Friday, June 27, 2008

Kechara Soup Kitchen- Create a better cause

Over the weekend, i've joined a weekly voluntary work organised by one of the newly formed NGO. The main purpose of this event is to deliver food to the homeless people in KL. I have always wanted to participate and finally i've got the chance to experience how was it like to walk on the street and hand food to people you do not know.


The main purpose of this event, in my opinion, is meaningful yet challenging.
Prior to the actual walking and food delivering part,we were briefed on the Dos and Don'ts.

According to the one of the organisers,


"We are all doing this for a symptom, not for sympathy". All they want from us is not sympathy but inspiration. We can talk to them, listen to them, try to understand their life, but never ever show them sympathy by crying or even wanting to give them money. This will end up worsen their life by chance they might use your money to buy drugs. "

I must quote this because i really like this saying, " We and they are no different. We all are human, we have done a lil more to what we are living now, and they might be short of the little inspiration to do something for their living."


Clearly enough, i guess we must get the motive right in the first place. Before i joined the team,i have always pictured that money could be one of the most important elements to contribute in helping these needed people. As for what i used to think, money can help them to buy food, to get some necessity, or even just to buy a simple cushion. I was so wrong. Money is never the word, most of the homeless people i met were healthy people. Maybe we shall encourage them to make a living, but never make them rely on our financial contribution, except for those who are in special condition like the one im writing about below.


It's always the TLC that matters.



Look, our famous fashion designer Eric Choong was a big volunteer of the event:)




The volunteers from all around the world has showed great support for the event.




The DOND Beauties- Jessica and Eve, the man with big heart- Kenny B. Thank you for coming along with me.

I was very happy because i managed to drag some of my Deal beauties to come along with me for this meaningful event. We were arranged in a same team and each of us was given one loaf of bread and one plastic bag of biscuits+bottled water+orange to give out to the homeless people on the street. We followed the team leader and the first place we have visited was an abandoned house near the Pudu Area. Apparently, the people was quite delightful when they saw us and most of the people were old.


When i was standing outside and looking at the nicely painted pinky building, i was wondering, "How could we never know there's such place in the center of city?Provided more it's not even a house, it's just an abandoned space for the homeless to shelter." I have not spotted this place before,perhaps i never seem to care though. Feeling a bit sad in the heart, and suddenly Sharon(One of the coordinators) was tapping my shoulder,"Hey Jean,why don't you bring the food over to the people inside?"


"Okay" i stepped forward to the front entrance. When Bob pushed the door opened, all i saw was a dark hallway with plenty trashy stuffs skattered all over the place. It was really really dark, but we got to see that the house has a few rooms inside. Under the "spot light" that Jace was holding high up, Bob was knocking on the door of the 1st room, and shouted "Pak Cik, MAKAN!" (fyi, BOB is a white and he has been spending most of his time doing this for the homeless ppl in Msia) I was in great surprise as Bob might have communicated better with the Pak Cik that i expected.


When PaK CIk opened the door, i was in a shock. However, i did not react on my face for the fear that i might make him feel bad. Pak Cik is an Indian, his skin was badly burnt on the face, and his eyes were nearly ''knitted'', i was not sure if he could see anything because i did not see his eye ball. However, Pak Cik still greeted us politely and said Thank You with a gentle smile when i handed over the food to him. At this moment, my heart sank for a second by having a simple glimpse over his room with some basic necessities.


Every of the homeless people i saw on the street must have had a story behind. Yes, some people out there might find this voluntary work loses its meaning in a way because among some of them will take advantage of the event by taking free food. I doubted that once myself before too.

However, i guess the fundamental rule of helping people is to be sincere. We are in no position to judge anybody in the world,i believe there's a number of people are in great need of attention too. Put it this way, we have nothing to be taken advantaged of, except for a little intention of being concern with them. If one out of 10 could feel your little intention, you have succeded to inspire her/him to do create a better cause. Sometimes, a good cause spreads around with a sincere heart.


This event is dedicated to all sincere people from all walk of life,regardless of RACE/RELIGION/NATIONALITY/AGE. If interested to join the force, please leave me a comment and i will send you the details.