This journey of 14 days has been a meaningful and heartening one. I, or rather, we, benefited a great deal from this trip. This fruitful experience is something that cannot be bought with money. I used to do community service for the sake of doing it, but now, I know I am doing it whole-heartedly. I learnt so much from the children in Bo Ai; they are always so peservering in whatever they do, be it learning how to walk or doing simple things like reading a book; they are easily satisfied as long as they have fun. Now, I tell myself to look at the challenges not as obstacles to prevent me from moving forward, but stepping stones to bring me to a new height each time. I cannot emphasise more on how fortunate we are. I still remember how I always grumble about not being able to get things done according to what I want. Reflecting upon this, I felt shameful of myself. At home I have a caring and supportive family; in school, I have wonderful friends. What can I possibly ask for more? This is so commonplace amongst man.
Friday, May 4, 2007
please don't be bored by this...
Thursday, May 3, 2007
A life's lesson well learnt
The second day, we finally met the children. They are so adorable but pitiful. Many of them are with their walking aid and ‘helmet’. Two kids even rolled towards me. My heart sunk when I saw them. I think that was the first time I felt that Serve China Trip is not as easy as I thought. It is not because the trip was tiring and tough. But, knowing the fact that we have to see the children there go through so much pain hurts me.
After the first interaction with the children I feel that they are a bunch of smart kids. Throughout the few days I spent with the children, I feel that they are very strong, even stronger than us and I think everyone agree with me. Their determination and perseverance to walk and stand up by themselves whenever they fall makes me respect them. Their therapies are definitely very tough. To see those very young children who are below 5 go through the tough therapy, hurts me. Tears roll down from their eyes when they are in pain. Awww… Even a stranger like me felt so heartbroken. Imagine their parents? I got to talk to a mother of a pair of twins who are both with cerebral palsy. She brings her sons to Boai School every morning for therapy session. Both of her sons are only 2 years old and they have to go through those tough therapies. She told me that she is fortunate because Boai School sponsors their fees or else she would not know how is she going to fork out money to pay for the therapy. I can imagine how she feels seeing her children cry when they are in pain. I really learn to appreciate my parents after this trip.
There are many children in Boai School who only get to go home during weekends. I am really fortunate to stay with my parents. I got to know this boy name Jun Jie. He’s 5 this year. A very adorable and smart boy. He is so perfect to me other than the fact that he could not walk. Like most of the other children, he gets to go home only during weekends. After spending time with him for a few days, I felt that our bond was really strong. I like to hug and kiss him and so does he. I actually hoped that his parents will not bring him home. I am SO SELFISH!! Knowing I am going to leave Boai School, Jun Jie actually cried for two days. I was so touched. He even asked me if I could stay longer. Especially the day I had to leave. I went to his room.and he was taking his afternoon nap. I told him I am going off and he said don’t want and cried. I burst into tears when he cried. I could not bear to leave him. Leaving Suzhou to Shanghai, all of us were so reluctant to. We had became so attached to the children there. I miss my Jun Jie and Xiao Cai.
The trip to the orphanage was also a great one. Seeing those innocent children smile when they are playing happily makes everything worth it. I start to realize that they are many people around us who are very unfortunate.
At Shanghai, we visited Hua Mu old folks home. I think throughout the whole trip, this is the only time we perspired because of the rebuilding of the garden. I felt very satisfied because the garden was done up so nicely. I was quite surprised that we didn’t took a long time to finish the task. This is why teamwork is so important. Good job guys! I also had the chance to take the Magnev train. The $600 we spent was really worth it.
I really get to know many wonderful people from this trip. The 21 of us certainly became much more bonded. Mrs Koh and Mr Lim also took very good care of us. They were strict but all of us know that they were concerned about our safety. I hope that in the future we will have more opportunity to work together again. Lastly, we visited a few places in Suzhou and Shanghai. Every place we visited, I learnt something new. I really learnt a lot from the children and from this trip. It makes me appreciate the people around me and make me realize how fortunate I am compared to others.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
My Love Affair in China
I believe everyone in the Serve China team has fallen in LOVE with the kids at Boai, even those at the orphanage. I myself, could not bear to leave them when the time was up. I poured my heart out like I never cried for a little one before.. I guessed their smiles, enthusiasm, determination and personalities have carved a place in our hearts. We were once strangers, yet our love and care grew like a flower blooming in the spring. Once we headed off to Shanghai, all I could think was.. how are the kids doing? will they miss us or will they just erase that wonderful memories we shared with them so they can move on easily? To this day, I am still thinking about them as I browse through the pictures. Are they well? Have they improved on their therapies? I miss them so.. I miss their laughters, that unforgettable smiles, the love and hugs they have given us.. How I wish I can go back time, teleporting all of us back to Suzhou... to experience it all over again.
