DDM Charity Foundation co-sponsored the Fair for Senior Citizens, bestowing gifts and blessings
At the invitation of various social welfare organizations and the Public Service Department, Dharma Drum Mountain Social Welfare and Charity Foundation (DDMSWCF) again sponsored a booth at the Fair for Single Elders at the Taipei City Zoo at 10:00 AM on January 18. Venerable Guo Qi (果器法師), the Secretary-General of DDMSWCF, and Zhixiu Xin (辛智秀), a board member of DDMSWCF, led 14 volunteers from the Wenshan District to bring gifts which signified blessings for more than one thousand senior citizens and families of disabilities and low income. It was heart-warming to see the long line of people wishing each other well.
Renqi Yan (嚴仁祺), 94 years old, said this was the first time he was invited to this kind of Fair, which reached out to senior citizens in Wenshan District. He felt touched to receive the blessings from the Venerable and the volunteers when visiting DDM’s booth. He and his wife both expressed their sincere wish to visit the DDM World Center for Buddhist Education again to listen to the ringing of the Lotus Bell for 108 times, an annual celebration at DDM on Chinese New Year Eve.
There were interesting interactive games and lucky prize drawings. Every senior citizen received oranges for good luck; apples to assure peace for the year to come; round steamed buns to guarantee complete and successful fulfillment of their endeavors and scarves to warm their hearts. Yuxia Peng (彭玉霞), a volunteer, said that a large number of senior citizens requested Spring Festival Couplets this year. Upon receiving the snacks made by the volunteers, the elders usually returned the kind gesture with a smile and a show of gratitude which made the volunteers feel ultimately blessed.
The DDM Charity Foundation expressed that it will visit the Taipei Veteran Service Center to repay kindness and good wishes to needy veterans who are living alone. The Foundation will donate Ready-Made Food Packets prepared for the New Year Festival.
May all the senior citizens be blessed with peace at the arrival of Chinese New Year.
Texts/Photos: Chang, Yao-Chung (張曜鐘)
Translation: Dave & Luh Nelson
Editing: DDM Australian Editorial Team; Christine Huang