School Bags For Padmasambhava Children Loving Association

12 December 2011  -  Today we took on the role of Santa’s helpers to deliver an early Xmas gift to the kids at Padmasambhava Children Loving Association.  About three months back, these kids expressed their wish to have new school bags for the new school year as their current school bags have served them well for some time already and most had succumbed to wear and tear.

“Santa” in the form of Hubby’s colleague, Mr Chandra, generously granted their wishes and 22 new school bags were thus packed in a big box, colourfully wrapped and tied with a gigantic red bow which was delivered by Hubby and yours truly.  As soon as Hubby put down the big gift box, excited kids appeared and surrounded it, eagerly awaiting to peek at their gifts.  Within seconds, the kids made short of unwrapping the gift box and were happily choosing their prefered bags.  We hoped that each kid is able to find one that he or she likes.  We had taken time and care in choosing the school bags, with these kids’ varying ages in mind.  We didn’t want them all to end up with the same-looking bags which can be easily mixed up in their confusion when getting ready for school.  Also, didn’t want a boy to end up carrying a girly-looking school bag and be made a laughing stock. Or the fashion-savvy teenager to go to school with a childish-looking bag.  So with these considerations in mind and their name list as a guide, Hubby, sons and myself patiently selected the kind of bags we figure would appeal to them.  The shop’s sales staff provided useful assistance and we completed our mission with ease. We got the younger kids the bags with the latest cartoon characters while the older ones get the latest design in vogue.

A BIG THANK YOU again to Mr. Chandra for bringing joy to the kids at this Home.  My respect for this great man whom I have yet to have the blessing to meet is beyond words.  He was also the same kind benefactor  who had earlier contributed Deepavali money packets towards Project MADE’s Light Of Cheer Feeding Program in Mentakab. A great guy whose heart must be an enormous vault of love and compassion.

For this trip, we added our personal  contribution of 500 exercise books.  Their school apparel’s needs have already been taken care of by Project MADE’s sponsor last week.

These kids can now look forward to the new school year.  Not only will they be clad in new uniforms and smartly shod, they will also be carrying new school bags… all these courtesy of people who care. Another testimony of the powerful kindness of human spirit. 

A Place They Call Home

10 December 2011  -  A leisurely Saturday morning drive along the scenic country road with dear Hubby and Junior No. 3 ended up in Pusat Jagaan Beribuan Kasih, Kajang.  It was an impromptu visit to deliver some souvenirs which we brought back from Penang for a few of the old folks there. 

On arrival, we were greeted by news that Kavitha had to bring one of the resident who developed high fever to Hospital.  Aunty Jane, as she is fondly known, is one of the Home’s relatively new resident who just moved there about 3 weeks ago.  She is a kidney patient who undergoes dialysis 3 times a week and has already lost sensation in both her feet.  In our previous encounter, she had asked for a mantra bead bracelet and we manage to get her one in Penang, but sadly unable to give it to her today. 

After a few visits, the kids and the old folks there have begun to warm up to us easily.  As in all my visits, I will seek out each old folk to greet them, spending a minute or two enquiring about their healt and well-being, but today my time and attention lingered longer on an old Japanese woman who we were told were abandoned by her son.  Till now we do not know the real sad tale that surrounds this lady as she can only communicate in her native language.  We were just told that she was abandoned in the Hospital and a Good Samaritan approached Kavitha to take her in.  She is unable to walk on her own or control her bladder and spend a good part of her day sitting alone in a chair.  In the past visits, when Hubby or I greet her, she will place her hands on her knees and bow in return, muttering a greeting in Japanese.  But today she took me by surprise when upon seeing me, she grip my hands and broke down in tears.  A fellow resident explained that she had been missing her family badly for the past few days and my presence and concern reminds her of them.  I feel so sad for her and after wiping away her tears, I took the piece of bread from her wobbly hands and fed her myself.  Each mouthful leaves behind globs of peanut butter as she is unable to control her oral muscles well.  Drinking tea is another messy affair.  Luckily, I have some wet tissues which took care of the above situation.  After finishing her meal, she showed me her hands and muttered something which I’m unable to understand.  Another lady resident stepped in to explain that she wanted her finger-nails cut.  Obligingly, I attended to her request, only to find that her finger-nails were already shortly trimmed.  Looking up at her expectant face, I did not have the heart to disappoint her so I made some cutting motion on her nails and she was happily satisfied.  It dawned on me that maybe she just wanted to be touched, so I held and caressed her hands.  Language may be barrier between us but I hoped that I can relay some warmth and comfort to her in this way.

Hubby, on the other hand, seem to be getting on well with the old uncles there.  We found out about the Home’s latest additions, three young Indian siblings whose father had passed away recently and their mother had to give them up cause unable to support them.  A sad plight...  Hubby always ask me to look on the brighter side and be comforted in the knowledge that these kids may be better off in Homes rather than going hungry and cold out in the streets.  This fact does carry weight to a certain extent, but then their fate still tugs at my heartstring.

