聯合國紐約總部55屆聯合國婦女大會南非婦女救濟愛滋孤兒「慈濟教的」 - 民國與中華的部落格

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聯合國紐約總部55屆聯合國婦女大會南非婦女救濟愛滋孤兒「慈濟教的」

2011/02/26 19:54:32瀏覽420｜回應0｜推薦0

我的驕傲：看到我的國家，好像還有很多地方，似乎還算不得世界第一的時候，竟然就能激發人性的光輝，減少世界的災難。

這是我在國外奮鬥過程中，最值得我休息培養力氣走下一段路的動力來源。我沒有真正進入慈濟的系統，但是有機會食我就奉獻一下，也就自認跟他們不算生疏。

2011.02.26 02:53 am

來自南非德本的慈濟志工葛蕾蒂絲和鐸拉蕾穿著「藍天白雲」的慈濟制服，站上聯合國在紐約總部舉辦的第55屆聯合國婦女大會，分享著慈濟在南非成立職訓所、援助弱勢婦女自力更生的成功經驗，讓世界各國代表感動極了。

第55屆聯合國婦女大會日前在聯合國紐約總部登場，其中「透過教育和職訓，讓女性脫離貧窮循環」的座談會上，吸引來自世界各地數以百計的人士參與。

葛蕾蒂絲曾遭受丈夫與情婦縱火燒毀住宅，心中充滿憤恨，遇見慈濟志工後才放下仇恨，專心照顧貧童，不但改變自己，也改變族人的觀點。

葛蕾蒂絲在座談會上說：「我們做教會的衣服，也做學校的制服，這些都是慈濟教我們做的，賣掉這些物品的所得，可以煮熱食給孤兒吃，我們在南非照顧將近5千名孤兒。」

另名志工鐸拉蕾補充說明，她們也有將近5千名志工服務飢餓孤兒，每天兩餐，每星期一、三、五供餐，讓孤兒免於飢餓之苦。

葛蕾蒂絲和鐸拉蕾在短短的10分鐘內，用簡單的英語與影片，說明慈濟教導她們透過製作和販賣手工裝飾品、衣服，協助她們自立，扭轉南非女性的社會地位，並把內心深處對慈濟的認同與喜悅用心交會，分享給在場人士。

慈濟基金會轉述，與會各國代表看到南非志工為愛滋孤兒發放熱食的短片、照片，聽到兩位志工不但走出自己傷痛的一生，更帶動同族同背景的志工，照顧多位愛滋
孤兒，讓族人感動到打破傳統習俗，允許當地志工可以改穿白長褲（依傳統，祖魯族婦女不得著長褲），會場頓時響起熱烈掌聲。

5000 Volunteers Care for 5000 Orphans

Volunteers
provide lunches every day to more than 5,000 orphans, their only full
meal of the day. (Photo by Huang Chun-kai; date: 11/18/2010; location:
Durban, South Africa)

On December 7, the first male Tzu Cheng
from South Africa received his certificate from Master Cheng Yen. He
was among 1,200 overseas volunteers from 23 countries attending the
2010 Overseas Commissioner and Tzu Cheng Training Seminar in Hualien.

Zakhele Dumisa, a Zulu, received his badge together with five
Zulu ladies who were certified as commissioners. Before the Seminar,
they went to visit patients at Tzu Chi Medical Center in the city. Over
the last 15 years in South Africa, it has been introduced by volunteers
from Taiwan who settled in Durban and have attracted more than 5,000
Zulu members. They care for AIDS patients and provide lunches every day
to more than 5,000 AIDS orphans, their only full meal of the day. South
Africa is the country in the world worst hit by AIDS, with
KwaZulu-Natal one of the worst affected provinces; Durban is the
largest city of the province. The average salary in Durban is NT$3,000
a month, with prices double those in Taiwan. Many Zulus live on the
edge of poverty; but, despite this, they are ready to step forward and
help their fellow countrymen and women.

A
“love” vegetable garden cares by volunteer Bathobile Maphumulo. (Photo
by Yuen ya-chi; date: 10/09/2010; location: Durban, South Africa)

The
12 Zulu volunteers were attending the seminar which ran from December
4-8; they were accompanied by three Taiwanese volunteers -- Michael Pan
Ming-shui, Huang Chun-kai and his mother Liao Mei-ling. Hualien is
their spiritual home. On the morning of December 6, Chun-kai, Dumisa
and two lady colleagues, Tolakele Mhkize and Brenda Matebula, gave a
presentation on their work in looking after the AIDS orphans; then they
sang ‘Ukitatala’, a song in the Zulu language. Chun-kai is 29 and has
an M.A. in mathematics from Cambridge University; he emigrated with his
family to South Africa when he was 11 and started volunteer work with
his mother among the Zulus. In the presentation, he said that South
Africa was two worlds in one country. In June this year, it hosted the
World Cup and was the object of everybody’s attention. At the same
time, many Zulus live in dilapidated homes of corrugated iron – but
still are willing to stand up and held their fellow humans. Master
Cheng Yen said that they had pulled themselves up from the nadir of
life and risen to the heights of becoming Bodhisattvas.

(Right)
Zakhele is the first South African male to certified as Tzu Cheng.
Volunteer Pan Ming-shui said: “In South Aferica, men are warriors;
warriors do not work. But Zakhele is very compassionated. I am very
grateful for him, who are willing to shoulder Tzu Chi’s mission.”
(Photo by Li Li-chuang; date: 12/02/2010; location: Jing Si Abode,
Hualien) (Left) Tzu Chi volunteers from Zulu sing a song: Ukitatala,
which has the meaning of thanking Master Cheng Yen help them from the
nadir of life and risen to the heights of becoming Bodhisattvas. (Photo
by Isaac Chen)

In Durban, the volunteers have established more
than 120 ‘love’ vegetable gardens which they cultivate themselves; they
use the produce at 120 food stations for the lunches for the 5,000 AIDS
orphans. They also provide rice, cornflour and other foods to
supplement the vegetables. The example of the Zulu women, to work in
such difficult conditions, inspired the volunteers at the seminar.

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