Tzu Chi volunteers provide a therapeutic touch of aromatherapy and stress-relief techniques to help Guangfu residents alleviate tension and process their trauma at the post-disaster tea party on October 26. | Photo: Tzu Chi Foundation

A Sanctuary for Healing

In the wake of a recent devastating flood, residents of Guangfu Township, Hualien, gathered for a special tea party organized by Tzu Chi. Held at the Guangfu Township Office on October 26, the event aimed to provide much-needed emotional and psychological support, combining aromatherapy, stress-relief workshops, and a shared vegetarian meal. The initiative sought to help community members process their trauma, alleviate physical and mental tension, and find pathways to healing.

Nurturing Emotional Well-being

LEFT: Tzu Chi representative offer a gesture of spiritual support to a survivor, reinforcing that comfort and compassion accompany the material aid distribution. RIGHT: Guangfu residents participate in a stress-management session at the post-disaster tea party, performing simple breathing and stretching exercises taught by Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital's mental health team to alleviate tension and promote healing. | Photo: Tzu Chi Foundation

The tea party featured professional and volunteer support focused entirely on mental health:

  • Aromatherapy Relief: Volunteers used essential oils to help participants relax, easing physical stiffness and soreness that often accompanies prolonged stress.
  • Stress Management: Medical professionals from Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital’s Psychiatry Department led practical sessions on stress reduction. Kuo-Cheng Chiang (江國誠), Head Nurse of the department, used a simple analogy to explain stress management: "When water boils and pressure is high, you either open the lid (relax) or turn down the heat (find the source of stress)."
  • Ongoing Commitment: Pai-Yueh Chen(陳百越), a clinical psychologist, reassured the community, affirming that the mental health team's services at the Guangfu medical station would not cease, providing a clear channel for follow-up care.

The Power of Shared Experience and Service

Participants and Tzu Chi volunteers hold hands in a group activity during the post-disaster tea party, using song and movement to foster a sense of unity, optimism, and shared recovery among Guangfu residents. | Photo: Tzu Chi Foundation

Tzu Chi's volunteers, many of whom were personally affected by the disaster, shared their own journeys to encourage others. Li-Yun Huang (黃麗雲), Tzu Chi's volunteer coordinator, explained the initiative's origin: "We witnessed the extensive damage to homes and the profound sadness... Not only the elderly but also the younger generation were deeply shaken. This led us to realize the need for spiritual therapy." She hoped the small, warm tea parties could help residents "relieve stress, release their inner burdens, and step forward again."

Youth Engagement and Compassionate Insight

Students from Kaohsiung Medical University spent their weekend assisting in the recovery efforts at the tea party. | Photo: Tzu Chi Foundation

The event drew the attention and participation of university students from Kaohsiung Medical University, who spent their weekend assisting in the recovery efforts:

  • Diverse Service: Students spent Saturday clearing ditches and assisted at the tea party, even communicating in English with foreign spouses who had experienced significant trauma.
  • Spotting Gaps in Aid: A student from the Occupational Therapy department, identified as Student Ren, noted that non-low-income and non-indigenous residents often had limited access to resources and information.
  • Small Gestures of Care: Student Hsin, a Medical Technology student, recounted meeting an elderly woman whose home was completely submerged. Noticing bruises on her hands from an exhaustion-induced fall, Hsin offered her bruise ointment—a small but deeply resonant gesture of care.

A Unified Call for Hope

Ching-Shui Lin (林清水), the Mayor of Guangfu Township, attended the event and shared his personal struggles. "I too have felt very disheartened during this period," he expressed, acknowledging that full recovery would likely take "about two to three years," even after the dedicated, month-long effort of the national army and volunteers.

Mayor Lin emphasized the importance of unity for the 11,409 registered residents of Guangfu. He extended his deep gratitude to Tzu Chi, stating, "The most important thing between people is compatriot love. Taiwan is full of love... We will remember the many people who came to help after the great disaster on September 23."

The tea party concluded with a shared vegetarian meal, fostering a vital sense of community and mutual encouragement—a powerful reminder that even amidst devastation, compassion and collective effort can pave the way for healing and renewed hope.

Written by Yi-Chien Chen (陳誼謙)

Source: 慈濟在光復舉辨災後心靈關懷 用愛陪伴受災鄉親