Much to our surprise, a few senior residents there tells of a contrasting story to the norm which we often hear about old folks’ plight in Homes.  Contrary to the typical sad tales, these two old men and an old lady told us that they ended up there on their own accord.  They voluntarily sought out this Home to stay despite having kids who are on good terms with them and do visit regularly.  Each of them has his or her own reason for opting to stay in a Home instead of with their kids, but they do not stake claim to being abandoned by their kids.  When talking about their life or their kids, they seem happy and there is no sense of grudge in their manner.  

It turn out that MAXIS had organised a lunch and mini-carnival for this Home that day.  Their Group started to arrive around noon which saw a lorry unloading a new sofa set and kitchen cabinet, while other staff brought in some groceries.  We were happy to learn that apart from these, this group of Angels from MAXIS had managed to raise RM10k to assist in settling the balance of the purchase price for this building.  Bless their hearts, their kind and timely gesture has enabled Pusat Jagaan Beribuan Kasih to own this building before the year end.  Now they will have a place to call their own, something truly worth rejoicing over.  Maybe Kavitha is right after all, if one’s intention is pure and sincere, help will appear to carry one across each hurdle…

Bringing New School Year Joy to Nanthisar Home

28 November 2011  -  Today, being a Public Holiday and also Payday for most, many parents may find themselves in shopping centres attending to their kids' schooling needs for the soon-to-come new school year. This is an annual event which we have experienced with our own kids for umpteen years but today's outing has a slight twist to it.  Our “kids” are actually orphans from the Nanthisar Home, and we are assisting Project MADE whose Sponsor had adopted this Home for their Back-To-School Program 2012. Our role is to assist the Home's Caretaker, Puan Latha in bringing these kids to Mydin Seremban to shop for uniforms, shoes and other necessary things.

Puan Latha and her kids arrived in Mydin Seremban at around 2.30pm and were met by the outlet’s Manager, Encik Daniel and his “Angels" (staffs specially designated to assist us).  Without their help, this would certainly be one great headache for Puan Latha and us.  Those who had similar experience with their own kids will understand what I meant.  Catering to 20 kids, even though well-mannered and disciplined, is no easy task and I must commend Encik Daniel’s angels for their patience and assistance.  From the smiles which never left their faces, no matter how many times the kids change their uniform or shoe sizes, it is obvious that they enjoy doing this for the kids.  Each kid was given a trolley basket with their names tagged on it (a very good idea which came from these angels) for the kids to deposit their chosen uniforms and shoes.  The kids' treasure consist of 2 sets of uniforms, 2 sets of shoes, 3 pairs of socks, one track bottom and a school bag.  The joy which shone on their faces as they happily hugged their very own belongings says it all.  For one who is used to getting used clothes and other items most of the time, having this opportunity to own new clothes and shoes that fit and their very own bag, must be a luxury to them.  To top it all, they are allowed to choose for themselves, which may be something rare to them.

At the check-out counter, the total sum for the uniforms, shoes and bags came up to below the allocated amount.  This was due to Encik Daniel's goodwill in extending good discounts to us, therefore we were able to present these kids with added bonus in form of stationery items. Before the delegation departed for Home, Encik Daniel personally presented each kid with a “gift pack” and imparted some “fatherly advice” to them.  The happy kids repeatedly shook hands and thanked all who were there, including us, which were kind of embarassing as we felt undeserving of their gratitude.  It was the generous gesture from SNF Foundation and great effort from Project MADE in making this possible. 

The kids took home with them their treasures but left behind warm memories for Encik Daniel and his “Angels”.  As for Hubby and myself, we were thankful that we were given this chance to share this wonderful experience in bringing Joy to this Home.  A BIG THANK YOU to Project MADE for Making A Difference in these kids’ lives…

 

Back-To-School Program for Pusat Jagaan Beribuan Kasih

26 November 2011  -  Today, we bring with us the charitable spirit of our friends and kind benefactors to this Home in Kajang.  Even though they were not there in person to hand-over their gifts and contributions but their generosity and kindness is deeply felt and appreciated by the Caretaker, Miss Kavitha and her kids.  I have taken the initiative to tag each gift and contribution with the respective “Uncles” and “Aunties” names so that the kids may thank them personally in their hearts and prayers.  Strangers they may be to each other and physically apart but their love and kindness made them all “family” in heart.  These kids’ plight have touched the hearts of these kind donors, who contributed in one form or another, big or small, to ensure that their schooling needs for 2012 are fulfilled.  
 
Our initial intention was to source for sponsorship of uniforms and shoes only, but as word got around among friends, gifts in form of stationery started pouring in too.  Apart from ourselves, the following persons have generously contributed towards the uniforms for the 14 kids.  A Big THANK YOU is not even enough to express our appreciation and gratitude to them;  Mrs. Tong, Mr. Ravi, Encik Masran & Friends, Mr. Alex Teng, Madam Lee Seok Fong. 

