The plaques commemorate the ten years of his remarkable career as a policeman in Malaysia. In the last six years, the vast challenges of his professional career have extended to his private life. And as always, he overcame the challenges.

We have known "Mr. Policeman" for four years. Although we know his name is Lee Rong-mu, we prefer to call him Mr. Policeman. It is not only because he was once a policeman, but because we admire his persistence in handling criminal cases as well as his perseverance in rehabilitation. Mr. Policeman was completely paralyzed six years ago. Now, he can stand for two hours with the help of a machine.

Four years ago, when we first visited Mr. Policeman, he thought we were just trying to sell medicine and he declined to see us, saying he did not feel well. We could only talk to his family and express to them our willingness to help. He finally accepted us when we went to see him a few days later.

I Want to Stand Up

Six years ago, on a winter day close to New Year, Mr. Policeman was shot while trying to catch a burglar. The bullet struck a nerve in his neck. Fearing he would become too upset, the doctor did not tell him the truth and falsely assured him that he would recover in six weeks. So Mr. Policeman thought it would not be too long before he put on his uniform and resumed his duties. However, as he lay in bed day after day, he grew more and more depressed. He finally realized that he would not be able to recover within a short period of time. He began to contemplate suicide, but he could not bring himself to pull the trigger.

After his wife told him that their little daughter still needed him, he tried to pull himself together. He started to search for doctors and medicine that might help him stand again, no matter how expensive the treatment would be or how far he had to travel to receive it.

As time went by, his hopes were dashed by the cruel reality that he would never recover. His tough face showed a mixture of depression and fury. To his already ill-fated family, his depression was like a time bomb. His daughter would look at him from afar, longing for his love, yet fear and agony were in her innocent eyes.

His mind was dominated by conflict, bitterness and hatred, but the unwavering support of his family encouraged him to try again. He decided he would not look for outside help, but would try to stand by himself. His brother, who was working in another part of Malaysia, came back and designed an adjustable wood rehabilitation bed for him. At that time, Tzu Chi people entered his life.

Striving for Endless Progress

At the beginning, we strapped Mr. Policeman to the wooden bed and slowly raised one side of the bed up to an angle of thirty degrees. He would feel dizzy after "standing" for ten minutes. The process of rehabilitation was slow and painful, and it created a lot of anxiety for Mr. Policeman. It was a continual challenge to his will power.

We knew it was not going to be easy. To stimulate him, we told him inspiring stories about the Tzu Chi world and gave him a copy of Master Cheng Yen's Still Thoughts. After reading the book several times, he began to absorb the wisdom contained in the pages. Through the book, Master Cheng Yen spoke to him: "Your life goes on whether you are happy or not. Since that is the case, then why don't you enjoy each day of your life?"

Gradually, Mr. Policeman's attitude began to change. His glum face began to smile, and his family members also smiled back at him. His daughter would stand by his bed and say: "Go, go, Daddy!" She knew that her encouragement meant a lot to her father. She also believed that he would be able to stand again.

After more than a thousand days of rehabilitation, backed by his own strong perseverance, Mr. Policeman progressed to being able to "stand" for two hours. His bed was gradually turned from the original thirty-degree angle to forty degrees, and eventually to a vertical position! Mr. Policeman gratefully said he hoped he could visit Master Cheng Yen some day.

Trustworthy Friends

The tender care and consideration of Tzu Chi members earned Mr. Policeman's trust. For the past four years, a list of telephone numbers has hung on the headboard of his bed. It lists all the Tzu Chi members' contact numbers. He said: "When I need help, the first people who come to mind are the Tzu Chi people."

Mr. Policeman became a Tzu Chi member himself. We could hear his laughter during the Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth Camp held in Penang. He told the students calmly: "Only by cultivating your confidence can you overcome all the important challenges in your life."

Looking around the sitting room, one sees a row of plaques that commemorate the ten years of Mr. Policeman's remarkable career as a policeman in Malaysia. In the last six years, the vast challenges of his professional career have extended to his private life. And as always, he overcame those challenges.

To encourage more handicapped people like himself, Mr. Policeman actively participates in local Tzu Chi home-care visits. For him, it was like watching his own life unfold when he learned that a truck driver named Liu was paralyzed after being hit by a falling tree trunk. Mr. Policeman insisted on going to Jita State to meet Liu. By relating his own experience, he encouraged Liu to stand again. By empathizing with Liu, he helped relieve his bitterness. As a result, Liu also became a Tzu Chi member and saved money each day to help the poor and needy.

By turning from an aid receiver into an aid giver, Mr. Policeman succeeded in picking himself up after his hard fall. Now, he enjoys a calm, peaceful state of mind.