Words said

(raw translation)

UNCLE LIM:

"Don't need to help me to sweep! Don't need to help me to clean, I already cleaned. It's okay! You all sit down lah."

"Us old people are actually very lucky. You see, we have 触爱 and you students helping us, we are very fortunate."

"老了就没用了。"
BUT...
"I always help out at the centre whenever I'm free. I'm not sick, I still can do what I can. They give us so much and so we should do what we can too."

"The welfare services say they want to send someone to help me clean the house every Saturday."
Us: "uh... Which means they will be here when we are here?"
"Then you all don't need to clean mah!"
"Huh..... But we still want to come and see you leh!"
- & Uncle Lim gives a what-are-you-thinking laugh O.o - 
"If you want to come, OF COURSE i welcome you lah! Why? You all want to make friends with me, why would I not want?!"



UNCLE LEE:

"Look at all my godsons and goddaughters..." *introduces them excitedly from the photos on his famous wall*

"Wah, that time I took part in a play with some sec school students. They all called me Papa, I hear already SIBEH SHIOK ah!"

"我是一个很念旧的人，see I still keep this muffin they gave me for my Birthday. (all of us jaw-dropped) really cannot bear to eat leh! I will throw it away when a new one comes in next year! ;)"
(hint hint? hahaha)


AUNTY TAN:

"I make tea using these tea leaves every day. Very bitter!!"
*holds out tea leaves to one of us* "YOU WANT TO TRY?!"
Hahaha and she laughed heartily when we said nononono. D:

(pardon the lack of chatterlog for Aunty Tan because I had to leave)


--
Why a chatterlog for my first blogpost here?
Because we can only begin to help when we begin to listen. These are small snippets of conversation from my first two visits to these seniors.

It was my first time doing house visits and all of the elderly were cheerful people who welcomed and thanked us profusely each time we went.
But it's only after much chatting that they begin to share their stories with you, and let you in. And you sort of have a glimpse - however brief - at the possible sadness behind the smiles.

They cherish so many little things that we, more often than not, take for granted. We definitely live in much better conditions, and have more friends & family than them. But I guess I could safely say a majority of us grumble & complain more about life than them.
Contentment with small gifts (recall the half-year-old muffin), with little bits of help given, with simply a place to stay in and food to eat.


There's a reason why we're doing this though our visits are purely to help them with housework, understand and spend time with them - not raising funds, not donations.
But it's always the time you've taken out, and the company you've given, that will leave a mark, that will make that difference to them.

Anyway they are so cute you won't want to stop visiting them once you've begun! :D 

- LI JIA