Mr. Woo, is another Good Samaritan, who big-heartedly contributed 14 BATA vouchers for the school shoes.  My dear sister, even though a bit financially tight, also put in her contribution in form of school socks. 

The gifts of stationery were caring thoughts from Encik Zaidi, who sponsored a whole bag of stationery goodies, Encik Aliakbar who approached Hubby with a stack of colour pencils for the kids and again Mr. Alex Teng, who apart from sponsoring 3 sets of uniforms also bought each kid a pencil case with stationery.

From Uncle Zaidi with Love

From Uncle Aliakbar with Love

From Uncle Alex with Love

The tender side of Hubby

Musical Chairs 

The kids’ elated faces on seeing these goodies are priceless.  They are such appreciative dears, simple things can bring so much joy to them.  Maybe it just goes to show how sadly lacking their lives are.  They not only hunger for food but also for love and warmth.  And dear Hubby, acknowledging this fact, took time to interact with them.  The kids were joyous to be showered attention upon and were seen happily chatting away with Hubby.  A few of them proudly showed him their trophy, a symbol of their achievement in school. 

While Hubby and kids sportingly obliged the kids with a game of Musical Chairs, I took this moment to talk to some of the dear old folks.  On our last trip, one of the them told us how sad she was to lose her rosary, so we presented her with a new one which Hubby’s friend obtained from his Church.  Upon seeing this, an old uncle shyly asked if he could have a Buddha pendant and another asked for Mantra bead bracelet.  This will definitely be on our list when we visit them next.



By the way, cooking in this Home will no longer pose a danger as Hubby bought them a brand-new gas stove to replace the broken one and also thoughtfully got them a bigger Wok to cater to the large quantity of cooking done.

The rain that pour upon us as we left this Home could not cool off the warmth in our hearts, put there by the lovely kids and our good friends charitable deeds.  These kids can now look forward to going to school with pride in their new uniforms and white shoes and new stationery.  They may be deprived of their natural parents' love and care but the caring uncles' and aunties' kind generosity saw to it that they can also start school just like other kids.


 

A Cry From Segamat

10 Nov 2011  -  A few days ago, I had this strange urge to call up Melissa, the caretaker of Selva Home For The Special Ones in Segamat to enquire how things are with them since our last visit in June.  We exchanged the usual pleasantries for a while before she broke down and cried.  It turned out that she was having sleepless nights and at her wits’ end as to how to solve the current crisis looming over her head.  Their financial is in dire straits due to lack of contributions coming in and they have been issued the Notice of Termination by both Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and Syarikat Air Johor (SAJ) for utility bill arrears amounting to RM2000. Supply will be disconnected if payment is not settled by 10 November.  My heart went out to her upon hearing this and immediately called up Hubby to see how much we can afford to help. Bless dear Hubby’s big heart, he offered to approach some friends in Segamat to chip in and help settle the full outstanding amount, definitely not a small sum. Within the hour, Hubby managed to secure commitment from his Sangha brothers in a Segamat temple and another friend from his hometown. 

Achieving this within such short span of time is no mean feat and thanks to Hubby and his kind-hearted friends, Melissa is able to settle the outstanding bills. Melissa’s relief is apparent in her breaking voice when the news is related to her.  Dear Hubby and his friends were likened to angels who came to the rescue and offered the light of hope to her when she was drowning in darkness.  Words can’t describe the pride I feel for Hubby for going out of his way to render his help.  My initial intention was just to extend some amount of financial help to lighten Melissa’s debt but Hubby went a step further and solved the situation for her.  Her gratefulness to Hubby is equivalent to the pride I feel for this dear man.  Someone once told Hubby that he is lucky to have me as his wife, a fact which I refuted, and instead told her that it is I who is blessed to have him as my husband.  My appreciation and respect also goes to Hubby’s friends whose compassion for the unfortunate rose above doubts and wariness upon hearing the Home's plight, and they responded to the call of help, readily and unconditionally.  They have not met Melissa and in time to come they may even forget this day, but rest assured Melissa will never forget them.

Some say that what we did is akin to putting out a fire, only to have other fires litting up elsewhere in future.  Well, everyone is entitled to their views and both Hubby’s and mine are that the least we can do is put out whatever fire that is in front of us if we are able to. Hopefully, another kind soul will help put out the next fire and so forth. We are fully aware of the various problems in running a Home, especially for one in a less-caring community where contributions is almost non-existent.  People judge too easily, doubt too much and care too little. A little help goes a long way and gives people like Melissa and other Homes’ owners the motivation to strive on.  They are doing good for the society...they take in the abandoned ones, they clothe and feed the homeless and the helpless,  they care for those special ones whose family are unable to do so, they take in the abused and give them love. Theirs is not a profit-driven venture but rather one that driven by love and compassion.  They are the Angels that God put on Earth to take care of the unfortunate ones.

