The story behind the worker: Caring in
Guatemala
Daniel,
a Tzu Chi care recipient, describes his living conditions
to Tzu Chi volunteers.
GUATEMALA - A manager
in a company recommended to its owner to lay off a worker
who was working too slowly. Upon further inspection, they
found out that this employee was not only aged and sick, but
was supporting 13 family members. To help, the owner, a Tzu
Chi volunteer, decided to make this worker a care recipient
instead. She and other volunteers brought food to his home
and made plans to help rebuild his house and send his children
to school.
The story unfolds
Tzu Chi volunteers walked briskly down
the country road. "Como está?", greeted a
Tzu Chi volunteer to Daniel, a Tzu Chi care recipient in Guatemala.
On three previous occasions, local Tzu Chi volunteers have
visited to better understand the family's needs.
This
simple bed and crude walls are home for Daniel and his entire
family.
Yet even so, they were troubled
to see the poor living conditions there. Daniel lives in the
coffee farm run by his oldest son. There is no running water
or electricity, and the corrugated iron roof is full of holes.
They sleep in a corner on torn pieces of cloth.
The volunteers quickly discussed how best
to help Daniel's family, while another volunteer gathered
information on the family's living environment.
Their background
Daniel works in construction for a Tzu
Chi volunteer's company. One day he fainted at the construction
site because he hadn't eaten anything that day.
His manager suggested that Daniel be fired
because he worked too slow. Daniel makes 600 Guatemalan quetzals,
or about 78 US dollars a month. With that amount, he must
support his family of 13, including his wife, 9 children and
2 granddaughters.
The Tzu Chi volunteer who runs the company
decided to make Daniel a care recipient.
The future
Tzu Chi volunteers handed out candies to
the children, some of whom were kids from the nearby houses.
The volunteers gave Daniel's family 5 pounds of sugar, 3 pounds
of powdered milk, and 8 pounds of oatmeal, plus bags of apple,
eggs, juice and candies.
On their next visit, the volunteers will
help Daniel build a new shelter with a new roof and comfortable
beds. They will also prepare school uniforms, shoes and notebooks
for the children who have never been to school before and
help them receive an education in a nearby school.
The Tzu Chi Foundation is a Buddhist
international charity relief organization that was founded
on the principles of charity and sharing local resources to
help those in need. It was founded by Dharma Master Cheng
Yen and operates on the basis of compassion and love.
Edited from Da Ai (Great Love) News,
a broadcast program of Tzu Chi's television station. For more
information on Tzu Chi's Da Ai TV, please visit http://www.newdaai.tv.
