Day
2, Sister Tzu Ding Shih's Diary, September 11 World Trade Center
Terrorist Attack
|
Reported by Tzu Ding Shih,
Commissioner, New York Branch Office
|
|
|
> Day 2: 9/12
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 12, 2001
Around 8 this morning, I called
Brother Lee's home again to ask about his whereabouts. From
the other end of the phone came Sister Mei-Je's sobs. She
said that Brother Lee's 92-year-old mother kept asking where
he was, and she yelled at Sister Mei-Je to take her to him.
It was sad to hear how anxious the mother was to find her
son.
Around noon, more than twenty volunteers rode in three vans
to Manhattan. On the way there, they visited Brother Lee's
house first. Upon seeing the volunteers, Sister Mei-Je was
moved to tears. Brother Lin Chi-yi immediately conveyed Master
Cheng Yen's good wishes and comforted her by saying that Brother
Lee would be fine. As we all left, Brother Lee's mother came
out and kept telling the volunteers, "Ah-der is such
a good son. Something must have happened, otherwise why wouldn't
he call?" We tried our best to comfort her and told her
to take care of her health. We said we would try our best
to find out what happened to him.
Brother Lee's son, Jien-shien, asked to go along with the
other volunteers so he could ask about his father at the hospital.
The son who was just married last month carried his father's
picture and remained silent throughout the trip.
After we entered the city, the police kept stopping us to
ask questions. The city center was still a disaster area,
but some vehicles were allowed to enter after being examined.
But the area below 14th street was still sealed. As we passed
through the disaster area, we all instinctively looked at
where the World Trade Center used to be. We felt such a great
loss at seeing only black smoke billowing through the sky.
When we got close to the disaster area, one of the cars went
to the hospital and handed some bottled water to Sister Lin
Hui-ru, who had been allowed into the disaster area. Another
car took Jien-Shien to Beth Israel to look for his father.
Around 3 in the afternoon, the volunteers met with other Tzu
Chi members at the Javits Convention Center and headed toward
a volunteer station set up by the Salvation Army. We told
them that we wanted to help. At this time, Brother Yao and
Brother Yao, doctors from the Eastern Region of the Tzu Chi
International Medical Association, arrived and displayed their
physician's credentials. They explained that Tzu Chi was experienced
in disaster relief and was willing to help. Brother Huang
Ta-fung met with the Red Cross at Central Park and explained
about the nature of the Tzu Chi volunteers. He told them if
there was a need, we could join the relief efforts immediately.
After 5, the volunteers met at Chelsea Piers, at 12th Avenue
and 23rd Street, to turn over food and water to American volunteers
for delivery into the disaster area. Sister Lin Hui-ru also
called from the disaster area and said that they needed a
large quantity of bottled water, gloves, T-shirts, wet towelettes,
bandages, etc., so we went to purchase those items immediately
and delivered them to Chelsea Piers. It was after 7 when we
returned to the office.
Today was the second day after the disaster. Tzu Chi people
rose above the pain to begin rescue efforts. Watching more
than 20 volunteers in their blue-and-white uniforms, weaving
their way through a multi-ethnic crowd, I don't know why,
but I wanted to cry. After all, in these rescue efforts, American
Tzu Chi people have already taken their first steps in the
name of Great Love.
