| The
sound of flute music in the dusty wind |
 |
May 27,
2003
Chinese
Version
LADYSMITH, South Africa - Volunteers
teach music class at Education Elementary, the second Tzu Chi
school in Ladysmith.
Learning through music
Immediately after Tzu Chi volunteers finish
teaching at Umnde Elementary, the third Tzu Chi school in Ladysmith,
they rush to Education Elementary to help students rehearse
Tzu Chi songs before the school day ends. As part of a Tzu Chi
pilot program at Education Elementary, this music program is
a fun and creative way for the students to improve their learning
abilities and expand their musical aptitude and experience.
When the program was first launched, the volunteers
were saddened to learn that these students had previously never
received an education in music. Although their fingers were
very rigid and unaccustomed to playing the flutes and harmonicas,
the students continually practiced with determined concentration
and improved after just one week of practice. The clumsy fingers
gradually became nimble on the flute.
The theme song being taught is "The Three
No's," which is based on Master Cheng Yen's teaching, "there
is no one in the world that I do not trust, there is no one
in the world that I cannot forgive, and there is no one in the
world that I do not love." In the future, similar music
programs will be introduced at other Tzu Chi schools in the
Ladysmith area.
Learning
through music at Tzu Chi's second school in Ladysmith, South
Africa. Playing flutes and harmonicas, the students showed improvements
after just one week of practice.
Mingling with the students
When Tzu Chi volunteers, Long-Shen Fang and
Shu-Hui Zhao, arrived at the school, they immediately mingled
and mixed in with the students. The sound of innocent laughter
filled the air as children played with a new soccer ball donated
by Tzu Chi. Even though Long-Shen and Shu-Hui kept swallowing
gusts of sand from the wind, they continued to play with the
kids.
Despite the adverse conditions with dust and
sand swirling around them, the young students were still able
to enjoy the soccer game with high spirits. When the students
were done playing, they carefully stored the soccer ball in
the principal's office for safekeeping. Seeing how much these
underprivileged kids treasured an ordinary soccer ball, we are
reminded to be thankful of and cherish what we have.
Because of the SARS epidemic, Long-Shen brought
along blessing cards for the students to write encouraging words
to the medical personnel and patients battling the disease back
in Taiwan. Touched by the experience of the music program, Long-Shen
also pledged to donate more than twenty trees to the school
so that the students could learn and grow-up in a clean environment
filled with fresh air.
Who says there is no free lunch?
More good news for Education Elementary!
Much to the school principal's joy, the Health Ministry recently
approved Tzu Chi's application for a lunch program. Beginning
in July 2003, free lunches will be provided daily for the students.
