Finding courage through compassion
From a shy 18-year-old girl to a seasoned volunteer, Chiew-Li Lim (林秋麗) has spent over three decades walking a path of personal growth through service. For Lim, Tzu Chi became a school of life where she learned to interact with others, let go of her anxieties, and find joy in the simple act of helping. Through her journey, she discovered that the most beautiful sight in the world is the smile of someone whose burden has been lifted.
Her journey began in 1992. At the time, Tzu Chi had not yet established a formal branch in the city, but the group was inspired by the work of Master Cheng Yen. Lim, driven by a simple curiosity to see the world, agreed to go.
The conditions at the nursing home were stark. Many residents were bedridden due to strokes or had been abandoned by their families. Lim vividly remembers a middle-aged man who had been paralyzed by a stroke; his wife had left him, and he lay in soiled clothes with no one to care for him.
"I was very young then, and it was my first time in a nursing home," Lim recalled. "I didn't think too much about it. I just followed what the senior volunteers did. I just wanted to do my part."
LEFT: Chiew-Li Lim (first left) visits a family in need; the scenes of poverty she witnessed deeply moved her, but she did not turn away. | Photo: Tzu Chi Melaka Archives. RIGHT: Lim (second left) takes her two children to the streets for a fundraising drive. | Photo: Geok Hui Hong (黃玉花)
A journey in education and care
Though naturally introverted, Lim found her niche in 1994 when Tzu Chi Melaka started its first children's character education class. A pianist was needed, and Lim stepped up to provide the musical accompaniment. This role eventually grew; she became a driver for the students, a group leader, and eventually a teacher at the Tzu Chi Great Love Kindergarten.
Service became a family affair. After marrying, Lim and her husband, Chin Wee Tai (戴振威), enrolled their children in Tzu Chi’s various youth programs.
My children grew up in Tzu Chi and learned to be grateful and considerate. I always tell them that coming back to Tzu Chi is like returning to our original heart. We aren't just learning to do good deeds; we are learning how to be better human beings.— Chiew-Li Lim
The courage to save a life
In 1995, Lim encountered an opportunity that would test her courage. At the time, bone marrow donation was a relatively new and misunderstood concept in Malaysia. When a drive was organized in Singapore, Lim joined a busload of volunteers to register. Three months later, she received word that she was a match for a young leukemia patient.
Despite her fears and the need to convince her worried parents, Lim traveled to Singapore in January 1996 to complete the donation. She became the first unrelated bone marrow donor from Malaysia, living out the Master’s call to "save a life without harming oneself."
I saw how thick the needle was, and I was a bit scared. But I remembered the Master’s teaching that saving a life does no harm to oneself. I felt lucky to have the chance to help.— Chiew-Li Lim
LEFT: Chiew-Li Lim (left), who was once too shy to speak to others, now confidently shares her experiences on stage. | Photo: Yu-Hua Huang. RIGHT: During a New Year celebration at a nursing home, Lim (first left) and her husband Tay Chin Wee (first right) serve the elderly. | Photo: Zi-Hao Zhen (甄子豪)
The strength of compassion
Lim’s volunteer work extended into the community, where she assisted elderly residents with serious medical needs. She remembers caring for an elderly woman named Grandma Wang, whose legs were severely ulcerated. Lim and other volunteers visited weekly to bathe her and clean her wounds.
"I had to clean the sores and apply medication. No one taught us; we just watched and learned as we went," Lim said. This hands-on experience gave her what she calls "the courage of compassion." She realized the truth behind Master Cheng Yen’s words: that the most beautiful smile is the patient's smile.
LEFT: In 1996, Chiew-Li Lim completed her bone marrow donation in Singapore; Echo Chien (簡慈露, fourth left) visited her after the procedure. RIGHT: During a home visit, Lim (first left) and a fellow volunteer help bathe an elderly woman living alone. | Photos: Tzu Chi Melaka Archives
Looking back on thirty years, Lim realizes that while she set out to help others, she was the one who gained the most. The shy girl who once lacked confidence now speaks in front of large crowds, sharing the lessons she has learned. For Lim, the philosophy is simple: when something is right, just do it. Through this simple commitment, she found a version of herself she never knew existed.
Written by Julie Yen (顏玉珠)
