By Zhuang Ya-weng
Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
Photo by Zhang Qiu-ju
Volunteers visited the home of a care recipient to eliminate bedbugs. They were not without fear, but their compassion was greater.
“How does one endure a life like this?” This question reveals the compassion and concern felt by Tzu Chi volunteer Cai Mei-yu (蔡美玉) towards Mr. Lin, a Tzu Chi care recipient.
On May 19, volunteers from Yancheng, Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, gathered to clean the home of Mr. Lin, a 90-year-old who lives alone. The four volunteers arrived early in the morning outside his building, fully equipped with protective suits, alcohol, diatomaceous earth, gloves, and other related items for their mission. This particular effort would go far beyond the usual household cleaning. The focus this time was to address the persistent bedbug bites that had been troubling Mr. Lin for quite a while.
Volunteer Lin Yi-zi (林怡孜) explained that during a previous visit to Mr. Lin’s home, they had initially mistaken the problem for small cockroaches. However, upon seeing the many bloodstained bite marks across his body, they realized that the true culprits were rapidly multiplying bedbugs. Apart from the impact on Mr. Lin’s daily life, the potential consequences would be unimaginable if anyone unintentionally carried the bugs back to their own homes. Therefore, she and other volunteers decided to do something to tackle the infestation.
After reaching the sweltering, humid, and stuffy high floor where Mr. Lin resides, the volunteers helped each other put on protective suits and gloves. Despite not yet having begun their work, they immediately began to perspire inside their protective gear. They understood firsthand the challenges faced by healthcare workers who must wear protective clothing to shield themselves from infectious diseases.
Once fortified against the bedbugs, the volunteers entered Lin’s home, helped him into his wheelchair, and pushed him outside. They asked him to wait for a while in the hallway. Then they said to Lin’s grandson, “A-you, please move that deity statue to the window. Also, please take off the deity’s clothes to be disinfected and washed.”
The volunteers respectfully paid their respects to the statue before A-you moved it to the window. Without delay, they commenced their work, disinfecting each item that was infested with bedbugs. After obtaining A-you’s consent, they sealed the treated items in plastic bags and disposed of them.
A crucial moment arrived as the volunteers joined forces to move the spring bed. The bed was crawling with bedbugs—on the bed itself, the bedsheets, and underneath the bed. They immediately removed the bedsheet and placed it in a garbage bag. Then, using a spray bottle filled with alcohol, they meticulously sprayed the spring bed, ensuring a thorough disinfection. To prevent any bedbugs from escaping, they carefully encased the mattress in a transparent plastic bag while adding an extra layer of comprehensive disinfection.
Clad in protective clothing, volunteers work to eradicate the bedbugs in Mr. Lin’s home.
After removing the spring bed, the volunteers swept up a small mountain of bedbugs. A-you said, “The living environment at my grandfather’s place is very poor. I’m genuinely grateful to have all of you here to assist with the cleanup.”
After two hours, the volunteers had successfully completed their mission. Shortly thereafter, volunteers from the Tzu Chi Eco-Friendly Assistive Device Program arrived, delivering an electric hospital bed to Lin’s home. To prevent future bedbug infestation, the four visiting volunteers sprinkled diatomaceous earth around the walls of Lin’s home and on all four corners of the hospital bed and inside the mattress. They wanted to ensure that Mr. Lin’s home remained bug-free.
Volunteer Zhang Su-xia (張素霞), her voice choked with emotion, said, “Seeing his living environment, how could you not help him? When I was cleaning the bathroom, I got goose bumps. But when I thought of Mr. Lin lying in bed, unable to sleep due to the bug bites, I realized that the little discomfort I felt was nothing compared to his suffering. We wholeheartedly wanted to provide him with a comfortable environment.”
Lin didn’t show much excitement when he saw the new bed being brought in. However, he actively participated by giving instructions on the positioning of the bed and how high it should be adjusted. Slowly, he maneuvered his body onto the bed, listening attentively as a volunteer taught him how to operate it. He also picked up the remote control and tried it himself. Volunteer Lin Yi-zi asked him, “Are you happy today?” Mr. Lin, lying on the bed, replied, “Yes, I am!”
Lin had not been able to take a proper bath in a long time due to his limited mobility. The volunteers requested assistance from his grandson, and together they bathed him.
Lin’s children are scattered in different locations. Only his eldest daughter and grandson occasionally visit him. The volunteers treat him as if he were their own father, taking care of household chores on his behalf. When he neglected to take good care of himself, the volunteers playfully remarked that they wouldn’t come to see him or bring delicious food anymore. In response, Lin promptly corrected his behavior and expressed sincere gratitude to the volunteers for their help.
Despite the sweltering heat, the volunteers persevered in their protective clothing and finally accomplished their mission. It was hard work—the relentless heat caused them to feel faint on multiple occasions, but they pushed through. Mr. Lin’s residence is located across from a large, verdant park. As they stood there, the volunteers sincerely hoped that the senior would enjoy a tranquil and comfortable old age from then on.
