PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation started off the first day of the new century on January 1, 2020 by entertaining and giving gifts to seniors at the St. Martin’s Home in St. John’s Estate.
A total of 13 volunteers got together for the event, which is now in its 17th year.
Volunteers assembled as early as 10:00am on New Year’s Day to lovingly prepare 100 gift packages for the seniors. The packages each contained a face towel, soap, juice, Milo, Club Social biscuit, playing cards, ginger sweets, and Chinese plums.
Volunteers affectionately presented the packages to each senior and wished them the best for the New Year on behalf of the Tzu Chi family. Volunteers also visited the new sections of the Home to ensure that every senior received a gift.
The program for the day included playing games with seniors, helping to feed them, having conversations with them, cutting a New Year’s cake and sharing it with them and the performance of a beautiful sign language song entitled: “One more candle to the light.” Persons in the home were attentive during the performance of the sign language song. Some seniors closed their eyes and listened as every word seemed to touch their hearts.
“With small changes coming from the heart, every little bit become a lot, helping and giving nothing in return. I want to do my part and take my turn. For every kindness we show, love will come back tenfold. That is when I started to know, that’s where my heart begins to grow. It’s just a tiny flame, but a thousand light up the darkest night. I am adding one more candle to the light. Only by first lighting up our heart, can we inspire others to do the same,” the song said. One senior who was in her room, decided to come out when she heard the singing. At the end of the performance, the seniors asked for an encore performance.
Tzu Chi Founder Master Cheng Yen’s Jingsi aphorism says “Many seek illumination by lighting up a lamp when the true light is within.”
One grateful senior thanked the Tzu Chi volunteers for visiting them. “Good luck and be good to all. May you be blessed. God bless Tzu Chi and we wish you good health,” the senior said.
The St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation has been visiting the St. Martin’s Home on January 1, since 2003 and is happy to have been able to spread New Year’s cheer to the seniors for the past 17 years. This annual celebration is a love reminder to everyone that “we have to be grateful and respect our parents and the elderly. Every one of them have put their efforts to their families and to society. They paved the road for us and we should show our appreciation,” one volunteer said.
Tzu Chi Commissioner Sandra Cheung thanked the St. Martin’s Home for accommodating volunteers with open arms, thanked the seniors for being gracious hosts and thanked volunteers for taking the time to spread seeds of love to the seniors once again.
