To the Chinese community, Mid Autumn Festival is a time for reunion with family; a time to simply relax and bask in the love showered by their loved ones. Likewise, the Tzu Chi big family is complete when volunteers reunite with beneficiaries. Picture:The audience was energized by the ice breaker song and tried to outdo the other rows of table with their loud clapping.

Mr Chia Meng Choon, the balloonist, delighting the audience with his speedy twisting and pinching of balloons into cartoon characters.

Ms Tang Jinhua thanking Tzu Chi for all the help rendered to the family and Mr Lu Ziqian donating all the GST offsets he had received from the government.

Tzu Chi and Yati, a Muslim, are united by a common religion --- the religion of love.

Praying to heal the world with love.

Volunteers helping a granny to get around.

Volunteers seeing the beneficiaries off.

Last Sunday (17 August 2008) seemed like another lazy Sunday for residents staying around the Elias Road area. Little did they know that their neighbour, the Tzu Chi Foundation, was already bustling with activities early in the morning. Tzu Chi was holding its Mid Autumn Festival Distribution Day for its 117 beneficiaries.

To the Chinese community, Mid Autumn Festival is a time for reunion with family; a time to simply relax and bask in the love showered by their loved ones. Likewise, the Tzu Chi big family is complete when volunteers reunite with beneficiaries. For many beneficiaries, it was not their first time participating. They were drawn back repeatedly by the exciting performances, delicious vegetarian food, free haircutting, but most importantly, Tzu Chi volunteers’ warmth and kindness. Indeed, these volunteers had been their constant companion throughout the darkest chapters of their lives, and to many it was a chance for them to tell Tzu Chi how grateful they are and how much they love Tzu Chi.

The day kick-started with the catchy song “If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands…” Within minutes, the beneficiaries came out of their shells and were challenging each other with how loud they can clap their hands, step their feet and shout hooray! The audience, now very warmed up by the emcees’ entertainment, was treated to more fun and laughter by Mr Lightning Finger, the comedian balloonist. He twisted multi-coloured balloons to various shapes and sizes and delighted the audience with cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny and Minnie Mouse. The show was simply amazing to watch, for his nimble fingers and creativity flair kept the audience guessing what he will churn out next.

Volunteers were not the only ones who went on stage that day. Ms Tang Jinhua, wife of beneficiary Mr Lu Ziqian, went on stage and spoke on her husband’s behalf. Between tears of gratitude, she unreservedly shared her story on how Tzu Chi has brought love and assistance to the family when they despaired. Tzu Chi volunteers had accompanied them step by step, day by day. She gave much encouragement to other beneficiaries as she urged them to bravely overcome the adverse situation they are in. For those who felt that they had fallen into a bottomless pit, Ms Tang’s words were a timely throw of the ladder rope, an uplifting tale of fortitude and confidence. But the most inspirational part of the speech for both volunteers and beneficiaries alike, was Mr Lu’s decision to donate all his GST offsets received from the government to Tzu Chi. For someone who has so little, yet has so much to give, it was indeed a most valuable lesson for all present.

Offstage, his daughter, Lu Xiaoping added how grateful she is to Tzu Chi for helping her father financially and giving emotional strength to her mother. Tzu Chi’s help also enabled her to carry on working as a clinic assistant without having to worry too much about their situation. She disclosed that sometimes after Tzu Chi volunteers had visited, her mother will call her eagerly to tell her the news. As Ms Tang was in low morale at times, these visits were a much needed booster. Ms Lu’s maturity and filial piety was expressed touchingly throughout the interview. A little peck on her father’s face with a “I love you”, and an encouragement to her mother to be brave and preserve, brought the father to tears. After receiving so much love from Tzu Chi, she expressed strong interest in volunteering in Tzu Chi in her free time. When asked what she thought of the organization, she summed it up with, “Tzu Chi is great, Tzu Chi is fabulous, I love Tzu Chi forever!”

Besides the Lu family, Tzu Chi’s spark of love had come to the Kalaiseivi family, and they were just as keen to pass it on. Mr Kalaiseivi is on Tzu Chi’s assistance for two months now. When his son, a Secondary 3 student, was shown posters of Tzu Chi’s relief efforts in Singapore and across the region, he decided to chip in to help too. He not only collected a bamboo piggy bank for himself, but also shared Tzu Chi’s charity efforts with the nephew of another beneficiary who was sitting at the same table. This little boy is only in Primary 2 this year, yet he was inspired by Tzu Chi’s mission and brought home a bamboo piggy bank too.

Mr Kalaiseivi is a diabetic with an amputated leg, and he had come a long way from the adversity he faced. Initially, he was depressed and felt that he could not take the truth. After much encouragement from Tzu Chi volunteer, Sister Zhang Yurong, he is now motivated to undergo rehabilitation and is keen to go back to work too. He even had words of wisdom to comfort his wife, “Life is like the tides, there are high tides and low tides. But what is important is how to breakthrough during the low tides.” As he steps out of his low tide, he has also expressed interest in returning to Tzu Chi to help other unfortunate people.

As the day’s event came to a closure with the song “The Prayer”, Ms Yati, said a Muslim prayer for all who are still suffering. Despite a divide in religion, we are united by a heart of loving kindness. During the short three months of receiving Tzu Chi’s care, she had deeply felt Tzu Chi people’s sincere love for her. Regardless of race or religion, Tzu Chi’s philosophy is to help all who are suffering.  This companionship had helped her overcome the difficulties of kidney dialysis. In her prayer, she hoped that Tzu Chi people will be able to help those who are suffering forever, just like how Tzu Chi is standing by her side now.