I made a returned visit to Jalan Tenteram to follow up on some of the families that I had visited last week and to visit other residents as well. Apparently, many volunteers have visited Mrs. Jalil after reading about her plight and she was clearly more cheerful today. To improve her mobility, I presented to her an adjustable walking aid donated by a friend.
Thanks too, Carol.
Eddy was sitting outside his groundfloor flat and he had visitors who came to drop them some goodies in the week. He was watching the world around him go by and Old Granny Jenny has gone to the market. When she got home later in the day and took out her new umbrella cum walking aid that had been presented to her by Project Awareness, she expressed her shyness to use it. After much coaxing to try it out, she finally saw how useful the umbrella was.
16 year old Aili and her sister lives with her grandma. Both of them were brought up by their grandma and study in a school nearby. Her parents are working and they live in another location. Aili has been particpating in volunteer work organised by her school under its CIP programme. She found me strangely familiar and was exhilarated to realise that she has seen me on some tv programmes. Without hesitation, we had a photo taken together just at her doorway.
Old Grandpa Kang is 85 and has just cycled home. Deaf in his right ear, he used to work in Indonesia. He enjoyed working and even in his 70s, he worked as a despatch rider. He once had an accident and lost a toe. He has 4 daughters and 1 son and is probably the oldest resident in this block of flats which was built during the time when Lim Yew Hock was the Chief Minister. As we were talking, his wife and 3rd daughter came home. Tomorrow, like every Sunday, Old Grandpa Kang's children, granchildren, great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild (5 generations) will be getting together in his flat.
This Grandpa's flat is full of things that he hoards and he refuses to clear them away. He lives all by himself and needs some rations. In another flat, another hoarder similarly refuses to remove any of his stuffs and his living room has little space for walking. The floor needs a good scrub but this 89 year-old resident, who is hard of hearing, would rather keep it that way.
These are just some of the people who live in our midst. Some are more fortunate while others are more unfortunate. When those more fortunate are willing to help those less fortunate, what a wonderful world this would be.
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