Tzu Chi Canada Office Donates to
Local Institutions
Compiled by Lin Chi-chien
Translated by Sandi Zee
On October 3, the
Tzu Chi Canada branch office held a ceremony at the Still
Thoughts Hall in Vancouver, during which a total of $427,000
was donated to benefit more than ten health and education
institutions in the Vancouver area. Representatives from various
organizations spoke at the event, emphasizing that the long-term
aid provided by Tzu Chi, both in terms of material goods and
manpower, proves that Great Love transcends the boundaries
that separate different countries, ethnicities and religions.
During the ceremony, a videotape was presented
of Master Cheng Yen's lecture on the events of September 11,
in which she emphasized the need to use Great Love to dissolve
hate. Brother Ho Chi-hsiang talked about the history, missions,
and local work of Tzu Chi in Canada to the attending media
and donation recipients. Brother Ho particularly emphasized
that it is better to give than to receive, and he urged the
local groups to continue to work together in providing community
services.
This fundraiser, which focused on health
and education, benefited six-year-old Ho Lang-fu, a victim
of a deteriorating brain disease, needy middle-school and
elementary school children in the Vancouver area, the Salvation
Army's palliative care facility, the British Columbia Women's
Hospital, and St. Paul's Hospital.
Lang-fu is afflicted with an unknown disease
causing his brain to deteriorate. Only fifteen months after
he was born, his growth reached a state of dormancy while
his body parts slowly began to deteriorate. Presently, he
cannot move most of his body, while his ability to see and
hear is weakening. His parents have subjected him to acupuncture,
chikung, and other treatments, but all to no avail. Hyperbaric
oxygen therapy may be the child's last chance for survival,
but this method is very expensive and is not covered by most
health care plans. For Lang-fu's working class parents, it
is a very heavy financial burden. On August 21, Tzu Chi established
a donation account and asked the public to help with the treatment
costs. As of September 25, $37,000 has been raised.
On the health care side, the Tzu Chi charity
fund of roughly $200,000 is divided among the Salvation Army's
palliative care facility, provision of breast ultrasound scanning
equipment for the British Columbia Women's Hospital, and provision
of hemodialysis equipment for St. Paul's Hospital. In addition,
the money helps fund efforts by the Tzu Chi Institute for
Complementary and Alternative Medicine in western Vancouver
to treat drug rehabilitation with acupuncture and to hold
"heart treatment" lectures.
In education, since 1999, $100,000 has
been donated annually to provide scholarships to six school
districts in the greater Vancouver area to support extra-curricular
activities for disadvantaged students. This year is no exception,
and money was again donated to the six school districts. The
contributions also helped to establish a chair in Buddhist
studies at the University of British Columbia, allowing students
and members of the community to understand the dharma of Buddhism.
According to statistics, over 800 elementary
and middle school students benefit from the educational fund.
Joshua O'Brien, a blind student, is one such beneficiary.
Currently in the eighth grade, Joshua has shown musical talent
from a young age. After hearing a tune, he can play it out
on his family's electronic keyboard.
Joshua is currently being raised
by his grandmother, B. Simpson. It was not until last year,
with the help of funding from Tzu Chi, that Joshua was able
to receive proper piano training. According to his grandmother,
the music class is not long, but it is very helpful to Joshua's
music education. In addition, it has greatly affected his
attitude. He no longer throws tantrums at school, and he can
concentrate better in class. With a penchant for jazz and
blues, Joshua performed two pieces at the donation ceremony.
His emotional performance truly touched the brothers and sisters
in the audience.
