.
The volunteers prepared for the Christmas party
In November 2002, Miami Tzu Chi volunteers started to promote
the "The Trilogy of Love" fundraiser. Volunteers called
upon the local Taiwanese businesses and many other generous
people in the community to donate appropriate gifts or business
products. The volunteers then, along with their families, organized,
sorted and wrapped the gifts during the Thanksgiving holiday.
On December 13th, the volunteers headed to the day care center
to host the Christmas party.
At the day care center there were more than two hundred children
between the ages of one and five. Twenty-one volunteers went
into the classrooms and led the children out to the central
field for the party. The party started with the sign language
song "Father and the Buffalo". Although the children
could not understand the Chinese lyrics, the melody created
a happy and warm atmosphere for the party. The English version
of the precept, "The Three No's" was shared to teach
the children to love, trust and forgive people.
Santa Claus showed up for the children at the party
During
snack time volunteers Lucy and Tien-Ching shared a Christmas
story in Spanish using a giant picture book and props. The children
were fascinated with the story telling. A little girl led everyone
to say a prayer at the end.
Several younger volunteers happened to have
exams in school that day, but still were able to come and play
Christmas carols for the children with their musical instruments.
Mr. Santa Claus, played by a volunteer, showed up during the
caroling. The children were very happy to see Santa Claus and
ran up to hug him.
Every child received a Christmas gift and a blessing card made
by seven volunteers. The head of the day care center, Alma,
thanked the volunteers for their work and hoped that the volunteers
could come to visit the children more often.
