I hope you have time to spare because today, I am going to tell you a story regarding a segment of my life. It’s gonna be interesting so get a cuppa and sit back.

After penning my biography in March last year, I had nothing much to do. I dropped out of music studies at Segi College because a tumor was discovered inhibiting my remaining hearing nerve in the left hemisphere of my brain. In February, my hearing in that ear suddenly gone worse and I had to spend Chinese New Year in the hospital.

Later on, I met a wonderful woman named Cordelia Lee, who chanced upon my website and got to know me in person. She encouraged me to write a book, that led me to knocking the doors of many foreign literary agents and publishers. That was where I got to know a wonderful writer named John Ling as well.

Life at this stage was in suspense. I was at the verge of falling back to square one, or with one more step, I could have found myself heading to a brighter future. Being a new author was not easy, and I kept receiving rejections because my manuscript at that time was unpolished.

I almost wanted to give up and follow the wind like a boneless straw. But that did not happen because I came across an advertisement by Eden Handicap Service Center in Penang that was looking for volunteers, and I thought “why not?”. After all, I didn’t have any serious commitments. Why not dedicate my time to people who needs it badly?

So the process of job interview began. Mom and I headed to Penang. Madelene and bertie Tye, the founders of Eden HDC were very friendly. They showed us around for two days. The best was, they liked me too! They wanted me to have the position of a hostel coordinator. Basically, I was required to do paper work, oversee the hostel operations, take note of medical and physiotherapy appointments, and probably boss around when there is nothing much to do. Haha okay just kidding. But you get my drift, don’t you? Sounds like a fun job. I’d get to work with children without the pressure of the typical corporate world.

After the interview, mom and I headed back home in KL, followed by serious considerations on whether I should take up the offer or not. In the end, I decided not to. I was too attached to my desire to publish my book. I had just known John and Cordy. Life in KL seemed too good to leave behind. At home, I have my computer, internet, many books to read, and my friends are all here. In Penang, I would have to adjust to a dramatic change.

Thank goodness I didn’t go, because soon later, I was featured in Youth2 of The Star newspaper, got offered to write numerous articles, participated in Blogathon 2005, won an award, resumed studying on a full scholarship, and the rest is history.

Phew! What a turning point that was! If I had taken up the offer by Eden HDC, I would not have known you. I would not even have time to maintain a blog.

Even so, I often regret not being able to do much to help Eden HDC. During my visit there, I was touched by their genuine love and compassion they have for the physically impaired members of society. Unlike many other handicap centers in Penang, Eden’s services are provided entirely for free, sustaining on public donations. They have hostels for the less fortunate children and mentally challenged adults. During the day, the children are sent by Eden to special government-funded schools while the mentally challenged adults are assigned to do simple work such as dismantling delicate computer scraps to train the efficiency of limbs. A physiotherapist comes around once a week to exercise with the children. Those needing more medical attention are personally taken to the hospital for treatments every other week.

During my visit, there were two senior “houseparents” who cook meals and look after the children. These children are harder to care for, because they do not always understand simple commands that we often take forgranted. The parents of these children are poor, who cannot afford to pay other centers that charged hefty prices for their services. Yet, they need someone to look after their handicap children while the husbands and wives work their butts off, battling with the ever-increasing prices of Malaysian living.

Just a drive away, is Eden’s recycling unit, where they acquired the vicinity of a factory and recycling tools. During the day, a group of men would go around Penang Island in a van to collect recyclable items from door to door. Here is a touching scene. Because most of these men are mentally challenged, they can’t possibly go around on their own. Therefore, there are always a few physically challenged, but mentally capable staffs going on these trips with them. The physically challenged staffs would draw the diagram of simple lift buttons that indicates which button to press to reach the correct floor. The mentally challenged men will then go collecting items from door to door by following these simple hand-drawn instructions. I am most touched to see the well-planned co-operation between two groups of people with different gifts from God.

Besides these, there is also the handicrafts unit where the physically challenged ladies are trained, and also the computing unit where some of their members are taught basic designing and computing skills, so they may one day enter the workforce despite their individual physical limitations.

Eden provides all these services to the public for free.
In madelene’s own words:

Many less fortunate children has been knocking our door for help as we are the only centre that provides hostel/day care service to children at no charge. Whereas other centre that provide only day care to the disabled children are charging about RM450.00. From here we notice that only those that can afford will enjoy their training but what about those who cannot afford. The total number of mentally challenged male adult and children in our hostel has escalated to about 45. The overall total of disabled friends in our centre has reached 85 excluding adhoc services provided to the less fortunate in the community.

Last year, I made a big decision to leap towards my dream. Medelene and Bertie, as well as other volunteers at the center, have also made a decision to dedicate their lives to the bettermen of the underprivileged. For this, I solute them, because not everyone is willing to make such a sacrifice.

Madelene and Bertie’s story, as well as their many full-time staffs and volunteers is certainly one worth admiring. They are truly selfless servants of God. I will never forget the genuine compassion and hospitality they gave me during my stay there. Even until today, we still remain in contact by e-mail. Madelene has always been warm and humble, and she still is despite the many struggles in life!

If you enjoyed reading my experience with Eden Handicap Service Center, please consider donating some cash to them. Authors and writers, John Ling, Charmaine Hon, Chen Pelf Nyok, Jessica Choo, and I are teaming up in this year’s blogathon to raise funds for Eden Handicap Service Center again!

Blogathon will start on 29th August 2006, 9pm (Malaysian time) onwards and we will be blogging for 24-hours straight. John, the author based in New Zealand, Charmaine the journalism student in Australia, Pelf the marine biology graduate in Kuala Terengganu, Jessica Choo from erm… somewhere I forgot, and yours truly the student and writer based in KL, are bringing you the spirit of volunteerism and charity through blogging this Saturday!

I’m most keen to see what this team of people with diverse interests are going to blog about!

Please have a heart, spare some cash, and make a difference to the lives of less fortunate Malaysians who could have been your own family member.

Sign up as a sponsor today:
http://blogathon.org/sponsor.php?blog_id=148
Blog name: YvonneFoong.com

After the event, an email will be sent to you on how donations should be made DIRECTLY to Eden. We don’t handle any money to ensure transparency. Remember to surf my blog this Saturday, 9pm onwards!

Posted in Blogathon 2005 |