A Big Thank You to Hubby and Friends for being the Candle that brought Light to this Home

An Unexpected Discovery in Kajang

15 October 2011 - We stumbled upon this Home by chance when we were in Kajang to shop for some technical stationery  for elder son who is studying in a college there. Kajang is an unfamiliar territory for Hubby but his navigative skills manage to bring us into and out of Kajang town without much problem.  On the way back, we bypassed this rather run-down looking Home with badly faded signboard just by the side of the road.  We made a mental note to stop by the next time we are in town.

That “next time” happen to be a fortnight later…

View from the road, only the left half belongs to the Home

The Home's Entrance

29 October 2011 - The Home which has been an image on my mind finally had a name attached to it, Pusat Ribuan Kasih (Thousands of Love Care Centre).  As it was an impromptu visit, we did not get to meet the Caretaker, all the kids and a few of the old folks as they had gone out for a Deepavali function.  Staying behind were 7 elderly folks with mobility problems, 4 grannies resting in the porch and living area, and 3 grandpas resting in their room. However, we managed to make our acquaintance with a young Indian guy, who we found out was a former resident there and now helps out around the Home.  He showed us around and we saw many pitiful sights around the Home.  However, it was those worn out school shoes drying out in the sun which tugged at our heartstrings and ignited our desire to help these kids with their new school year needs such as uniforms, shoes and stationery. 

There are many more pairs just like these….

With those images etched in my mind, I called up the Caretaker, Miss Kavitha, on the following Monday to find out more on the Home, especially on the kids' schooling needs.  Preparing the kids for the new school year can be a yearly nightmare for parents but the burden is many times heavier on Homes.  In the past years, Kavitha will prepare a list of the kids’ name, sex and age and seek sponsorship from friends and visitors for the uniforms and shoes.  Due to her limitation in resources and contacts, this is a slow and tedious process. The Home will have 14 school-going kids next year, 1 in Kindergarten, 8 in Primary and 5 in Secondary.  Based on the latest pricing obtained, the approximate cost to sponsor one pair of uniform and one pair of shoes for each kid is around RM65 to RM85.  The total cost for all the 14 kids is estimated at RM1,000. 

5 November 2011 - We decided to drop by the Home again and meet up with Kavitha.  Upon learning that they are short on certain grocery items like rice, oil, Milo, tea, milk, sugar, we purchased them the night before and brought them along with us but we found out later that the “hole” to be plugged is bigger than we thought…  The contents of their store room;  few packets of instant mee, few packets of meehoon, a small sack of potatoes, onions, 4 cans of sardines, a can of half-used oil… wonder how long can all this feed 30 over kids and adults?  We peeked into their fridge and the contents that greeted us were lots of eggs, few strands of wilted long beans, a quarter cabbage (going black), one stick of carrot, one brinjal and some cucumbers.  This prompted us to go out and "stocked" up their fridge with some fresh vegetables which hopefully can last them a week.  We also bought them a broom, a mop and a dustpan to replace the broken ones. 

Kavitha briefed us that this Home was set up in Nov 2006 with 3 other friends who had since opted out of this venture.  Luckily, one of her brothers stepped in and has been helping her out with the Home’s monthly rental of RM500 and minor expenses. This Home holds a Day-Care Licence only as it does not fulfill the requirements to apply for Welfare Home Licence, therefore they are unable to apply for welfare assistance and depend on contributions which trickles in inconsistently.  Monthly expenses for this Home runs up to about RM3000 per month.  As contributions are inadequate and inconsistent, Kavitha has to work part-time in home-nursing, a job that takes her away from the Home for about 4 hours each day.

This building which used to be a sales office-cum-storage area for a tiling company now bears the result of years of wear and tear.  It has 3 rooms, one with 6 beds for the old men and some of the boys, another room with 5 double-decker beds and 2 single beds for the womenfolk and the girls.  There is another small room behind the office which used to be occupied by Kavitha and another girl but due to the serious leaking recently, the room is now inhabitable. Worn-out mattresses are laid out in the living room and porch area at night for some of the boys to sleep in. Yes, the porch area…which by day, is a resting area for the kids and the elderly folks, doubling-up as the dining area during meal times and when night falls, this is the sleeping area for a few of the boys.

The following photos shows the different sleeping areas for the residents.  Note the difference between the first two and the last two... The two bedrooms are the cheerier part of the Home and the result of noble efforts by a group of angels who made this possible by sponsoring the beds and giving the room a fresh coat of paint.  Hopefully, more will come forward and put their magic touch on the other parts of the Home.

 Pink for the Ladies and Girls

Blue for the Men and Boys

Due to lack of rooms, some sleep here...

Shockingly, they sleep here too...

The small kitchen is quite bare, with only a rice cooker and a gas stove with its broken wok support, definitely a hazard when cooking on it.  A broken-down commercial refridgerator, few old cupboards and plastic storage drawers with missing or broken drawers occupy the living room.  At one corner, are 6 study tables, generous gifts from a donor for the kids. Its only ventilation and light source comes from the main door and a side door, as it has no windows.  Some of the lighting fixtures in the living area have been spoilt for some time as they cannot afford to pay for an electrician to fix it.

