Anybody's
child wants to
be a RESCUE
WORKER
or a PEACEKEEPER?
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Anybody's
child wants to
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The
world is nearing disaster-fatigue. Let’s not go too far back. Let’s begin
with Kosovo -- millions uprooted and displaced in an ethnic-cleansing war.
Then we have the earthquakes in Turkey, Greece and now Taiwan. There were
also the worst weather disasters -- Hurricane Floyd ravaged the US, Typhoon
York hit Hong Kong. To top it all, a man-made tragedy right in our backyard
-- the traumatic East Timor humanitarian disaster.
It is hard to turn our back or be switch-off to the pains, tears, despair and helplessness of the victims, but amidst the tragedies; an illuminating face of humanity lifts our spirit. These are the faces of the rescue workers, peacekeepers, humanitarian volunteers, journalists, United Nations officials and aid workers. They are responding to cries for help, risking their own safety, reaching out to those in pain. A decade ago, few Asians would aspire to these professions, they may even think that you are out of your mind for suggesting. Today’s younger ones have new ideas and they think differently about these undertakings. Perhaps from where we come from, most of us grew up with only meat on festivals and walk to school barefoot; trying to make ends meet is our sole preoccupation. We are obsessed with security. Asians in general, and Malaysians included are guilty of thinking about money and money alone, 24 hours a day. Economic considerations influence most if not all our responses to life situations. Listen to the following. Aren’t they familiar?
Developing our capacity to love Tzu Chi Foundation (global volunteer group dedicated to disaster relief work) founder Master Cheng Yen said of compassion and volunteer work, “Don’t think that because we are going out there to help, we are great. We should be thankful that there is an opportunity for us to learn about ourselves, whether we indeed have the capacity to love?” One middle aged chief executive/owner
of a public company who is active in Tzu Chi’s work shared with me his
experience working as a volunteer. “In volunteering, you are the greatest
beneficiary. You learn about your inner self. When I go as many times as
possible to visit this old man and bathe him, I was amazed that I can do
this. You have to know that I don’t even do this to my father!”
Disaster
Relief is different from Charity
However, the Crisis also taught us that we were immensely inexperienced in disaster relief work. The irony was side by side...
Do we just care for money? 
Anything wrong with materialism, money and fame? Nothing. Properly deployed, these are our great servants. With financial security, you acquired the ability to help others. Buy the best designer brand watch, so you stop buying any more watches. Fame is useful, when it helps you open doors and gets things done. Money, materialism and fame are great servants, if they remain servants. And you must never forget you are the master of your humanity, where you continue to extend your zone of concern, from your own well being to that of the larger whole. I am reminded of a reflection one wise man uses, “If I don’t do it, who will? If I don’t it now, when will I? If I only do it for myself, WHO am I?” Indeed, studies have shown that people don’t work for money. They care about larger issues other than money. Think about these...
Watching over us, Mother Nature seems to have something strong to say. For over two years now, she still hasn’t said enough – the fury is continuing. Science and Technology cannot provide an adequate answer for all these. Perhaps our innerselves have the answers. Find out by asking yourself,
how would you feel if your child comes up to you and said, “mom and dad,
when I grow up, I want to become a rescue worker? Or a peacekeeper?"
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