10 000 Praying Together For Peace And Harmony

A meaningful event of the year - where hearts linked together to pray for peace and harmony

Arena beautifully lit with lamps - appreciating, hoping and praying together

Awesome sign language performance

The right side of the arena.

The guests taking their seats

One of the exhibition booths

The exhibition area

My friends and I after the ceremony was over

25 December yesterday, Christmas Day, it was. I was excited to carry out my duties as the group leader after having attended three meetings before. I understood that everything should be systematically done to avoid any unforseen circumstances. That was going to be the event of the year, a congregation of 10 000 people coming together on two days to pray for harmony and peace throughout the world. They hope for a better and blessed year ahead and appreciate the good things they had enjoyed this year. It is called The End of The Year Blessing Ceremony.

The Buddhist Tzu Chi Merit Society, a non-profitable organization had been involved in disaster relief work, managing hospitals and dialysis centres and reaching out to the poor and suffering. More Tzu Chi doctors and nurses are saving lives every day. I wish one day, one or more Tzu Chi Hospitals will be built locally to treat the really poor people like what the 6 hospitals are doing in Taiwan, the country where Buddhist Tzu Chi started. Charges for medical treatment in private hospitals is exorbitant. I love being involved in community service and social work where we can bring happiness to others and lessen their sufferings. Many Tzu Chi volunteers have rendered their services voluntarily with devotion and compassion. With their trust in the society, they have sacrificed their precious time, energy and money to carry out noble activities . To be a volunteer one must attend a number of training sessions.

1108 Tzu Chi volunteers have been training hard for weeks to be able to produce an awesome performance tonight. It is no joke performing with sign language in unison but it could be understood by the handicapped. I couldn't follow in Mandarin and was not ready to practise and so I didn't join it this year but perhaps I will do so next year.

People arrived by many buses to PISA Arena in Penang Island from the mainland. Saw many religious leaders who were honourable guests including monks, sisters or nuns and was informed there were about 200 of them and some came from overseas. How wonderful to bring all their hearts together to pray for peace and harmony throughout the world. Great it is for the huge crowd to radiate love and peace together. Lord Buddha taught us to conquer hatred through love. Simple in words but it should be understood and practised the best we can. If all do not harbour hatred and revenge in the heart, we will be healthier in mind and physically. There will be no violence and instead there'll be peace . There should be more tolerance and selflessness practised by us. Nothing is impossible to achieve. It only takes a lot of effort from each and everyone of us.

Two of my close friends were among the huge crowd performing that memorable night. The other Selama friends were very cooperative and they are a generous lot. They contribute generously a fixed amount of their money monthly to the Tzu Chi main charity fund. We hope more from here will be able to join us voluntarily and Tzu Chi in this little town will come alive soon. Many were touched by the testimonies delivered by people who had been suffering and saved by the miracle of love and care given to them. The large screen showed the disaster relief work of Tzu Chi Merit Society in many countries recently. Thanks to Reverend Master Chen, the founder of Tzu Chi who has never left Taiwan before, yet the organization has spread to about 48 countries already. I believe in the beautiful Dhamma, Lord Buddha's teachings and this is Buddhism in action.

When everyone lit their lamps, the whole arena was beautiful and we prayed hard for peace together. Blessings from Master Chen and a message from her were sent through a pre-recorded video clip. The whole event had touched the hearts of many and the messages were sent out clearly and understood. Thanks to my friend, a teacher who had done a wonderful job relating the famous stories of Tzu Chi on the bus and making the announcements. My other friend who was the first bus captain had lost her voice due to fatigue.

Everyone has a part to play in maintaining peace and harmony and also in saving our earth. We have to recycle , reuse and reduce to save our environment. Tzu Chi is encouraging ,practising and continuously raising awareness on recycling among the public. We appreciate what we have and people who have helped us . The beautiful greeting, 'Gan En' is used to express thanks and appreciation to others.

This event of the year was recorded and will be on air through Da Ai TV, Tzu Chi's own television station or media. Here's wishing everyone good health, happiness and peace always. May there be no violence, disasters, killings, crimes and sufferings . Let us all play our part to ensure there is peace and unity and contribute our efforts to reduce poverty, enrich lives and lessen sufferings on earth. 'Gan En' everyone.