Note the piece of stone on the stove which is used to stabilise the wok...

Excluding Kavitha and her adopted 1 1/2 yr old daughter, this Home has 31 residents, 16 kids, out of which only 14 goes to school, 4 handicapped kids, 10 elderly folks and a 25-year-old homeless lady who looks after the Home and cooks for the residents when Kavitha is not around.  Kavitha’s adopted daughter’s natural mother is a typical case of an innocent under-aged girl cheated and dumped by the boyfriend.  With no place to go after giving birth, Kavitha took in both mother and baby.  Unable to cope with being a single mother at a young age, the girl then gave up the baby to Kavitha for adoption.

Despite the hardship and objections from her family, Kavitha is determined to keep this Home.  She has committed to purchase this building from the Owner and has signed the Sale and Purchase Agreement under the Home’s name about 2 years ago.  To-date, Kavitha has managed to raise and paid RM130k for the building, through funds raised by friends and family, and her own savings.  However, time is running short as she has to settle another RM20k by December.  At 28, unmarried and with this Home as additional liability, Kavitha tells me that marriage is a near-impossible thing in her life.  To her, this is her Home and the residents are her Family.  She has her fair share of discouragement from family and friends on her choice in life, but she claim she has no regrets.  In fact, she feels that her God does watch over her as she is able to maintain this Home so far despite difficulties and lack of fund.  She believes that God sees her sincerity, which explains the occasional help that comes in from nowhere... like the group who sponsored the beds for the bedrooms and even painted it, another group who sponsored the 6 study tables, and another group who sponsored the cost to repair the leakage in the living room, not forgetting those generous souls who sponsored the TV, washing machine and recently, a set of computer.  Kavitha herself did not seek them out and may not even know some of them personally.  Some came upon hearing the Home’s plight from friends, some came by chance and decided to contribute but whatever reason they all came with one thing in common, BIG HEARTS OF GOLD.

At the end of our visit, we decided to help her out with seeking sponsors for the school uniforms and shoes for the kids, definitely a “first” for us. We are aware it may be challenging to find the generous sponsors for this purpose but to us, it is a challenge for good cause.  We believe charity is still alive in this society.  Our belief is further strengthen by our friends’ and colleagues’ acts of generosity and commitment in this cause.

Keeping our fingers crossed, we hope to be able to fulfill these kids’ school wish-list, put new uniforms on their backs, new shoes on their feet, smiles on their face and renewed confidence in society.

Lighting Up Homes For Deepavali

Saturday 22 October 2011, another eye-opening and soul-searching experience in destinations Karak, Mentakab, Temerloh,  Maran, Kuala Krau and Jerantut. These are places I have never been to and ironically, my maiden trip to these places  were not for sight-seeing or food adventure, but to join some friends in bringing Deepavali Cheer to 40 families living there.

This is our second time on a Feeding Program with Project MADE and 1Month 1Charity, people whom we have grown to refer to fondly  as our Friends. We truly respect and admire their enthusiasm and selflessness in carrying out their noble work.

Our journey started before sunrise, left Nilai at 5.40am to reach the first Meeting Point (McDonald’s outlet before the Gombak Toll) before 7am, where we had breakfast while waiting for the rest of the group. The convoy that morning consist of four cars and a lorry. The lorry contains 40 big boxes of grocery, kind courtesy from the Textile Merchant Traders Association of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Masjid India, Jalan Melayu, while the rest of the four cars were literally packed to the roof with grocery and other goodies. It was a smooth and lovely one-hour drive to Karak, our first destination stop, where we met up with Project MADE’s local contact.

In Karak,  we distributed the grocery packs and other goodies to 7 families there. On top of this, few selected families were gifted with Deepavali money packets contributed by Hubby’s kind-hearted colleague, Mr Chandra. His generous contribution amounting to RM200 has helped eased the financial burden of 10 poor families.  Each home that we visited carries a sad tale….In the first home, lies a sick man with feeding tube, apparently he just underwent surgery.  The second home belongs to a young woman with 5 very young kids and a husband in prison.  What will happen to them when the food provision received today runs out? Another home is occupied by an unfortunate old lady who lives alone as she had lost all her 4 sons within this year.  In another home, the sole breadwinner is the lady of the house, who works as a cleaner. Her husband is deaf and she has a handicapped old mother and 3 kids to feed.  Hopefully, this round’s extra grocery and other goodies can make a bigger difference to these homes this Deepavali.

Upon completing our mission in Karak, we left for Mentakab and reached there around 11am. We proceeded to distribute the food packs and goodies to the rest of the families located in Maran, Temerloh and Kuala Krau before returning to Mentakab, where we distributed to 10 families living in a flats residential area. Throughout the journey, the scenery before us constantly interchanged between one of beauty and ugliness.  As we travel along our route, nature’s scenic beauty is a stark contrast to the dilapidated huts which greeted us at our destinations. 

