like no other day

For the first time in my life, I did charity work last Saturday. I went to Jamiyah Children's home Darul Ma'wa, as part of company's charity team to help decorate the children's dining hall for Hari Raya.

I was surprised on how small the building is. Just a one storey unit. In fact I almost missed it if not for this white van with Jamiyah Children's Home written in green parked in the compound.

There were bunch of NS army guys in the home lobby, and after wading through them I managed to find my fellow colleagues, whom mostly I have never met or spoken too before being in whole diff department. Well, they were friendly enough, which shouldn't be a surprised considering unfriendly ppl and charity normally don't go hand in hand.

On the way to the dining hall, we passed through rooms with single beds lined up to fill all available space. No fancy bedsheet, minimum pillows and no personal touch at all. Simple and neat. The walls along the corridor were decorated with activities photos, achievements acknowledgements, and some navy ships photos complete with commander signatures. I was briefly reminded that the residents are small children.

Upon arriving the the dining hall, we were swarmed by the children wanted to shake and kiss our hands. I was touched, and I remembered thinking how small and cold their palms are. They looked pretty playful together and maybe a little anxious to see what's coming from us that day. One of them even said something to me which I could not make out, nevertheless I smiled and gave him a brotherly pat.

The dining hall is just big enough to accommodate 2 long metallic tables and one small stage in front. There were words welcoming some government officials for break fast dinner on the stage board which were decorated in purple cloth. That's about the only decoration I noticed. On the walls were mostly reminders. There was even this photos of a dying african kid due to hunger, being watched nearby by a vulture, reminding us that we should not waste our food and be grateful for it.

The kids made a dikir barat presentation for the army team, as they were the one sitting in front of the stage while me and my company at the other side of the hall tieing golden strings to ketupat ribbons. The dikir barat poked fun to the Singaporean lifestyle, and pretty good considering their age.

We tied the ketupat ribbons to strings and laid them wall to wall covering the whole dining hall with dangling ketupats. To be frank, I did not do much after tieing the ketupats to the strings as 2 of my colleagues did all the strings hanging. Once in awhile I went close-by to see the army guys accompanied the childrens drawing with magic colours and taught them making things with polysterine cups. The whole place became a mess with cut papers but at least they looked that they were having fun.

By noon, the place already has Hari Raya vibes to it. Before leaving dropped a few notes inside the donation box, regretting for not carrying more cash. I'm like my father when it comes to carry-on cash. Catch me at most times and my wallet will have fewer than 20 dollars. Saw a signboard that ppl can pay their zakat fitr here too, and after scooping whatever coins left in my pocket, found it enough to pay the zakat. To my surprise, they gave me a plastic of Hari Raya cookies and a box of Curry Powder after payment. Never had I imagined I'd be getting sth after a visit there, something that should be the other way around.



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