Written by Huang Ling-ling Photographed by Chang Chiung-Mei Translated by Erica Lee Proofread by May Lin
The Chinese entrepreneur in the Philippines, Co Yee Lock, who profoundly moved by the TIMA’s giving and contribution in Typhoon Haiyan disaster area, awakened to practice great compassion and conduct Tzu Chi volunteering work.
Co Yee Lock is a successful and busy Chinese entrepreneur in the Philippines, who has an ideal wife of kindness and virtue. Deeply touch by Tzu Chi missions to help the poor and people in need with great love and compassion, Co Yee Lock’s wife joined the Tzu Chi Foundation as a volunteer about nine years ago. While Co Yee Lock’s wife has been actively devoting to various Tzu Chi charitable work full of aspiration and dharma joy, Co Yee Lock was dissatisfied and often complained for he would prefer his wife to take care of their home rather to deal with other people’s matters.
Awaken from Typhoon Haiyan Relief to Practice Great Kindness and Compassion
In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines destroyed numerous buildings and resulted countless deaths. While viewing the terrible scenes in the disaster areas on news, Co Yee Lock could not resist the calling of compassion that he asked for his wife’s help to arrange him to participate the relief activity in Tacloban. When witnessing the kindness and compassionate treatment provided by doctors of TIMA to the disaster victims at the scene, Co Yee Lock was profoundly moved and made the vows in his heart to follow the path of TIMA to help people in suffering with great love.
In 2014, when Tzu Chi volunteers in the Philippines returned to Hualien to report the development of disaster relief, Dharma Master Cheng Yen specifically instructed volunteers in the Philippines “not to forget the Bohol Island!” The remote Bohol Island suffered the earthquake two weeks before Typhoon Haiyan, the calamity was severe and has ruined half number of the schools. Once came back to the Philippines, the volunteers immediately conducted visitations to care for the deprived victims on the Bohal Island. While the medical resources were particularly in severe shortage, people with serious diseases could only suffer and endure.
Co Yee Lock joined the ranks of TIMA and ever since has been working laboriously for the afflicted sentient beings. During the four years from 2015 to 2018, the volunteering team overcame traffic difficulties and lack of medical resources, successfully helped more than 3,000 poor patients to receive medical treatment and regain health.
Rewarding Experience of Recovery through Helping Others
In August 2017, through difficulties and hard works, Co Yee Lock finally succeeded to accompany the 21-year-old Philippine girl, Rejean Ligue, who suffered from severe scoliosis with 140 degree curve, to the Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital on 21 August to receive medical treatment. Due to the patient’s serious condition, the orthopedist, Dr. Tseng Hsiao-Tsu, asked for another two days to evaluate, rather than performing the surgery directly.
Highly emphasizing the efficiency, Co Yee Lock decided to have a health examination during the two waiting days. While thinking himself in good health due to regular exercising habit to play badminton twice or three times per week, Co Yee Lock’s checkup report turned out to reveal there were blockage in three blood vessels in his heart which demanded immediate treatment. Co Yee Lock therefore received the operation utilizing the da Vinci robotic minimally invasive surgery system at the Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital on August 31. The operation was very successful, Co Yee Lock’s loving deeds to help others eventually saved his own life.
The Most Beautiful Smile in the World
Co Yee Lock not only appreciates the doctor for saving his life, but further is most grateful to the Dharma Master Cheng Yen who created the Tzu Chi world so that he can do good deeds and sow the seeds of blessings which indeed directed the way helped himself. Co Yee Lock finally understands his wife’s vows and dedication, and now he is even more diligent than his wife and make more contribution. It is difficult to make a living on the remote Bohol Island, many residents are in poor economic situation. What made things even worse is there are severely inadequate the medical resources, that serious patients need to be transferred to Manila, while critical patients should be sent to Taiwan. Not only searching for medical resources, but also helping to raise medical expenses, Co Yee Lock is actively rushing to help the suffered patients every day.
Knowing that Tzu Chi is the last hope to many poor people, Co Yee Lock is perseverant to perform his function in TIMA to contribute, no matter the challenges and difficulties along the path. For instance it requires the medical volunteers to provide comprehensive care and presence to the patients, usually the medical volunteers’ anxiety for the patients can only be relieved after the surgery completed. When Co Yee Lock witnessed Rejean, the Philippine girl who originally suffered from severe scoliosis, through the persistent efforts of TIMA, finally got rescued from the pain caused by the respiratory and cardiac problems, became able to stand upright, and showed the healthy and happy smile on her face, all the hardship Co Yee Lock has experienced vanished.
“I’m very grateful to Dharma Master Cheng Yen.It is Tzu Chi saved my live” said Co Yee Lock who continues dedicating to Tzu Chi medical mission with a grateful heart. Many people were deeply moved by Co Yee Lock’s devotion and joined him to conduct charitable work. In order to help a 16 year old blood cancer patient, they once integrated the strength to raise NT 3.5 million in three weeks to facilitate the transportation and medical treatment for the patient.
“Just go ahead and do it!” The greatest comfort and encouragement to Co Yee Lock is the patient’s smile relieved from the pain. After handed over his business, Co Yee Lock devotes himself completely and wholeheartedly to Tzu Chi missions. Through Co Yee Lock’s mindful contribution, we can see the presence of the Bodhisattva walking the path of compassion.
Rejean, the 21 year old Philippine girl suffered from severe scoliosis, came to Taiwan for medical treatment.
Through the persistent efforts of TIMA, Rejean finally got rescued from the pain caused by the respiratory and cardiac problems, became able to stand upright, and showed the healthy and happy smile.