Each of the homes which we visited has its own poignant tale to tell.  We witnessed many “No’s” that day… a house with NO furniture, a man with NO legs, an old woman with NO kids, adults with NO identity cards, kids with NO birth certificates and I’m sure that tucked away somewhere there are many more homes with NO food.  On a positive note, there is our friend Chew who had NO qualms in driving long distance alone for this purpose, the lorry driver who had NO problem transporting the goods and unloading them, Hajjah Ainie and her wonderful family who have NO discrimination in helping the needy of another race and not forgetting the rest of the group who had NO reservation at all in getting wet and dirty on this mission.  There were moments when we had to distribute in the drizzle but apparently not even  Mr. Rain could dampen these people’s spirit as they continued on with their distribution without giving a care to the rain.  During certain parts of the trip,  we even trekked through muddy paths and uneven terrain to reach some of the houses.  Now and then, dear Hubby would cast worried glances at me, concerned at how I was coping with all this.  By the end, we made him proud by completing the mission all the way.  Hopefully, this means we can join in other future Feeding Programs?

On this Feeding Program, we made sure that the kids were not forgotten amidst the excitement. Our 3 sons were given the responsibility to hand out  candy sticks, lollipops, chocs and jellies to all the kids they see regardless they are on the feeding list or not.  They even went out of their way to nearby houses to hand out the goodies to the curious kids who peeped shyly at the commotion.    Passerby with kids were not left out either…  It’s a good thing we brought more than enough to go round so none were disappointed.

By the time we completed this Feeding Program, it was past 5pm and time to feed our own kids, who gamely forgo lunch without any complain.  So, after bidding farewell to the rest of the Group, we parted ways and drove on to Karak town with Chew to fill our stomach with a proper meal.  We reached home close to 9pm, exhausted but with a deep sense of satisfaction, knowing that our Deepavali cheer will light up those homes on this festive season.

One for the album

A Lesser-Known Orphanage in Seremban

8 July 2011 - Responding to another of Hajjah Ainie’s call to look for an Indian orphanage for her Sponsor’s Back-To-School Program 2012, brought us to Pertubuhan Kebajikan Kanak-Kanak Nanthisar (also known as Nanthisar Home) in Seremban, an orphanage which currently houses 27 kids, 2 babies and 5 single mothers, all Indians.  We heard about this Home from a social worker friend who regularly contributes grocery there.

When we arrived at the Home, we were informed that Madam Latha was out soliciting donations from nearby shops, a regular activity she had to resort to in order to upkeep this Home.  We took this opportunity to look around the place and what we saw tugs at our heartstrings.  This rented single-storey corner unit has only three bedrooms which are occupied by Madam Latha, the single mothers and old ladies.  Worn-out mattresses are laid out in the living and dining area each night for the kids.  We took a peek at the kitchen and the condition there does not leave much to one’s imagination.  We did not notice any bags of rice or other grocery stocked up anywhereabout and the vegetables in the fridge does not look fresh.  The only other electrical appliance in the Home is a TV which is switched on during weekends only. The dining area is bare except for an old kitchen cabinet which the cups and plates are kept.  A Hindu Altar and few book racks occupy the small living room.

The kids seem friendly but shy and trying to engage them in conversation proves to be a challenge due to their poor command and understanding of the English and Malay language.  We noticed that their school bags, mostly hand-me-downs that has seen better days, piled up in a corner of the dining area as there are no proper racks to place them.  They do their studying and homework on a big table in the porch area. 

When Madam Latha returned a short while later, she gave us a briefing of the Home and its history.  Madam Latha informed that she and her husband, Thiagu, started this Home in 2007 with only four kids which has increased substantially in 4 years. Their application to Welfare Department is still pending, so they rely solely on contributions from kind donors but these contributions do not come in regularly, especially of late. We were told that initially, MIC and its members do help them out regularly but these help seem to have dwindled lately. In order to make ends meet every month, Madam Latha and a few single mothers will go out on weekly basis to solicit donations from the public but the amount is not much.  We were verbally told that the Home’s monthly expenditure is around RM5000 per month.  As the Home does not have its own vehicle, they rely on a school bus operator who charges them RM50 per head to transport the kids to school and back.  With 26 kids out of 27 schooling,  preparation for the kids’ new school year is definitely a time to be dthey look forward to. New school uniforms, new shoes, stationery, school fees etc… all this spells “MONEY”.  If the uniform sponsorship is approved, then Project MADE’s timely aid this year will provide a great relief to Madam Latha.  She handed us the list of the kids’ name and age, which she had prepared earlier when informed of the purpose of our visit and of Project MADE’s intention to sponsor school uniforms.  Hopefully, on our next visit we can bring them some good news.

