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Paul Sanguesa

Paul Sanguesa’s childhood was filled with loneliness, fear, and
a lack of love. He ran away from home at twelve, started doing
drugs, and spent time in juvenile hall, jail, and finally prison, until
Paul found God and decided to change his life at the age of forty-
two. After his release, he had difficulties finding work, so he stayed
at the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center for training
and guidance. As he graduated from the six-month program and
embarked on his new life in 2009, Paul sought treatment for his
teeth, which had become ragged through years of drug use. After
being refused help elsewhere, Paul’s search for dental care led him to Buddhist Tzu Chi Free Clinic.

At the clinic, Dr. Shirley Chen not only provided careful treatment, but sincerely listened to his
story. She gave him an encouraging hug as he left, and Paul felt genuine loving affection as he never
had before. After graduation from the Salvation Army program, Paul was given an opportunity to
give back by sharing with students the harm caused by drugs and alcohol, while also helping others
make their transition back to society just as he had. Paul became a Tzu Chi volunteer and has been
providing Spanish translation during medical outreach events ever since.

John Reyes

When Hurricane Sandy devastated the Northeast in October
2012, New York resident John Reyes’s home was so badly damaged
that it was completely unlivable. Meanwhile, the shop where he
worked was forced to close, leaving him with no job. Just when
he felt all alone out in the cold, a friend introduced him to Tzu Chi,
explaining that he could seek help there. Visiting Tzu Chi’s office
in Chinatown, John not only received three hundred dollars in
emergency cash aid, but also the sincere care and warm embraces
of the volunteers. Feeling loved unconditionally, he determined to become a volunteer himself in
order to share that same feeling with others.
As a Tzu Chi volunteer, John has provided Spanish-English interpreting during relief distributions
and charity case home visits, while also sharing his warmth and compassion through smiles and
embraces. After attending training classes as a Tzu Chi Community Outreach Associate, he led a team
of volunteers through the narrow alleyways of Brooklyn at the end of 2013 to visit care recipients in
needy communities and supply them with emergency cash cards and materials.

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