In 1994, he joined the Tzu Chi team in their relief work for the disaster areas in Nepal, Hunan and Zhengjiang in China. The invaluable experience made him understand and realize the truth of impermanence. Consequently, he resigned from his job as a maintenance engineer in the early 1996 and became a full-time volunteer in the day and pursued a 6-year Chinese Medicine Course at Chong Hwa Medical College in the evenings concurrently. These events inspired him to put into practice of what Dr Chiang Su Hwee said about the benefits of vegetarian diet, raw food diet, fasting and the importance of the physical and mental enhancement of oneself.

In 1999, Mr Low, together with his wife, Joyce Low and fellow Buddhists set up Kampung Senang with the objective of promoting Holistic way of living by respecting life and treasuring the nature's splendid within the community. In a span of 6 years, he and his colleagues have already implemented 8 community care and service projects emphasizing the attributes of sincerity in service and community spirit of love and care to achieve harmony in one's body, mind, spirit and in our society as a whole.

From 1988 to 2005, he and his wife, Joyce Low, organized numerous seminars and exhibitions on holistic (body, mind and spirit) health and the conservation of our green environment as well as the healthy lifestyle retreats on purification of the mind and body. So far, they have compiled and edited some handbooks entitled - The Buddha's 500 great vows, Cai Gen Xiang, Qing Huan Shu Zhi and Bodhi Xin Deng, May All Sentient Beings Be Free Of Suffering, etc for free distribution to interested readers.

If you happen to drop by Kampung Senang, you will find Mr Low, who can be seen working in the vegetable farm as a farmer at one moment to fetching Kampong Senang's seniors to delivering organic vegetables and fruits to cancer patients and fellow Buddhists. In fact, he is the 'mentor of holistic health' in Kampung Senang's family. He has been working tirelessly for the many roles he has undertaken in Kampung Senang. As such, he can only afford 5 hours of sleep every day. All in all, he hopes to see all sentient beings being free of suffering.

In short, Mr James Low is a mechanical engineer by training and has studied 6 years of Chinese Medicine. At present, he is Kampung Senang's farmer, driver and cleaner. He realizes that the raw and organic food diet can indeed unfold our immense potential.

About Joyce Lye ~The following is the citation by Rotary Club Of Singapore

Madam Joyce Lye Geok Choo - Winner of "Good Samaritan" Award 2005.

As a child she was adopted by a chinese physician because her parents were not well-off. She managed to obtain a degree in Chemistry at the University, paying her own way through much of it.

Upon graduation, she joined the National Productivity Board, thereafter becoming a banker for some 23 years, ending her career on a very high note - she became the General Manager of HSBC Capital. She had just the right chemistry for it.

Then she did an amazing thing - quite mind-boggling, really. She gave up her $20,000 job to become a volunteer. Joyce could not turn down the call inside her to repay what she had received from the community and to help those in need.

In 1999 she started the Kampung Senang Charity and Education Foundation. Its motto says it all:"Care for the Environment, Care for the People". Her vision was to get that old kampung spirit back on track - in the face of all the modern-day aberrations: the spirit of "senang" - a Malay word for "wellness" - a sense of peace and harmony.

The organization she initiated, today conducts multi-faceted welfare activities benefiting the poor, the elderly, children, the sick and the infirm, particularly cancer-stricken persons. The range includes gifts of food, learning and elderly care centres, a holistic day care for students, free medical care, an organic farm, a delivery service to the sick and the poor, a neighhourhood recycling programme, and encouraging youth to volunteer - all aimed at helping and caring for others.

Madam Lye is a personification of utter dedication and sheer commitment, driven by her own dreams of self-sacrifice and translating them into a community service that is perhaps second to none.

Our Honorary President - Dr Swee Yong Peng

Kampung Senang Charity & Education Foundation, a charity organization established in December 1999

Dr Swee is qualified in both western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM.). So he practices Integrative Medicine,' at his clinic.  Because the principles and treatments behind the two healing systems are quite dramatically opposed, medical protocol requires that Dr Swee has two separate clinics, with two separate entrances/exits, under one roof.

Dr Swee explains that western medicine treats the disease (not the person) and standard treatments are drugs, diagnostic procedures, some using equipment, and operations.   TCM, on the other hand, regards the patient as a whole being. TCM also uses herbs not drugs and is non invasive.

"The key to using TCM successfully is restoring balance and health to dis-eased persons", explains Dr Swee.  "Knowing how and when to integrate both systems is both a skill and an art.   When Dr Swee sees a patient from Kg Senang (consultation is free), he puts on his 'Sinseh' cap. Patients say his manner is very gentle, very caring, and he puts them all at ease. They normally leave with a light heart and a prescription for Chinese herbs.

This very experienced physician sees the good and the limitations in both healing systems. He explains that he always tells his patients to do 'everything to get cured.'. Everything often means integrating both western and TCM therapies. But Dr Swee also cautions against using both without proper understanding of their usage and effects.

"It's wrong to say that Chinese herbs have no side effects. Some herbs can cause muscle spasm (cramps) and respiratory problems, if incorrectly used. For example, if one uses cooling herbs on an already weakened system, it can make the person even worse.

"Some Chinese herbs also have an anti clogging effect and, if taken together with a western drug like warfarin, which also prevents blood clotting, the person may start to bleed profusely. So, while it is possible and sometimes advantages to combine both eastern and western therapies and medication, the doctor must know how to prescribe and guide, says Dr Swee.

"TCM", he says, "is all about 'Balance - Yin & Yang'". Yin can be likened to an over alkaline body and Yang, an acidic body. An acidic body is a cancer prone body, so one must always try to have a more alkaline body. This, ideally, means eating a vegetarian diet of fresh organic fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

HEALING TRANSCENDS ALL BOUNDARIES

Dr Swee Yong Peng leads Kg Senang FREE TCM and western medical clinic consultation.  His many years in the medical profession as a doctor have taught him that medicine is always used in the healing of a patient. We should not be against a certain type of treatment, even if it might look odd and sound ridiculous at first glance.   Some day, the 'old' treatment may ultimately be found effective.

His philosophy in life as a healer is to bear no distinction between western and eastern treatments; so long as the two approaches can complement each other in the healing process of a patient, it is good.