![Volunteers presented red envelopes from Master Cheng Yen to each attendee, expressing heartfelt gratitude for their support of Tzu Chi’s charitable missions. [Photo by Chai Mong Ping]](/images/Articles/RW/2025/KL20250104_cmp02_101.jpg "Volunteers presented red envelopes from Master Cheng Yen to each attendee, expressing heartfelt gratitude for their support of Tzu Chi’s charitable missions. [Photo by Chai Mong Ping]")
As the new year begins, there is no greater blessing than a heart of goodness. Tzu Chi KL & Selangor ushered in 2025 with six sessions of the Year-End Blessing Ceremony over two weekends starting from January 4. Centred around the theme of “goodness”, the ceremonies provided attendees with an opportunity to reflect on the past and receive the Red Envelope of Blessings and Wisdom from Master Cheng Yen, which serves as a reminder to welcome the new year with a renewed commitment to kindness and compassion.
The KL Tzu-Chi Jing Si Hall was festooned with dazzling lights and vibrant decorations in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Attendees rang bells, sounded drums, and lit lamps in prayer for a safe and peaceful year. Many long-time Tzu Chi supporters arrived with their bamboo banks filled with a year’s worth of savings, turning their accumulated donations into the power to help those in need.
The Year-End Blessing Ceremony opened with the sacred hymn “Celestial Garments, Scattering Flowers”, followed by a video footage “Tzu Chi 2024 Year in Review” and a moving performance of “The Flood” sutra adaptation by a hundred performers, seamlessly interwoven with a documentary film. The performance brought to life the tireless efforts of Tzu Chi volunteers who rushed to help those affected by the devastating 2021 Klang Valley floods – an embodiment of unwavering love and compassion in the face of disaster.
Now in its 59th year, Tzu Chi’s humanitarian efforts have reached 136 countries and regions worldwide. Footage on the big screens highlighted volunteers around the globe delivering aid wherever suffering exists, from New Year’s Day 2024 when a powerful earthquake struck Japan’s Noto Peninsula, and throughout the year.
◎ Happiness shines with renewed faith
Among the many heartwarming moments at the ceremony was the story of Yaganes and his mother, Kokilawani, who stood on the stage with eyes filled with gratitude as they shared their family’s journey of resilience and recovery – made possible through Tzu Chi’s support. Kokilawani’s husband suffered from a heart condition, leaving the family burdened with overwhelming medical expenses. Combined with the cost of their children’s education, they struggled to make ends meet.
“During our most difficult times, when my husband was constantly in and out of the hospital, Tzu Chi volunteers cared for us like family,” Kokilawani shared. With Tzu Chi’s support, her children no longer have to walk long distances to school. Offering encouragement to others facing hardships, Yaganes added, “Never lose hope.”
The event was not only a time for care recipients to testify to the transformative power of love and compassion in their lives, but also an opportunity for volunteers to reflect on their personal growth through acts of giving. One such volunteer, Lee Lian Kian, recalled her own transformation. Having lost her father at a young age and being raised singlehandedly by her mother, she grew up with a strong resolve to protect her family. However, the young marriage she hoped would bring happiness ended in separation.
Later, she found solace in Master Cheng Yen’s words: “Mortals cling to personal love, but we must embrace Great Love.” Inspired by this wisdom, she dedicated herself to Tzu Chi’s charitable work. Over time, she came to understand that filial piety is not merely about material provision but also about giving with sincerity, caring with compassion, and interacting with pleasant manners and gentle speech. With this newfound perspective, she also took the initiative to mend her relationship with her husband, restoring happiness to her family.
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Life is made up of fleeting moments – minutes, seconds, and breaths. Master has always urged us to cherish life by “living each second with purpose”. In 2024, Tzu Chi KL & Selangor volunteers made nearly 90,000 service trips, reaching over 100,000 recipients in need. This included over 18,000 instances of long-term living and medical assistance, nearly 3,000 instances of home care visits, more than 6,300 instances of educational support, over 2,300 instances of emergency and disaster relief, and more than 3,000 instances of dialysis subsidies.
As we step into 2025, we embrace Master’s guidance: “May we learn and attain awakening with mindfulness. May we walk on the Bodhisattva Path with diligence.” In essence, let us live each day with mindfulness – learning with hearts as pure as children’s and grasping the reality of life while remaining focused and persistent in doing good deeds and spreading kindness.
