Events

Meals on Wheels; A Raya Surprise

By Elie - 2:47 PM

The wheels meals on the bus van go round and round. Round and round, round and round. The wheels meals on the bus van go round and round. All through the town!

So this morning, I woke up amazingly early on a Sunday to get in gear for Ti-Ratana's Meals on Wheels program whereby we visited Asrama Baitul Ummah with a van-load of necessities such as LUNCH, school bags and prayer mats amongst other little things.

Asrama Baitul Ummah is in fact a home for 50 Muslim orphans with ages ranging from 7 to 17 years. Established in year 2002 by Ustaz Abdul Rahman Abdullah, the orphanage is now located at No. 33 Jalan 3D/6, Jalan Setapak Indah, 53300 Kuala Lumpur and is made up of three units of double storey houses providing basic needs such as food, shelter and education to the children. Most of these children stay in the home until the age of 17 years old or prior to completing their SPM examination.

It felt like quite a ride over to the home from the Ti-Ratana Penchala Center but I am (secretly) glad that I didn't have to drive or I would have definitely gotten lost and whoever sat in my car would have probably ended up in Genting Highlands. Then again, that wouldn't have sounded too bad, right? When we got to the home, we were greeted with...

Friendly children!

Girls of the home.

 Boys of the home.

It was amazingly cute because they all got up and each of them came up to all the volunteers to give us their personal greetings, or "salam" in the Bahasa context. I now know how teachers feel when all their students walk up to them to greet them. Phew, it must have been very tiring! After a quick meet and greet, we; the volunteers, huddled up together for a quick discussion of games before deciding on a fun and easy to play; AEIOU game. It's easy, all you have to do is to stand behind a designated line and race to touch the "bait". However, you cannot be seen by the "bait" while you race to touch him. If you're caught moving by the "bait", you're out of the game! Some call it the "Traffic Light" game but we went along with it being AEIOU.

Tickle, tickle! Losers trying their hands on making their friends lose as well!

Everyone wants a piece of our "bait", Scott.

Our "bait" giving out prizes to the lucky winners!

Nothing like a box of water colors for school use.

Happy winners! Our volunteer in the background totally ignorable...

After a great time of fun and games, it was time for lunch. Of course, everyone would have been hungry after all that running, screaming and laughing! All our volunteers nestled themselves comfortably amongst the children and everyone had lunch together.

Having a gleeful lunch together.

As lunch went on, all the volunteers decided to sit around to have quick chats with the children alongside giving them nifty fun.

Listening attentively to our volunteer as she speaks to them after lunch.

Our volunteers teaching a girl how to make a star out of a discarded rubber band.

Still reaching for the stars!

School bags were given out to every child in the home after lunch with cheerful giggles and they even got to pick out the colors they preferred for their brand new school bag!

A new bag for you?

Or maybe for you?

How about a new bag for you?

Or the future in you?

A school bag for the tiniest girl we've met today?

Children happily examining each others' bags as a volunteer steps up to take pictures with them.

Prayer mats were also given out to the home as per requested.

Prayer mats being handed over to one of the staffs of Asrama Baitul Ummah.

Children of the Asrama Baitul Ummah gathered together with their brand new bags.

As a whole, it has been an extremely fun day albeit it being a very short visit. To see the smiles of these children even when we have done so little has only reminded me that they are grateful for what they have, they cherish what they are given and they are blissful the way life is. These young children has gone through much more than we the privileged may have felt and in every way is a stronger soul than any of us out here.

Blessed be, the souls who have lent a hand on a shiny Sunday.

I spent my Sunday morning cheering kids up. What about you? :)

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3 comments

  1. UnknownAugust 26, 2012 at 10:46 PM

    I am impressed, thoroughly impressed, with the activity that you were involved @this Sunday morning.

    Regards
    Saiful

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ElieAugust 27, 2012 at 7:51 AM

      Hi Saiful! Wow, the time stamp shows that you were around at 4.46 AM. You must be a night owl like myself!

      We all had fun yesterday and it was seriously quite an experience to visit Asrama Baitul Ummah. The kids were cheery and a few were pretty shy too! Certainly a great way to end my month long semester break. :)

      Cheers,
      Elie.

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  2. UnknownAugust 27, 2012 at 10:10 AM

    ALAMAK, you saw the time :-)

    I was finishing some web seminar on BLOOD TESTS, and how those readings are often NEGLECTED by inexperienced Doctors

    Among them are CANCER MARKERS, white blood cells etc

    Just a hobby of mine


    Anyway, as you pointed out KIDS are very easy to please. those at the ASRAMA, without parents, are YEARNING for ATTENTION and LOVE

    YOU did great..........and I will remember this
    regards
    Saiful




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