On a more negative note, we find this Home not as well-managed as others, especially in terms of administration.  There are so much more which could be done for both the Home and the kids.  However, despite the Home's shortcomings, we respect Madam Latha for providing these kids with a decent roof over their heads and food to fill their hungry stomachs.  This Home may lack proper furniture and other comfort items, but it certainly does not lack warmth and laughter from the kids.  It is heartwarming to see the way they look out for each other and take care of the younger ones.

Soon, it was time to leave this Home… a Home with an uncertain future, a Home whose only light comes from the kids’ bright smiles.



Bringing Good News....

On the third day of Raya, a big Raya gift meant for a Chinese orphanage was dropped on our laps and we were honoured to be the bearer of this good news.  We received a call from Hajjah Ainie of Project MADE informing that their Sponsor is seeking a Chinese orphanage for which to sponsor school uniforms under their Back-To-School Program 2012. She asked if we know of any which may be in need of this and immediately the Padmasambhava Children Loving Association in Klang sprang into mind as we were there just a few months ago. After giving Hajjah Ainie a brief description of the Home, she is satisfied that it meets her Sponsor’s criteria and agreed to include them in.

Hubby dropped by PCLA the same evening to obtain the information required, such as names of the kids, their school year level for 2012 and their respective uniform, socks and shoe sizes.  He spoke to Miss Angel Kok, one of the volunteer-in-charge and after conveying the good news to her, Hubby was updated on the Home’s latest additions, a total number of 13 babies and toddlers. Some of them abandoned orphans, while some are voluntarily given up by single mothers who are unable to cope with caring for them.  In fact, PCLA turned down a few others due to the Home’s limited space and resources.  It is a sad situation, but we try to look on the bright side and be thankful for the 13 young ones who are fortunate enough to end up in PCLA. We know that they are in good hands there and will be brought up with much love and care.

Hubby's smile says it all...

Dear Hubby always had a soft spot for babies, so it was no surprise when he committed to return on the coming Sunday with 3 units of baby cradle, critically needed by the newcomers.  That night, we decided to share this with our friend, Chew and invited him to join in on our next visit. Bless his good heart, not only was he agreeable to go along but he, through 1Month 1Charity, will also be contributing groceries, milk powder and diapers for the babies. With this arrangement, we decided to meet up at Klang Parade to purchase the said items before proceeding to PCLA.

Contribution from 1Month 1Charity, Project MADE and Hubby

So, on Sunday morning, we collected the Milo drinks from Hajjah Ainie’s place before meeting up with Chew and family and another 1M1C member and proceeded to PCLA.  Miss Angel was already waiting for us and after unloading the stuff we brought, we chatted with her on the Home’s current developments, needs and other issues.  We found out that with the additional number of babies and toddlers, the Home is in critical need of milk powder and diapers, which are quite costly items and a heavy burden on the Home’s limited finance.  Another area she brought up is the kids’ educational needs such as stationeries, transport fees and tuition fees.  Thanks to Project MADE for getting them a sponsor for the school uniforms, therefore their burden in this area is lightened considerably this year.  Hubby’s kind colleague had also committed to sponsor new school bags for the kids and we will be getting them exercise books and other stationery items.  Chew also expressed interest in getting 1M1C to sponsor some stationery.  Tentatively, we plan for delivery of these items in early December.

Angels do exist around us, only in different forms… and we are blessed that two of them are our good friends, Hajjah Ainie and Chew. We truly respect Ainie’s selfless commitment in making a difference everywhere, regardless of race and religion. Chew’s charitable spirit and enthusiasm in responding to the cry of these orphans is also commendable.  Thank you guys for making a difference in this Home.

Another Visit To Klang Handicapped & Disabled Home

On 23 July 2011, we had a date with Chew of 1Month 1Charity to check out a Soup Kitchen in Seksyen 16, Shah Alam. As we had some time on hand before our meeting,  we decided to drop by Pusat Penjagaan Kanak-Kanak Cacat Klang again with some grocery and for some bonding time with the residents.  A few of the kids we usually mingle with were not there to greet us as they had gone for the weekly training in preparation for their upcoming climb up Mount Kinabalu in October.  They were part of the “OKUs” group chosen for the “A Climb Beyond Disabilities” fundraising climb up Mount Kinabalu in October.  This event is jointly organised by the Rotary Club of Bandar Utama and USJ.  

Usually, lunchtime is a routine which the staff will try to adhere to punctually as these special people, kids and adults alike, do not take well to hunger. If feeding time is delayed, the younger kids will start making a fuss and cry and the older ones will keep complaining that they are hungry.  That particular day was one of those days lunch is delayed and the reason is because the caterer was late.  A kind donor had arranged lunch for them that day as a remembrance service for his late father.  Luckily, they were not kept waiting for too long.  Seeing that there are only six staff to take care of so many hungry tummies, we decided to try our hands at feeding a few of them. It was a truly enriching and satisfying experience for us.  Our kids also chipped in and helped to serve plates of rice and drinks for the rest of the disabled who are capable of feeding themselves.

