October 24 (Wednesday) was Central-One District’s “Care recipient”, Grandma Chen XinJing’s 99-year-old birthday. Member of Home Visit team, Sister Wang Lijuan has started to prepare a week in advance, inviting Central-One District’s Home Visit volunteers and those who have shown concerned for Grandma XinJing over the past. Tzu Chi Volunteers gathered around Grandma XinJing to sing the birthday song and send their best blessings of her health and luck to grandma.

To celebrate Grandma XinJing’s 99-year-old birthday, Tzu Chi volunteers joined effort to make it a happy event for the Grandma.

Grandma XinJing prayed solemnly to the Goddess of Mercy, for peace and prosperity for the country, and to bless Tzu Chi people well and healthy.

A touching scene of loving mother and son. Grandma XinJing donated S$100 for charity to Tzu Chi..

October 24 (Wednesday) was Central-One District’s “Care recipient”, Grandma Chen XinJing’s 99-year-old birthday. Member of Home Visit team, Sister Wang Lijuan has started to prepare a week in advance, inviting Central-One District’s Home Visit volunteers and those who have shown concerned for Grandma XinJing over the past.

This is the third time Tzu Chi people is organizing birthday party for Gandma Xinjing. The first was organized in November, 2005 when she was 97. Back then, she had just checked in to Renci Hospital due to old age and for better care.  However, Grandma Xinjing was very uncomfortable to be parted with her godson. She was also worried that her godson and Tzu Chi people will no longer visit and care for her.  Therefore she resented the idea of being institutionalized and wanted to go home.

In order to put her mind at ease, Tzu Chi volunteers decided to organize a birthday party for her, and reassured her that they will continue to pay her regular visits wherever she lives.  Her godson Mr Gan has also promised to visit her every day in the hospital. Only then did Grandma dispel her fear of being left alone.

Today, 14 Home visit volunteers have worked together to put up a birthday cerebration, some fetch the cake, arranged bouquets, made birthday cards; some assembled at the hospital, while others went to fetch Grandma’s godson Mr. Gan to Ren Ci Hospital.

When we arrived at the ward where Grandma stays, many Tzu Chi people were waiting there. Some have helped Grandma to dress up for the party. Grandma was pleased and speechless to see that her godson has come to cerebrate her birthday. 

The party was held at the Buddha Hall which was specially permitted by the hospital management. When Grandma was pushed to the hall on wheelchair, her eyes shone with cheers when she saw the hall has beautifully decorated with birthday theme by Tzu Chi volunteers.  

Sister Lijuan passed round the birthday card for every one to write their best wishes for grandma, then，all gathered around Grandma and sung a birthday song for her. Grandma was so excited and happy that she kept saying thanks to everyone. After cutting the birthday cake, Mr. Gan fed Grandma with the birthday cake, and everybody warmly applauded, and Grandma was happy smiling away.

She then asked her godson to wheel her in front of the Goddess of Mercy statue; then she offered the flowers given by the volunteers to the Goddess of Mercy.  Grandma prayed solemnly for prosperity and peace for the country, and to bless Tzu Chi people with peace and health.

After that, Grandma presented her birthday gift of S$100 to Tzu Chi for charity, then everyone went up to hug her and sent their blessings.  On one side, Mr Gan was helping Grandma to tidy up the bed and some daily used items. The birthday party ended in the midst of laughter, with the Home Visit volunteers sending Mr. Gan home to rest.

Mr. Gan was diagnosed with Naso-pharyngeal cancer in early July this year when he had severe bleeding from the nose and needed treatment. Mr. Gan was rather worried that he might not be able to visit his godmother. However, the Tzu Chi people reassured him that they will take care of grandma and he need not to worry about this.  .

During this period, besides visiting Grandma, the volunteers have also extended their care and concern to Mr Gan when he was under medical treatment. They also told grandma briefly about Mr Gan’s condition to ease her mind when she complained that Mr Gan has not visited her for sometime. .  

Mr Gan has suffered much pain undergoing treatment, facing the uncertainties of the future, he was so worried about Grandma, he could not hold back his tears when he talked about this. It was really a heart breaking scene. The Home visit volunteers, apart from giving encouragement and comfort, also informed him about their visits to Grandma, urged him to face the future with courage, and must feel relieved to focus on his treatment.
 
What kind of predestined relationship is this? To let the mother and son who are not related by blood to maintain nearly half a century of kinship love. Master Cheng Yen once mentioned, "All are brothers when born, why should there be need for blood relation". Filial piety of the heart among people is weak nowadays; family moral and ethic values are gradually lost. At this point seeing an old mother feeling distressed over the haggard son after his medical treatment and the son worrying over his elderly mother. Mother and son’s deep love, a mother’s kindness and a son’s filial piety, this is a model we need to learn.
 
In the past when Grandma still living in her own flat, she always showed the volunteers her old photos and shared her life stories. To make grandma happy, the volunteers did not mind to lending their ears to listen over and over again. In every visit, Grandma would always expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the volunteers and saw them to the lift when they leave.

Grandma is also a charitable elder; she often donates her normal timesavings, to help people in need. In the 21st September 1999 earth-quake in Taiwan; Grandma donated her entire lifesavings of about S$1,600 to help the victims. This spirit of great charity yielded respect and admiration, though Grandma is not well off financially, she is rich spiritually and is an elder full of wisdom.