I have only one word to describe the life I experienced in China. SIMPLICITY. It is such a far cry from what I have been living in Spore, the superficial part of me. I learn how simple the lifestyle is in China. They don't need all the branded gadgets, clothes, accessories to be happy... all they need is the neccesities.. It taught me that whatever wealth we have, money really can buy pure happiness. Yes, we need the money to survive in this world but money does not make this world goes round. Come to think of, we didnt pour money to the less fortunate ones in China, did we? We put in the effort to share our time, the company during therapies,eating time and even lessons, playing with them, entertaining them with our singings (LOL) and dance.. Over at Hua Mu home, we pull our sleeves up and did all the gardening and painting the benches from little experience. I think we should give ourselves a pat on the shoulder for all that.
Through this trip, I also learn more about myself. It is such a soul cleansing for me. I began to reflect on my actions and words, my life and what I can do to improve myself and for others too. I learn how to share, care for others even for my Serve China mates. I am blessed I did not fall sick during the entire trip. At times, I feel sorry for those who were sick and in such discomfort .And some had to even miss some activities. All I could do was to ask abt their condition out of concern or offer any medications I brought that could help.
Another great thing that results from this trip is the friendship with my Serve China team. We had bonded so much throughout the trip. Laughing, sharing our trademark phrases, making lame jokes and always looking out for each other. For the few days back in Spore, I feel so alone and weird not being able to eat or talk in a big group. No more Mrs Koh or Mr Lim looking after us..telling us like "people.. pls wear your jackets" or "eat more please, eat more veggies and fruits". I am back to my comfort zone, my home... It's such irony that the feeling of awkardness occurred to me. I admit I miss you guys man... haha.. i miss China too.. even though I have food limitations and language barrier, I survived and enjoyed every moment of it.
Well, I just like to thank Mrs Koh, Mr Lim, Prof Liang and her staff, and others who made this trip so memorable and full of joy. Remember people, Mrs Koh and Mr Lim chose the 21 of us for a good reason. We need to continue the spirit in us in doing more good deeds and share our blessings with others.
I really did not expect to learn so much in this trip but I did.. so much so that I feel like an entire new me.. I am no longer e shallow person I was before... My perspectives have widen... all the experience and learnings are somethings that I could never learn straight out of a book. I am truly blessed for that...
"All good things always have to come to an end"... well, our trip has came to an end but let's make our friendship and enthusiasm for community service a continuing one..
ROCK ON PEOPLE!!! XOXOXO
Recollecting Recollections ll
9th April 2007.
Unpacking my luggage and sorting out my shopping buys, I looked out of my open window and saw...
Happy families passing by. Smiling faces of friends. Joyful visage of children running toward that nearby shopping mall.
And there I was, enclosed within the four walls of my room. For once, the Silence irks. Unpacking my experiences, I tried to adjust to the new environment…or so it seems; “new”. I couldn't digest the fact yet that this was the place of my originality. It was just so hard to believe what I have gone through. 2 days since I arrived in Singapore and 14 days of experience was still fresh in my mind.
Fresher than that vegetable my Mom just bought yesterday, I tell you.
The ambivalent feeling of sudden isolation and the past happiness that still zips across me makes me feel like exploding these four walls and pour all emotions unto those passer-bys and even unto the whole world.
I just want to tell them what they don't realise. I just wan to tell them everything, what is truly happening out there…from the beauty of Suzhou to the pungency of the public toilets.
But I guess we know that no matter how hard we try to say and explain it, only we know how it truly feels. I can’t even put it to words, what everything felt like when I was there. Talk about “first hand” experiences, I guess this is what it truly meant.
