Life is a journey of spiritual cultivation, moving from ignorance to understanding. For 76-year-old Moi Chin (陳瑞群), this journey involved a complete transformation from a shy, fearful woman to a confident volunteer who wears her uniform with pride and a constant smile.
"When I first came to Tzu Chi, I truly understood nothing," Chin recalls with a laugh. "I heard people saying, 'The Bodhisattvas are here!' and I looked everywhere thinking, 'Where are they? I don't see any.' I sat there terrified, not daring to move."
Overcoming initial hesitation
Chin’s journey began in 2003 when her friend, Seng Kiaw Koo (邱生嬌), invited her to the Melaka Jing Si Hall to help wash vegetables for the monthly charity distribution. Although she didn't know anyone, the atmosphere of communal service intrigued her.
She initially found the formal ceremonies and quiet arts like tea and flower arrangements intimidating. "Back then, I was always in a hurry," she admits. "I didn't understand the beauty of slowing down." However, a community seminar on environmental protection changed her perspective. When she learned that 50 kilograms of paper required cutting down a 20-year-old tree, she felt a deep calling to protect the planet.
LEFT: Moi Chin heads to the rubber plantation at 5:00 a.m., using a headlamp to light her way so she can finish work in time for recycling duties. RIGHT: Seng Kiaw Koo (right) and Moi Chin often coordinate to collect and transport recyclables after finishing their work at the plantation. | Photos: Julie Yen
Dedication to the environment
A rubber tapper by trade, Chin began waking up at 5:00 a.m. to work in the plantation alone, guided only by a small headlamp. Her goal was to finish her tapping by 7:00 a.m. so she could join the community recycling day. Even when her husband questioned why she worked so hard, her resolve remained firm. "Doing recycling helps people and protects the Earth. I’ve earned a happiness that can't be found anywhere else," she told him.
In 2008, she officially became a certified Tzu Chi volunteer. She realized that the uniform was not just clothing but a symbol of responsibility and a commitment to spiritual practice.
Healing through empathy
Participating in charity home visits allowed Chin to reflect on her own difficult past. Growing up in poverty, she attended five different primary schools as her mother moved constantly to find work. Despite her principal’s pleas for her to continue her education, she had to stop after sixth grade to work as a grass cutter.
"I used to feel so much resentment toward my family and my fate," she explains. This inner turmoil often affected her relationship with her children. However, seeing the suffering of others during her visits—individuals living with severe illness or paralysis—shifted her perspective.
"In our visits, I saw so much suffering. Some were in constant pain, while others were paralyzed at a young age. Looking at them, I realized how much I have to be grateful for because I can still walk and work. I decided to turn my past bitterness into the power to help others."
— Moi Chin, Volunteer
LEFT: Having missed out on an education herself, Chin feels immense joy whenever she sees students receiving Tzu Chi's educational aid. RIGHT: Through charity home visits, Chin has learned to transform her past hardships into empathy for those facing current struggles. | Photos: Siew-Lee Yong (楊秀麗)
A lifetime of learning
Despite her limited formal education, Chin never refuses tasks. She meticulously writes case reports by hand, looking through newspapers to find characters she doesn't know how to write. When the pandemic hit, she asked her children to teach her how to use digital platforms so she could continue attending online study groups to listen to spiritual teachings.
Community leader Yow-Jiuan Tan (陳幼涓) admires her persistence. "She never says no. She accepts challenges first and only asks for help if she truly gets stuck. She might say she lacks the roots of education, but she is excellent at following the path and learning as she goes."
LEFT: Chin never lets her age or limited literacy stop her from taking notes during study sessions or writing reports. | Photo: Swee Ueng Teng (鄧遂嶸). RIGHT: Through spiritual teachings, Chin learned the art of letting go, finding that service opened up her world. | Photo: Wen-Fu Li (李文福)
Finding value in the golden years
Now that her five children are grown and working away from home, they are delighted to see their mother so active and happy. While neighbors sometimes ask why she bothers working so hard at her age, Chin remains energetic. She spends her week recycling, visiting care recipients, and attending health courses for seniors.
"If I stayed home, I'd just be staring at the TV," she says. "By staying busy helping others, I sleep soundly every night." Her dedication has even inspired her family; her sister, daughter, and son-in-law have all followed her path to become volunteers.
Chin has already signed her organ and body donation cards, feeling her life is complete. From a woman who once feared the word "Bodhisattva," she has become one herself—walking the path of service with a heart full of joy.
Written by Julie Yen (顏玉珠)
