listening

It was last Sunday morning after my breakfast with parents. They were to drop me home after our meal and to go somewhere. I wondered where they were going. They said they were going to Pertubuhan Kebajikan Villa Harapan Melaka to meet up with the Buddhist society’s children from Merlimau.

The centre is a charity home in Duyung which accepts homeless, old folks, handicapped, and mentally disabled adults. I was quite busy with work for the past few months and didn’t have time to visit any of the centre like before. Since I was free that morning, I was in for the visit and I could take some photos.

It wasn’t the first time I came to this centre. But for most of the people especially the children, it was. When my parents and I arrived at the centre, the teachers and children had just arrived with a bus, and they were listening to the management’s briefing.

The centre is rather big and the residents sleep in a dormitory. Male and female are seperated. Currently the centre is taking care of 109 residents. Most of them are old folks and others are homeless, handicapped or mentally disabled. Although the centre is partially funded by Government, they still need public support to maintain the centre.

Then we were brought to visit the place by Thomas, the vice chairman of the centre. To spread the joy, the teachers talked and understand the residents’ needs and the children distributed their DIY greeting cards compassionately to the residents. It really made us sad to hear that some of the residents there were actually dumped by their family on the street or the centre, and couldn’t be borthered to visit them. Some shed tears when they told us their story. Anyway, I don’t think they hated their family, instead I felt they are missing them everyday and hoping one day their family would come to visit them or bring them home.

We could really see some of the faces lighted up when they looked at us, because they were bored and lonely. It took us 1 hour staying at the centre spending time with the residents there.

The visit was truly an unforgettable experience for us, and it didn’t end here. The organising committe decided to go to the Handicapped and Mentally Disabled Children Centre Melaka in Bukit Baru. I will upload some photos of our second visit soon.

Sharing some shots taken at the first centre we went. May all beings be happy.

The post Visiting the homeless at Pertubuhan Kebajikan Villa Harapan Melaka appeared first on juesatta (CJ Photography).

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Her name is Mocheng, a diabetes patient who just moved to the Centre from Ipoh’s. She is 59 year-old, yet looking wan and sallow beyond her age. She is immobilized but a thin and pale person lying on the sickbed of the centre. Mocheng is a bed ridden who requires full-time care and support. She has two bedsores: one on the right side of her back which has the diameter of a small bowl, and the other one on the right buttock which is smaller yet with meat and bone exposed.

Yesterday was a rainy day but it could not obstruct our plan of going to the Handicapped and Mentally Disabled Children Centre Melaka as we described earlier. After gathered for breakfast, Kok-Liang, Tracy, Cinda and I went to the centre with some friends who joined us for the first time: Perry Gan and Angel were those two in all sincerity to help and Cinda’s father, Gan papa and her brother, Albert Gan who were very supportive and compassionate towards the patients of the centre.

Thomas the supervisor, Amy the nurse and the other staffs were there to greet on our arrival. After handing some second hand goods, we spent an hour chatting with the staff and the patients, trying to understand the centre’s operations and patients better. Again, we met Boy-Boy, the toddler with Down syndrome and just had his heart surgery done. Amy told us that his mother had not been to the centre to visit the child for quite some time. And George the autistic child was still the same old quiet boy except with 3 new friends, the triplets who recently accepted to the centre. They were equally quiet as George, however being hyperactive and craving for food. That gave Perry a bit of headache; he was engaged to play police-and-thief with the trio of keeping them away from stealing food of a disabled elderly.

Everyone at the centre was good and healthy. Just before we left the centre, we were introduced to Mocheng, a new patient of the centre. Nevertheless, it was a new and heartbreaking acquaintance. When Mocheng was first transferred to this centre, the sight of her lying of the bed sent a wave of sympathy to Amy, who then offered her care, kindness and support to Mocheng. Amy would have to reposition bedbound Mocheng every few hours to avoid further bedsore damages and help changing the dressing of the two wounds every 2-3 days. The hydrocolloid dressing used for Mocheng is rather expensive but effective to mold to the pressure sore and helps promote healing and skin growth. After knowing this, Perry went straight to purchase some dressings and donated to the centre in order to help Mocheng.

It was a meanigful visiting to the centre, making us feel lucky and contented with our live. Having said that, we also hope to do our best to help the less fortunate group especially Mocheng. Today, Wee-Peng and I visited to the centre again and handed a medical air mattress which we borrowed from someone, hoping that this bed can assist with the treatment of Mocheng’s bedsores. Soon we will be going to the centre again for donating daily necessities and also looking a good way to help Mocheng.

Thanks to the staffs at the centre for your kindness and caring of the patients. Thanks to the patients for making our day that much more special. Thanks to fellow friends and family for your company and support. May all beings be well and happy.

Unfortunately I didn’t snap any photo to share here, due to the rain keeping me from bringing my gears.

The post Meeting Mocheng at the Handicapped and Mentally Disabled Children Centre Melaka appeared first on juesatta (CJ Photography).