For a start, after traveling for 5 hours in an 800km/h flying airplane over the distance of 3800km, I was greeted by children, no older than the age 10 that rolled their way…all the way from wherever they are to merely welcome us to BoAi School. All I could honestly do was to stare at them who were beside the soles of my shoe. Out of curiosity, I kneeled down and gently touched them on the head. Yes, they were real…
As days passed, with waking up in early mornings and walking on foot to the nearest neighbourhood centre for breakfast, braving through the morning cold, we got closer to the kids, and soon enough, we found them special.
Very special indeed.
There and then, I thought about my past. What have I been doing all these while? How come no one ever mentioned to me about BoAi? How come, this place which is a mere small dot on the country’s map, in a corner of an ordinary busy street, but yet bustling with so much love and care wasn’t known to me? How come…
If only money is unlimited.
If only money is unlimited, I would want to open up and show the whole world, what BoAi School truly is.
If only money is unlimited, I would pay for the children and their families to come along with us on our trip back to Singapore.
If only money is unlimited, I would cut that Meeting Room where we all shared our feelings and emotions and paste in somewhere near all of us in Singapore.
If only money is unlimited, I would buy a time machine where all of us could reverse time back to 19th March 2007.
If only money is unlimited, I would drag along the whole BoAi School back to Singapore.
If only money is unlimited, I would actually pull China to the empty southern part of Singapore.
If only money is unlimited...I would just want to experience again what I went through. I'm really sure all of us want to.
But maybe there's a reason why money is limited.
I realise, if I were to only experience everything again, the Appreciation, the Miss, the Care and the Love I have for the whole trip would be lesser, more subtle until it no longer means much to me.
Maybe that is why opportunity only comes once.
And Experiences are best felt once.
It's that Once that makes everything.
Because it is Once, let us all share as much as we can.
Because it is Once, let us all cherish as much as we can.
StLukes.BondingCamp.Departure.BusRide.VanguardShop.BoAi.TheChildren.TheTheraphy.TheBreakfasts.TheLunch.TheDinner.TheReflections.TheBunks.TheConflicts.TheResolve.TheMeetings.TheFines.ThePark.TheNightWalk.TheCountrySide.TheCountryClub.TheEmbroidery.TheSilkIndustry.TheUniversity.TheCulturalImmersion.TheLibrary.TheGym.TheShoppings.TheOrphanage.TheDance.TheSongs.TheWayangKulit.TheCheers.TheSmiles.TheLaughters.TheTears.DepartureFromBoAi.TheHotel.TheOldFolks.TheMoreShoppings.TheTrainRides.TheMaglevRide.TheMissingMrLim.TheBusJourneys.TheSongOnThePlane.TheArrival.
Maybe that’s why I feel so blessed getting chosen to go and have completed this whole trip.
I got to see sadness that I never knew existed.
I got to see happiness that I never knew could have existed.
I got to see the unwavering smile of a handicapped child.
I got to see tears that could have filled up River Nile.
I got to see students living with students and only students.
I got to see a blossoming tree that I learnt it couldn’t.
I got to see the wrinkles of a 75 year old youthful man.
I got to see skyscrapers inspired by a metal can.
I got to see what I never thought I would see.
I want to see it again, maybe when I’m 30.
May our memories be etched into our hearts and only dissipate when the art pieces turn into dusts.
Thank you, Everyone.
Ai love you guys. And girls.
Truly.
Learning Journey
Everyone must find it hard to exit our comfort zone and to interact with the kids and seriously I admire everyone for being able to communicate with the kids.. everyone manage to did a good job there as no one try to hide away and not interact with the kids .. although the time we spend are not very long I can see that everyone do not wish to leave the kids at the last day .. the moment of sadness and silent comes and everyone just take it and leave the kids although everyone wish to stay for a while longer .. but that life and we have to move on .. we move on leaving the kids with something money cannot buy during our time there .. the joy we bring to them .. the performance .. the songs .. and what I think the most important .. the love and accompany that everyone manage to give them .. this I believe is most valuable and is something the kids may remember for life ……
Lets just hope the kids will grow up fine .. well .. healthy .. well all the best for them ….
~Ding zhi