Living a Life of Value

By Huang Ling-ling (黃玲玲)
Abridged and translated by Kim Ning (甯素青)

Living a Life of Value

By Huang Ling-ling (黃玲玲)
Abridged and translated
by Kim Ning (甯素青)

In 1997, Wu Chee Yong (吳志揚) from Malaysia chanced upon a Tzu Chi Monthly magazine at a clinic and was deeply moved by the story of how Dharma Master Cheng Yen founded Tzu Chi. One day in 2000, he learned that his child's school teacher happened to be a Tzu Chi volunteer. Overjoyed, he immediately decided to become a donating member.

In 2012, Wu began to take part in Tzu Chi's recycling work. At Tzu Chi's recycling station in Taman Bukit Cheng, Malacca, he soon became very popular because, compared with most of the volunteers there who are either elderly people or women, Wu was relatively young and strong. He not only helped to move most of the heavy items, but also drive the truck to transport recyclables. To other volunteers, he was an indispensable help.

While serving at the recycling station, Wu was shocked to see that many of the items people brought to the recycling station were still useable. So he'd clean and sort these discarded items and then shared them with his friends or people in need. In return, many people would save their recyclables for him, and some even started to donate to Tzu Chi through him. As for Wu himself, he hardly bought anything anymore because he could find almost everything he needed, such as clothing, dishes, etc., at the recycling station.

Wu often watches Da Ai TV programs. Inspired by Dharma Master Cheng Yen's teachings, he switched to a vegetarian diet. Over time, he became less impatient and more composed. He used to punish his children when they didn't behave. But now, he would hug them and speak to them softly when they did something wrong.

After becoming a certified Tzu Chi volunteer, Wu expected himself to support other recycling volunteers in any way he could and to inspire more people to join their rank of safeguarding Mother Earth.