Caring the neighborhood, chanting to relieve

On the fifth day after the earthquake, dated 26th of February, under the leadership of Venerable Abbess Manshin, 8 members from the centre of the BLIA NZ Earthquake Relief Centre visited Riccarton Road to observe the disaster situation. After several days of reorganization, the silent city of Christchurch restores slowly.

From the cause of the earthquake, a building nearby Riccarton Avenue and Deans Avenue seriously collapsed. There were fresh flowers hanging on the palisade that forbids people to enter the building. Venerable Abbess Manshin and the 8 members approached to have a look at the situation and realized that has someone passed away on the spot while the earthquake happened. A family member of the deceased explained, Ross Bush, a 74 year old famous bricklayer came over on his daily routine purchasing pie, was in the car when the debris of the building collapsed on his vehicle and passed away on the spot.

Venerable Abbess Manshin then leads Fo Guang Shan members for a heart sutra chanting for the deceased. Family members burst into tears of grief while the sutra chanting was in progress and later on, members of Fo Guang Shan welcomed the family members to the BLIA NZ Earthquake Relief Centre, which is also on Riccarton Road. The family members of the deceased were also welcomed to the centre as hot drinks, meals, takeaways and fruits are served; and most importantly, it is also a place for relieve, a place for their innermost feeling to be dependent. The group then presented beads and images of the Buddha to the family of the deceased wishing them more comfort at heart. The family members dropped into tears again appreciating all that Venerable Abbess Manshin and the members of Fo Guang Shan have done.