The annual year end blessing for Tzu Chi Singapore branch was held on 27 & 28th December at its Jing Si Hall in Pasir Ris. More than 2000 members and volunteers joined in the four rounds of receptions held over the two days. A total of 12,000 red blessing cards carrying Master Cheng Yen’s blessings were made for this year’s event. Volunteers from the various zones have also been mobilized to help in the final touch up for the blessing cards.

Dong Zhi (Winter Solstice) and Christmas are important festivals for the Chinese and the Westerners, where families spend time together to bond with one another. The Tzu Chi volunteers combined the two celebrations and presented the seniors with a warm reunion on Dec 21.

Four years ago, the brother and sister pair from Yishun went to receive treatment at Taiwan’s Tzu Chi hospital. A deep brain stimulation electrode implant successfully controlled their spasms caused by a rare genetic disorder. However, after four years, the battery of the electrode in the sister's head has exhausted and she is starting to suffer from seizures once more.

It's been three months since Mahesh scribbled in his notebook. Originally from Sri Lanka, medical student Budhika Mahesh traveled with a team of TIMA members from Singapore to attend this year's international TIMA convention in Hualien, Taiwan. It was an event that left a deep impression in his heart. Returning home, Mahesh decided to share his profound experience to help spread Tzu Chi's humanitarian mission among his peers.

A group of 40 residents from Singapore's Yuhua Constituency at the Southwest district attended a talk on environment protection at Yuhua Community Club on 7 Dec morning. The residents gained invaluable insights from the Tzu Chi volunteers who shared with them the importance of caring for the environment through their experiences in Tzu Chi’s recycling work.

Singapore’s annual Clean & Green 2008 began in November with a line-up of activities being carried out in various constituencies. At the Eco Green @ Ansar’s Tree Planting Day activity organized by the Kaki Bukit Ansar Residents' Committee, Tzu Chi volunteers from the Southeast district were invited to set up an educational booth to raise awareness on environment protection among the residents. On-site demonstration and hands-on experience also served to teach the residents on how to do recycling in their daily life.

UNHCR HQ's representative, Mr. Anatoli Poujai, and Refugees International's Officer, Mr. Sean Garcia, visited UNHCR Tzu Chi Educational Centres in Kuala Lumpur. Qatar’s Al Jazeera TV also came along to document the daily life of the refugee children at home and in the classrooms.

With the goals of imparting values of filial piety and cultivation of a virtuous and compassionate character that cares for people, the organizing committee for the Tzu Chi Teenagers’ Camp dedicated their heart and soul in the planning of the camp activities. In comparison to previous camps, this year’s Teenagers’