Love is All Around!

The start of a new academic year marks the beginning of a set of objectives and goals. As a year 2 foreign student, we have to start joining CCA clubs and earning points for us to stay in the hostel. Thus, under the introduction by a friend, I found myself joining the Lions Befrienders Lunch Service organized by the NUS Rotaract club. This was my first exposure to community services. Little that I know, in the following years to come, NUS Rotaract Club will offer me opportunity to serve in various community service projects. And these ranges from hospital services, elderly lunch service to overseas volunteer services.

As a child, I never did experience the love of my grandparents, nor did I get to experience childhood as other normal kids do. Personally, maybe, through these events, I see a way of receiving a smile that I long for. A smile given from an elderly person to their grandchildren or even the smile and laughter of kids for having fun and appreciation for what they obtained. Of one event which has imprinted so firmly in my mind is an event I participated during the holidays at my 3^rd academic year.

The event was an overseas volunteering visit; it brought us to an elementary school in a mountain village in Cebu, Philippines, the Cabungahan Elementary School. The event was organized by the Rotary Club of Cebu West, we were there to give a day of fun to the kids there. Initially, the students there showered us with performance, one of which is a song dedicated to thank someone for the blessings and joy they receive. This song was sung by a group no more than 30. We then continue on with our programs, to entertain and let them experience games and food we brought from Singapore. The kids have so much fun that, at the end of the day, the same “thank you” song, however, was not just sung by a group of 30, 40 or even 50 students. This time, it was sung by all the kids, teachers and parents who joined with us. The song roared across the whole school compound and the sense of satisfaction and joy was beyond comprehension.

Serving the elderly was something different compared to serving the small and young. They are more understanding, and also more cooperative. The elderly will often welcome a person of whom they can talk to, a person, of whom they can interact with. They may not be able to run and hop as the young, but they just want to share their experience, their heart and soul. Moreover, when they see that I’m not feeling well, they will start nagging me, ask me to go to the local pharmacy, get some medication, or even give me a seat just to sit down. Just imagine, being offered a seat by someone who’s about to turn 90. Well, I guess I’m living in a more fortunate world they lived in.

In the end of the day, what matters most is that we know that they are happy, and the memories we instill will bring them joy for days to come.

WK