On the afternoon of May 9^th, 2023 (Tuesday), the Toronto Buddha’s Light Caring Group, led by Venerable Miao Tsun, made their way to Mon Sheong Stouffville Long-Term Care Centre in Markham for a visit. They guided the elderly residents of the Nursing Home in bathing the Buddha statue to commemorate the Buddha’s birthday.

It was the first time that the Buddha’s Light Caring Group visited Mon Sheong Stouffville Long-Term Care Centre, with the participation of twenty elderly residents. The arrival of the Venerable and a group of volunteers donning yellow vests, filled the elderly residents with great excitement and joy. They warmly greeted the visitors with joined palms. Among them, two residents are members of the Buddha’s Light community who expressed their heartfelt gratitude towards the Venerable and the caring group for their visit.

Senior sister Gao ChiJing has been residing in the Mon Sheong nursing home since last year. She is in good physical health, and she can walk slowly with the assistance of a rollator. However, due to her advancing age, she has faced difficulty in visiting Fo Guang Shan Temple to pay homage to the Buddha in recent years. Every year, the subchapter president and supervisor make a special effort to bring various items to her home, including Spring Festival Dharma couplets written by the Venerable Master, novice monk calendar, and Laba porridge, etc. The caring group’s dedication in serving the community has fostered a strong relationship, allowing the BLIA members to reunite at Mon Sheong Nursing home. Another elderly resident shared with the caring group members that he had attended Dharma service and participated in Amitabha Buddha Chanting Retreat in the past. Although he now relies on a wheelchair due to limited mobility, his unwavering faith in Buddhism remains unaffected.

From the onset of the activity, the elderly residents at the nursing home joined their palms and followed the Venerable in reciting the Buddha’s name, joyfully engaging in exercises, and singing Buddhist songs. During the Buddha bathing ritual, the caring group members provided assistance, helping the residents approach the Buddha Bathing Pool, and pouring pure water onto the baby prince statue, symbolizing the purification of body and mind.

The guiding principle of the caring group is to benefit society through acts of charity, which serves as the driving force behind their practice of the Bodhisattva way. Witnessing the deep devotion of the elderly residents towards Buddhism, as well as their profound respect and joy in the presence of the Venerable, has further strengthened the caring group’s faith in Humanistic Buddhism.

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