Great Love with Cerebral Palsy Patients
Samantha
feeds a child with cerebral palsy.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - Tzu Chi volunteers
visited the United Cerebral Palsy
Association (UCPA) on June 16, South Africa's Youth Day. There,
the volunteers met Samantha, a 19 year old teacher, who had
joined the UCPA three months ago.
Love is Limitless
"When I first saw the conditions here,
I thought I wouldn't be able to hang on to these kids, who
can hardly give me any responses. After a while, the feeling
has started to grow and I just couldn't bear to leave them.
I have learned what is so-called the 'unconditional love'
over here."
When asked what she meant by 'unconditional
love', Samantha said, "Everyday when I walk past certain
areas, the kids use their own way to call my name. Their diseased
body has confined their emotions. When we give them a little
bit of attention and love, they return with their whole-hearted
love. This kind of feeling is beyond words."
The power of giving
Samantha continued, "The job scopes,
the staff and the kids in UPCA has been giving me more than
what I have contributed. The job scope itself is tiring, but
I will never get too bored with the job and never want to
leave. I feel grateful for this opportunity to feel and learn
unconditional love."
Although Samantha is young, her practice
of unconditional giving has reminded the Tzu Chi volunteers
of Master Cheng Yen's "Great Love" teachings.
Dharma Master Cheng Yen is the founder
of Tzu Chi, a Buddhist international charity relief organization
dedicated to using love, compassion, and selfless giving to
better the community.
