Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 13

Chapter 12 – The Wisdom of Teresa



This chapter captures the ha-ha-ha pearls of wisdom of a super-centenarian.



Wisdom Quote #31

"Whatever they say I do not take it as an offence. Then how do you forgive those have offended you? They have to offend me first before I find out what to do!"



Wisdom Quote #32

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 12

Chapter 12 – The Wisdom of Teresa



This chapter captures the ha-ha-ha pearls of wisdom of a super-centenarian.



Wisdom Quote #16

"I don't give. Giving means I have and you don't have. I share, I share all I have… except my ice cream!"



Wisdom Quote #17

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 11

Chapter 12 – The Wisdom of Teresa


This chapter captures the ha-ha-ha pearls of wisdom of a super-centenarian.


Wisdom Quote #1
"It is a joyful blessing to care for the hungry. I am eternally grateful for this opportunity. This joyful action is even better than salary"

Wisdom Quote #2

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 10

Chapter 10 – Teresa's Visit England After 50 years



In 1944 it took Teresa Hsu 49 days by cargo ship to travel to London, washing dishes on board to pay her way there. Thankfully on October 2010 it took her 13 hours only, travelling in the comforts of Business Class on board Singapore Airlines.



Singapore Airlines very kindly agreed to sponsor Teresa and Sharana's return flight to London on Business Class and said it was an honor and privilege to do something for her.

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 9

Chapter 9 – An Angel Returns

Teresa Hsu in a pensive and reflective mood when she revisited her birthday in Kak Chioh on 29 October 2010… after almost a century!

As the tires of the Airbus A320 hit the tarmac, the 113-year old Teresa Hsu broke into spontaneous outburst of tears of joy and celebratory exclamation, "My Swatow! My Kak Chioh my home, my birth and my childhood place!"

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 8

Chapter 8 – "Heart to Heart"

"My basic principle is that the whole world is a big family and everybody is my brother and sister. If they are doing well, I do not have to brother. But if they need help, it is my duty to provide what I can for them. It is not charity."

This thought led Teresa Hsu to establish the Heart to Heart unit, which was started in 1923 in Hong Kong under name of "Friends of the Needy".

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 7.2

Left with Fifteen Cents

In all, the Home expanded and needed 49 staff members for its operations.

Despite donations, the main source of funding came from Ursula. Each time Teresa asked for monetary help, Ursula never hesitated.

Once Ursula gave all her cash to Teresa leaving her with fifteen cents only!

Ursula had to wait till 9am for her coffee break to rush to the bank to withdraw money for her own expenses.

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 7.1

Chapter 7 – Founding the "Home for the Aged Sick"

Volunteering Her Services for Free
Teresa came to know about the Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital for the poor from Ursula. She also found out that due to a lack of funds, the hospital could not afford to hire a nurse despite having 380 patients.

In Teresa's mind, "This is the type of work that I want to do. If this hospital has money, it would be able to hire nurses and would not need me. It is because they lack funds, no one came, so I came."

"My objective in learning nursing is to care for the poor, not to make." Teresa

 

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 6.2

Back Home to My Mother's Side

When Teresa and her mother finally met after 32 years they hugged each other and cried.

It was in 1961 and Teresa was 63 years old.

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 6.1

Chapter 6 – An Affectionate Reunion with Mum

A Sweet Reminder to Return Home

Teresa received a letter from her younger sister, Lucy on behalf of their muother stating that. "Poor people are everywhere but there is only one mother! Mum getting old at 80-plus and needs you to return and look after her.

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 5

Chapter 5 – Eight Years in Paraguay

Back in 1870, her neighboring countries invaded Paraguay. And as a result, many young men died leaving behind only the aged and the womenfolk who were not able to till the farmlands.


In 1933 a group of Jewish refugees fled from Hitler's genocide programs to South America. The Jewish exiles who were seeking sanctuary came in droves along their young and aged to Paraguay.
 

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 4

Chapter 4 – A Calling to Care for the Needy

The 2^nd World War broke out in the late 1030's and early 1940's.

Theresa wrote, "Mother, I intend to resign from my news bureau job and join the International Voluntary Service for Peace (IVSP) team and look after the young volunteers for free. I will not be able to send money home to you anymore." Her mother replied and agree that Teresa was doing the right and meaningful things.

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 3

Chapter 3 – Leaving Kak Chioh

New Lease of Life in Penang

Her mother, Madam Tan Sok Chan decided to move to Penang when Teresa was about 17 years old.



I Want My Freedom

"I do not want to be tied down by a man. I don't want to get married. I want my freedom," Teresa replied strongly. Teresa left for Hong Kong in 1923 to avoid the constant harassment from these matchmakers.

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 2

Chapter 2 - Grass Does Not Satisfy Hunger
"Man is not on earth solely for his own happiness. He is there to realize great things for humanity."

– Vincent Van Gogh

Teresa Hsu was born in 1898 in Kak Chioh, Swatow, a southern village in Guangdong.

"I was the 2^nd child and a girl, so I had no status. It was always my fault when anything went wrong." Teresa

Heart to Heart with Teresa Hsu （心連心 ~ 许哲） - Part 1

Introduction + Chapter 1

• “In my vocabulary, there is no such word as ‘old’ and ‘retired’.” (2011, she is 114 ages)

“Compassion and love constitute non-violence inaction. They are the source of all spiritual qualities: forgiveness, tolerance and all the virtues. They give meaning to our activities and make them constructive. There is nothing amazing about being rich or highly educated; only when the individual has a warm hearth do these attributes become worthwhile”.

– H.H. Dalai Lama

• She answers questions in such lighting response time and speed that you will soon forget that you are in the company of a super-centenarian.