Early Christmas Celebration

I love my weekends.
I get to do lots of socialising on weekends – going out with friends (yo, Lisa! When are you coming back to Penang?), finding out new places to makan, discovering little gems in Georgetown (man, I love Penang!) and sometimes, even hanging around my own apartment is fun. I like to relax by reading at my balcony, no matter how cramped it is; surrounded by my plants (yes, I do the odd gardening now and then) – the odd chili plant, a rebellious bamboo plant, aloe vera, cacti – and my two pots of colourful guppies.
So this weekend isn’t that different.
Last night, Nic and I joined Erina and Lawrence (of Cooking Island) as well as Lillian and her family over at the Children’s Protection Society, Scotland Road to have an early Xmas celebration with the children of the home.
Many, many thanks must go to Erina for inviting Nic and I to bring some cheer to these children and share our Friday night with them – many have had difficult pasts and painful histories.
While Erina brought food for the simple dinner for the 13 children whose ages ranged from five to 17, we brought them gifts of stationery and chocolates. Which child doesn’t enjoy chocolates? Lilian and her family brought pizza and gifts of toys.
The children started off quietly taking their dinner but once they got to know us 6 adults, it was quite a riot. They loved the attention and their happy grins told us all we needed to know. The smaller children were lively and funny, each adorable in their own way while the older ones were a bit more reserved.
It’s hard to understand why these children were neglected or abandoned by their caretakers or guardians, which in many cases are their parents. Some are in the home because their parents cannot take care of their children properly. Some parents are unfit to be parents. It’s devastating to think that some of these children will grow up alone, not knowing why they were dismissed from their parents’ lives.
I sometimes think we humans are the only creatures in the world who have the brains to think logically yet sometimes do the stupidest things. We who have the ability to know right from wrong, good from bad can go so far as to abandon our children; even animals don’t do that.
Which is why I always say that it is a tough task to be a REAL parent. One who teaches, guides and nurtures a child to be a human being of the highest potential is a real parent. Just because one can pro-create does not automatically make one a parent. It is a label to be earned. Pro-creating unnecessarily makes us no better than animals but even animals know the right time and place to start another generation. We humans like to justify our lusts.
Anyway, this won’t be our last visit to the home. Nic and I hope to go more often now that we know we can make so much of a difference to these children. Even a short visit made them light up like Christmas trees.
Happy children
It is true that the giver gets so much more than the receiver.
We get the gift of perpetual prosperity – riches which cannot be measured in ringgit and sen – when we give of ourselves, our time and our kindness.

10 thoughts on “Early Christmas Celebration”

  1. Yo,
    I can’t believe I am missing this outing. After almost a week in KL, I do have to admit I am getting bored of this little ol’ town. Somehow, it does not excite me as much as being in Penang, when I have 2 such dear friends and makan kaki there. 😉
    Its true what you say, the giver receives more than the receiver. I love kids. With them you need not be “on-guard” as in dealing with adults. When you give love to kids you know they accept them openly and unconditionally. Always trusting. I just don’t understand how some bad adults could hurt kids or abandon them.
    To see a kid smile or to hear them laugh, its truly priceless. Hope to join you guys in your next visit to see these kids.
    See you guys soon.

    Reply
  2. Oh, so lovely. Next time you guys go, ajak me also. I’ll bring my whole family together. More the merrier right? After all, it is sad to see these children abandoned by their parents and since Christmas is the time for giving, I really don’t mind giving some of my time to them, although I may not bear many gifts. I do believe in giving on Christmas!

    Reply
  3. To me it’s not how much gifts you can give them, it’s how much love we can share with them. Krista, I went there the next day again – apa lagi? Forget to take something lar. The kids ask me eh! That uncle did not come meh? I asked them which uncle and they say ‘that uncle leh, the one tell us our car name one’. Hahaha, they were refering to nick. These boys still holding cars in the hand. The next one, I might go will be the one at Batu Maung. Wanna join me again? 🙂

    Reply
  4. Hi Lisa: Yes, the next time Erina invites me, I’ll yodel and we can all go and do our little bit!
    Keat: It’s always nicer to give than to receive. I remember this saying – give without remembering, take without forgetting! Very true.
    Hi Matrianklw: You too? Sure. Come along. The more the merrier… we’ll all probably scare the kids with our overzealousness 😉
    Hi Rob: Thanks for the heads-up.
    And Erina: Haha, Nic is pretty pleased about that. I told you he’s got a presence with kids. He’s a big little kid himself. Yes, if you are going to that Rumah Cahaya in Batu Maung, count me and Nic in – oh and if you don’t mind, I will bring along Lisa and invite Matrianklw too. We’ll all go like a rombongan!

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  5. Krista, we love rombongan too. If you can find rombongan makan lagi shiok. Remember the place someone told us about the Australian food? Beside kaki rombongan charity, ada rombongan makan kah? lol

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  6. Krista / Erina,
    Bukan sahaja rombongan….makan besar besaran. Once upon a time when I used to live in KL, we used to talk about eating our way up north. Thou now propose we eat our way down south….
    Taiping….must do one more time. Have not gotten my popiah and soya bean. Ipoh ….next….Teluk Intan…..maybe all the way to Banting…hint hint!
    Cheers – see y’all. Back this Saturday.

    Reply
  7. happy new year to you!
    btw, i met ur parents on 09.12.2006 in the restaurant near library.
    in a friend’s wedding dinner, i dare not to say HI…haha…~
    coz i sat with 8 guys next to their table,
    and whole nite yum sing…~
    scared that your parents might think i am a gila gal… :p

    Reply
  8. Hi Hoyoyi
    Yeah, I think that was Mr Lim’s son’s wedding or something right? You should have gone and said hi but then again knowing my dad, he’ll probably feign familiarity even though he might’ve not known your name. Just say you are Mei’s classmate and maybe then he’ll remember. Anyway, how are you doing?

    Reply

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