After lunch, it was “playtime” with the kids. Watching dear Hubby with the kids never fail to make my heart swell with pride.

Moments like this brings out the tender side of Hubby

 

One of Hubby and son's favourite, fondly known as Ah Fen

Hubby attentively learning a new game

The peaceful afternoon atmosphere was soon interrupted when the rest who went for the training arrived home.  Upon seeing us, they immediately greeted us with warm hugs, one of their endearing traits.  A few of them excitedly filled us in on their outing.  Even the mute tried to convey to us their excitement through sign language, a skill Hubby is working on acquiring.

As we had to meet up with Chew and proceed to our next destination, we ended our visit with the usual heavy heart, assuring them that we will visit again, a promise which we know we will keep…

Another Side of Kuala Selangor

Saturday 16 July 2011, a memorable day for me and my family,  the day we were introduced to another side of world, the poverty world of the hardcore poor in society, one often read about but rarely ventured into. My interest in this area first sparked when I came upon the noble works done by Project MADE, an NGO founded and lead by a dynamic lady Hajjah Ainie Sahnam. Even back then, I find her enthusiasm and selfless commitment truly awe-inspiring and hope that someday I can have the chance to personally meet this Angel. God must have heard my wish and sent an another angel in the form of 1Month 1Charity’s organiser, Chew, to make my wish possible.

When we came to know that 1Month 1Charity will team up with Project MADE for their Feeding Program in Kuala Selangor, I immediately knew that I will not forgo this chance to learn and experience this wing of charity from the experienced people. However, dear Hubby was a bit apprehensive at first, due to his concern on my health. After some assurance and also due to his own compassionate nature, I managed to secure his support on attending this event.

As we are residing quite a distance away from Kuala Selangor, we bundled up our sleepy kids and our portion of the feeding packs consisting of rice, flour, meehoon, salt, sugar, sardine and soap bar in the car and started our journey before sunrise, hoping to reach there before the designated time. The journey was blissfully smooth until we encountered heavy lorries and for awhile were quite worried if we were able to make it on time.

The group of us, comprising of Hajjah Ainie and the soon-to-be Pastor Joseph from Project MADE’s team, 1Month 1Charity’s organiser Chew, regular members Jacinta and Tony, my husband Ong, my 2 kids, myself and joining us for the first time are four students from Sunway College, all gathered at a Mamak Restaurant opposite IPD Kuala Selangor and had an informal get-to-know each other session over breakfast before organising ourselves into a convoy of 4 cars. Today’s Feeding Program’s distribution list has 40 families spread out over Kuala Selangor, Tanjung Karang, Batang Berjuntai and Ijok, which we target to finish distribution by 2pm.  We started out at 9am with our first distribution in Tanjong Karang area. It was both a saddening and enriching experience to see the recipients faces and being briefed on their condition by Project MADE team as we go round carrying out our distribution tasks. On our part, seeing these people’s pitiful living condition enforces in ourselves our personal believe all this while, which is to live our life in a simple manner so that we can use our blessings to help others. True to the saying “Many hands make light work”, by 10am we already covered up to 6 homes and proceeded  to our next destination  Kg Koboi, where we distributed our feeding packs to another 7 families before proceeding to Kg Sg Yu and Teluk Piah where another 5 homes are located. Most of these houses have one thing in common, their condition is run-down and the inside is usually quite bare of furniture, with just a decent couch or chairs and racks for storing things.

By 11.30am, we were on our way to Ijok area where our distribution were to some homes located within the plantation estate. Same atmosphere greeted us wherever we went, children joyfully running out to receive bread and biscuits and adults thanking us profusely for our contribution, showing their appreciation to our presence. Along the way, we notice that Hajjah Ainie and Joseph never failed to enquire these families on the welfare and needs, and their genuine interest clearly endears them to the hearts of these people. My respect and admiration for these two with big hearts has grown much by the end of this trip. Our last leg of the journey brought us to Kg Api-Api, which we found out was the place where Joseph grew up in. The last two families’ living condition is truly pitiful. One home we went to belongs to an old lady whose husband had passed away and left her with a daughter and a son. The daughter has married and moved away but leave her children there to be cared by the old lady while she works. The son who is living with her barely earns enough to support himself and spents it all on alcohol, relying on his old mother to provide him his meals. The old lady was crying as she relates her story to us.

By the time we completed our distribution, it was close to 3pm. We said our goodbyes to Hajjah Ainie and Joseph, agreeing to keep in touch with sincere hope that we may meet again in this noble path.  Our student friends from Sunway also made their departure, leaving the rest of us contemplating where to fill our stomach. Following Chew’s lead, we arrived at a riverside seafood restaurant where he graciously “feed” us with a sumptuous late lunch as reward for our work done in feeding the poor.

We parted ways after that and while Chew, Jacinta and Tony headed for home, husband and myself lingered on a little while longer, driving around, taking in the scenery, talking over the day’s event. We plan to come back again sometime soon…