You're Beautiful...(Part 2)

Contributed by Rtr. Timmy

Visit to Philea, home for children - part 2.

A 10-year old well-groom and charming little girl caught my attention. I shall call her Annie in this blog. Annie speaks fluent Malay (and I must admit that her Malay is way too good if compared to mine!) Feeling very excited, she told me that the children at the home are going to visit Cameron Highlands during their school holidays (thanks to a local community-based organization). The other kids started to join in the conversation about their about-to-happen trip. They told me how cold the weather is going to be there and how bad the trip is going to be on a bus. They just can't wait for it to happen!

We chat and I noticed these kids have been living under poor conditions. Their cloths are dirty and they are not properly groomed. Most of them stay at squatter areas (wooden houses without electricity supply: no TV, no fan, no refrigerator..etc). Imagine growing up without TV. You say that's bad? Now imagine growing up without a father or parents. Worse? Imagine that this is only their first few years of their life. Of course, things can always improve; and we believe we can make a different if we want.

Kong has come to an end. Time for the kids to head back to home (at the squatter areas) for a shower. A old van, owned by Philea, is used to drive the kids back. It's like putting on a acrobatic show when the kids (about 15 of them) started to squeeze into the van.

The kids left with the van. The home now has become quieter now.

I think back what we have done for the kids that day. Simple stuffs: a free not-so-clear movie session, lots of tidbits and balloons, some plush toys for the little ones, a used iron and toaster for the home. These stuffs do not really help them much... but I thought it will at least leave them some happy memories.

I still remember very clearly that once I was trying to make a little 4-year old girl at the home laugh during one of our community service project there. She was very shy but still managed to laugh with me. The little girl smile at me and approached me slowly and she gave me a hug with her small hands. I was shocked but I can feel the hug deeply and her little vulnerable soul. A small hug can make a BIG different. I can never forget that hug. Sometimes it makes me feel that what the kids need may look nothing to us, but to them it could be something very meaningful.

What I really really really hope and want to see is, all these kids can remember their own laughters and these laughters shall not fade as time goes by.To all the children at Philea Home: You're Beautiful, it's True.

p.s: we shall conduct computer classes for the kids at the home for our next upcoming project.

(for more Timmy's article, click here)