The Tzu Chi Indonesia Foundation, through its Charity and Medicine Missions have contributed so much in helping the hospitals in Indonesia in dealing with Covid-19 cases. For Tzu Chi School students, who have been practicing home-based learning since 19 March, this doesn’t stop them from showing their gratitude and compassion towards the medical team working on the forefront during the humanistic education classes held at home in March to 9 April 2020. 

Gesture of Gratitude

Cinguinique Erquette, an 11 Grateful student in her card expressed her gratitude not only towards the doctors and nurses, and people working at the hospitals, but also towards teachers, as well as workers at the pharmacies and supermarkets. 

“When I was first asked to make a card, I thought of thanking not only doctors and nurses, but these workers at pharmacies and supermarkets. True, the doctors and nurses are the ones fighting in the frontline of this pandemic war but without the pharmacists and supermarket shelf stockers, we wouldn’t get the medicines and essential resources that we need,” said Cinguinique. 

Through her cards, she is hoping both medical and non-medical workers can feel her appreciation towards their hard work. “I want my gratitude card to convey these messages to all of them to remind them that they are all equally important and that I respect them and their struggles.”

Another 11th grader, Jesslyn Tessa, finds home-based learning could be challenging at times. “I was often too lazy to finish my assignments as I am in my comfort zone that I tend to be very chill and relax,” said Jesslyn. 

However, there is something she loves to do to kill her boredom and keeps her motivated: her drawings. “I am fond of drawing, so I can draw for hours and hours,” she added. Aside from drawing, she also enjoys playing games and watch movies online.

When asked to make gratitude cards, she poured in her drawing skills and added one of Master Cheng Yen’s Jing Si Aphorism ‘Know your blessings, cherish them and sow more blessings’. 

“I feel that there are not a lot of people thanking them for their effort in dealing with this situation and I want to give them my gratitude for giving their utmost effort to fight this pandemic.”

Jesslyn hopes that when doctors or nurses see her creation, it could boost their spirit to continue working. “I can only hope that it could cheer them up for a bit, lighten the burden on their shoulders. I want them to take a moment and take deep breaths to recuperate themselves, and to remind them to stay strong in the current situation.”

Character Education on Respect

Behind these amazing work by students, those can not be separated from the encouragement given by teachers. Some Art and Digital teachers, such as Mr Auriga Prabowo, Head of Art Department and Mr Yohanes Tenggara, created their own cards to thank doctors and nurses to motivate their students to do the same. 

Mr Auriga Prabowo,  hopes that doctors and medical staff will remain in good spirits during this trying time. "What we're doing is just something we can do within our capacity as Art Teachers."

When making his drawing to encourage students, Yohanes was deeply moved as this is one of his ways to show empathy through his work. "Hopefully the medical workers can see that we are at home and can still show empathy, even though this is the only form of work we can give," Yohanes said.

As students, Jesslyn and her friends understand the importance of their role in society by following the government's call for social distancing, and not spreading false information.

"There are many hoaxes spreading around that lead people to be overly anxious and do something that could disadvantage themselves in the end, like unnecessary hoarding. As a student I can help by providing strong evidence of data from official medical organizations such as the CDC or WHO," Jesslyn continued.

Tzu Chi School Director, Mr Sudino Lim, was unable to hold back his emotion and pride when he saw the cards made by his students. The humanistic education class which emphasizes the values of humanities, he said, must always be implemented in the lives of students, regardless of being at school or at home. 

"Humanistic culture values relationships such as being filial to parents and doing good deeds that can be done anywhere, not only inside in school. Doctors and nurses are also parents, they are elders that must be respected. The greeting cards they made was a form of respect, as well as deep gratitude,” said Mr Lim.