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To be alive and be together with family are the
most beautiful gifts a person can receive! These
were my thoughts, after talking to some of the
survivors of Hurricane Katrina.
Tzu Chi volunteers at Arizona Veteran Memorial
Coliseum spread the seeds of love through cash
assistance to survivors of Hurricane Katrina.
Each individual receives a $100 check, and if
the person has a family with them, the second
adult also receives $100, while each child in
the family receives $50, up to $500 per family.
My assignment was to help the people who came
to Tzu Chi for assistance through the process
of obtaining a referral from the Department of
Economics Security. Besides this work, however,
I also was asked to talk to volunteers from other
agencies providing various types of assistance
to the survivors, and, of course, to the survivors
themselves. The message I heard again and again
was one of hope and gratitude. The people I talked
to were hopeful and positive about their future.
While many have lost their homes, their possessions,
and their communities, they still feel fortunate
to have their families intact. The material things,
they say, can be replaced. What they now need
most is the support that comes from being together
with their loved ones.
One man I talked to told me stories he witnessed
or heard in New Orleans. As he was getting out
of the city, he saw dead human bodies and animals
floating in the water. It was impossible for him
to walk or swim from his house, but eventually
a helicopter came and lifted him to safety. He
saw people dying, often the elderly. He told me
the story, now widely reported, of the nursing
home where 35 residents died. It is hard to imagine
the horror these people faced as they lie in their
beds knowing that they will soon drown.
This man lamented as he talked about the impermanence
in life. However, he said that he is positive
and is hopeful. He felt that natural disasters
occur everywhere, and no matter to which city
he relocates, disasters will happen in one way
or another. Therefore, he said, the most important
thing in life is a person's own mind. It's important
to be positive and stay hopeful, and material
things are secondary To him, this tragedy illustrated
how unpredictable the end of life can be. His
philosophy was to do something that is personally
meaningful everyday, so that when he dies, he
will not regret missing opportunities to do that
which was most important to him.
Several agencies, such as the AARP-Senior Community
Service Employment Program, Department of Economic
Security, Salvation Army, and Red Cross came and
talked with us. They wanted to know what kind
of organization we are and what kind of work we
do. Volunteers with other organizations were surprised
to learn that we were giving out emergency cash
to the survivors and that we have millions of
members and volunteers around the world donating
their money and time to help the needy.
One lady I met, from the AARP-Senior Community
Service Employment Program, was one of the sweetest
people I have ever talked to. She looked carefully
at the booklet explaining what Tzu Chi Foundation
does, and quickly understood our main missions
and philosophy. She praised the work we do, and
shared with me her own religion's philosophy.
We exchanged ideas, and eventually concluded that,
no matter how different our religions and races
are, we share the same ideals of love and compassion.
I have learned a lot today while talking with
different people. Besides helping the survivors,
the survivors have also helped me to learn and
grow. I am very grateful that I have a healthy
body and mind, and I am grateful that I have my
family and friends. It is amazing to see how,
during disastrous times, people come together
to help each other and to work harmoniously, with
one hand and one heart. This is truly the spirit
of humanity.
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