Every month when Tzu Chi brothers and sisters make their regular care calls on families in Chien-shih Hsiang, they arrange a special trip to Na-lo to visit Mumu. They give her 50 kilograms of rice, or some vegetable oil and salt, or just friendly care. Catholics, Christians, Buddhists and unbelievers have all become accustomed to each other and have grown together in the great furnace of love. Because of their unselfishness, the circle of love has become stronger and stronger.

One day in early summer, 300-odd people from different places and with different religious beliefs were crowded in the small square outside Na-lo Catholic Church. The natural, harmonious atmosphere reflected the beautiful landscape around the church. Mumu (a respectful name that the aboriginals at Na-lo gave to the Italian Catholic sister) showed her appreciation to every participant, known or unknown. She was particularly thankful to Tzu Chi members of Hsinchu County who had started the circle of kind, beautiful relationships.

"God Bless You!" "Amitabha!"

The story goes back to a certain date when Brother Sun-chun Chang went as usual to the Catholic Teh-nan Center and Shih-kuang Nursery to donate rice and tuition money for the children. While he was there, he asked Sister Shu whether there was anything else he could help with. Sister Shu told him that Sister Chao in Na-lo Village needed material support. Brother Chang decided to look for an opportunity to go and have a look.

Not long after, a feeble but kind-looking Catholic sister appeared in Brother Chang's art gallery. She had been there a couple of times before to have pictures of Jesus Christ or Holy Mother Mary framed. With the same kind hearts and yet with different ways of religious greeting- "God bless you" and "Amitabha"- the two persons became good friends. From their conversation, Brother Chang realized that the sister right in front of him was the same Na-lo Mumu that Sister Shu had said needed materia support. What an unimaginable karma!

Mumu recalled the first time she went to Brother Chang's gallery. She said, "When I saw the picture of Buddha on the wall, I knew the shopkeeper was a kind man." She was surprised that he knew about so many things the Catholic Church had done in Hsinchu County. On the other hand, she felt embarrassed because each time she had a picture to be framed, Brother Chang always gave her a big discount. Once she gave him NT$1,800, but he returned NT$1,000 to her. She was puzzled. Brother Chang said, "I have been helping the Catholic Teh-nan Center. I know the sisters live in hardship. I am not helping you. I am helping the children." Mumu was touched. She said, "We really do need help."

Mumu really was not well-to-do. She could not pay in one sum the price Brother Chang charged her, even after a big discount. Out of good will, Brother Chang planned to make a trip to where she was living to see what material support he could offer her.

Tzu Chi and Na-lo Mumu

After a visit to the mountain where Mumu was living, Brother Chang was moved by her spirit of perseverance. Many times he told Tzu Chi brothers and sisters in the Hsinchu area about Mumu's need of material support to maintain the Catholic church and the nursery on the mountain.

In January 1994, Tzu Chi made its winter distribution to the poor people in the Hsinchu area. During the distribution at Na-lo, Tzu Chi members frequently heard praises and expressions of gratitude to Mumu from the inhabitants there. Even without the praises of the villagers, Tzu Chi people were attracted to Na-lo Mumu by her modest talk, friendliness, and innocent smile. Mumu's style is that whatever happens to her, she always exerts herself to the utmost to solve the problem first. If she is lucky, she gets help from Catholic friends or other kind-hearted prople. This is the way she has gotton along in Taiwan over the last three decades.

Caring for Na-lo Inhabitants Together

Knowing that Mumu was raising money for Fang-chi Nursery to buy a van so that children living in more remote areas could get pre-school education, Tzu Chi members in Hsinchu decided to help. That was how their karmic relationship started. The Tzu Chi people either donated money personally or shared the touching story about Mumu and the Na-lo inhabitants with others to win their sympathy and support. They easily raised enough money to buy that van.

From then on, when Tzu Chi brothers and sisters made their regular calls to families at Chien-shih Hsiang, they always arranged a special trip to visit Mumu. They gave her 50 kilograms of rice, or some vegetable oil and salt, or simply their friendship. After a warm, friendly relationship had been established, Mumu introduced some of the poor people that she was unable to help to Tzu Chi members. By doing so, aboriginals who were in desperate financial trouble or needed medical help could be well taken care of. Gradually, Christians, Buddhists and those without religious beliefs have all come to know each other and have grown together in the great furnace of love. because of their unselfishness, the circle of love has become stronger and stronger.

Tzu Chi members started another fund-raising drive to fulfill another goal which Mumu had had for a long time: to set up a Na-lo Youth Activity Center. The news spread quickly. Some people donated a few hundred dollars, some a few thousand. Gradually a large sum of money was built up. At that time, a finance conglomerate in Taipei wished to pay for the entire construction of the center, but Mumu refused with thanks. She said, "We don't need big money here. We do whatever we can with the money we have in our hands. I would rather let each of us contrivute a little to the center. This way, everybody will have some affection for it and the center will be a home for everyone," Her way of thinking was exactly the same as that of Tzu Chi members.

During the construction, some Na-lo inhabitants came to help. One young Air Force serviceman who had been a student in Mumu's nursery took a group of fellow servicemen to do the painting. Mumu said that there were many unexpected surprises during the time of construction.

A Song of Joy in the Valley