Caged and Bound

Caged and bound.

Is this how life is going to be? All that he knows?

The headlines of a local Malay Daily caught my eyes today, it brought me to a stop from the morning madness. It has a picture of a boy and the title reads “Sebelas tahun kena kurung” - “Eleven years being caged”.

I looked at it, I felt the urge to shout the importance to create awareness of people with special needs and how much more important it is to help the families involved.

Reading the boy's story, i know things can change for better. It can change for better when people do not fear. It can change for better when people are aware and knowledgeable about it. It can change for better when people take an interest and have the know hows. It can change for better when people can see the hope and potential to the things they can do. It can change for better, i know it can change for better.

Reading story like this, it always brings me back to the visit of a welfare home in a distant small town. I was very very new in this work then, it shocked me to see people in cages. I couldn't believe that such thing exist in Malaysia. There were cluster of people in different confined area with grilled gates, in another room three young men were in their individual 'cells'. It wasn't really big, prolly four feet wide, and six feet long. I remember thinking a rotteweiler or bull mastiffs would fit nicely into the cage. That was when i realized, i forgot the faces i was looking at were human. Human.

Another shelther home that i visited was none the less depressing. Not only did i saw children tied to chairs, but also pillars within its compound. I remember giving a child a hug, he was tied to the pillar upright, eyes bright, hands which held mine tight, beneath the 'look' i knew he craved to be loved. I wished I could do more, I knew there has to be a better way.

You know how sometimes you hear sermons of making a change for better? How sometimes you are challenged to change for better be it in your own life or another person's life? Being the blessing, knowing that what you give can never be returned? Want to make a change? Come be a direct change agent for children with special needs. How much you sow in today not only influence the child for better, but also the parents, siblings, relatives, neighbours, friends, and the whole community. Best of all, it changes you.

Where i work, i realized it is important to encourage, educate, empower and put in the right tools for parents to care for their children with special need. A home is where these children belong to, with their parents. They deserve every right to be loved and cared for by their parents. It always encourages me when i see parents working diligently with their children, and the success stories of how their children are learning and making progress from strength to strength.

Back to the welfare homes, those children were in that conditions because their care-takers did not know how to handle them. They only knew that the children were too dangerous to be let loose, for fear that they might hurt themselve or other people. They may bite, hit, scratch, kick or stranggle. The boy's parent too have the same fears.

Now for a short moment..... just try to imagine...... i open my eyes.... i see the bars..... its right in front of my face again. I try to move, something stoped me at my waist, at my wrist. I look out. I paced around in my confined area. I look out, i shout just so somebody could hear me to give me some response. I try banging the cage, maybe it'll come loose. I gnawed at the clothe at my waist and my wrist, its giving me itches and i hate it turning red. I try screaming maybe somebody will hear me. I paced around again..... i lay down. I look out again, i shout again just so somebody could hear me and give me some response. I try banging the cage again, maybe it'll come loose. I gnawed again at the clothe at my waist and my wrist, its giving me itches again and i hate it turning redder. I try screaming again maybe somebody will hear me.I paced around again and again..... i lay down again. I look out again and again, i shout again and again just so somebody could hear me and give me some response. I try banging the cage again and again, maybe it'll come loose. I gnawed again and again at the clothe at my waist and my wrist, its giving me itches again and again and i hate it turning redder again and again. I try screaming again and again maybe somebody will hear me....... day in, day out, sun rise sun set, day in day out, sun rise, sun set, day in day out, sun rise sun set, day in day out sun rise sun set, day in say out sun rise sun set........364 days, and many more years to come.....i open my eyes.... i see the bars..... its right in front of my face again. I try to move, something stoped me at my waist, at my wrist. I look out. I paced around in my confined area. I look out, i shout just so somebody could hear me to give me some response. I try banging the cage, maybe it'll come loose. I gnawed at the clothe at my waist and my wrist, its giving me itches and i hate it turning red. I try screaming maybe somebody will hear me. I paced around again..... i lay down.

Can you imagine?..... how did it feel like? Wanna break free? I was just trying to imagine what could it been like being in the boy's shoe. What i wrote was just a fiction.

To the boy's story, here's what the dad say “Jika dia keluar rumah, dia akan lari jika lihat kami mahu mendapatkannya”. Now imagine you are the boy. Wouldn't you wanna break free?

I believe there is a better way. I believe when people are educated about special needs, living in cages will be things of the past. Parents play an extremely important role in caring and upbringing of their children with special need. They are however not to be alone in this important task, we the member of society ought to encourage and cheer them on. With the right heart, the right mind set, the right attitude, and the right tools, all things are possible. There is no mountain too high to climb. The climb may be hard and tough, but once you reach the peak and enjoying the scenery, you know all of the challenges were worth every bit.

I believe caged and bound will be changed to free and living to the fullest!

http://www.hmetro.com.my/Thursday/BeritaUtama/20080417092455/Article

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/17/nation/20977266&

The Street

I was at the bank last night wanting to withdraw some money. There i saw a man, sleeping on the five-foot way, faced down to the floor. Packets of tissue were in front of him, little plastic bag of belongings beside him, prosthetic leg stood at the side, crutches proped to the wall, and packet of rice at the side. I looked at him.....

Have you ever wonder why are there people living in the streets?

When i was younger, once in a while, i would drop some coins or notes into a begger's cup. Be it old, crippled, blind, mother and child and so on.... that was out of sympathy that i did it. Sympathy.

Then came a time, where i had empathy. Trying to think what it'd be like to be in their shoes.

Few years ago i joined some friends to street feeding programme in the city. The people that i saw there were of varied kinds. Some were like my grandma's age, some middle age, and some young ones, prolly around my age. They would come every saturday for the free food given out, medical care and the fellowship. As i helped to hand out the food, i remember feeling sad. I was sad at the young people that i saw. I was thinking what in the world were the young people living in street?! Don't they feel ashamed that i had to hand out food to them?! They have hands and feets which could work!

Few years ago, the media started covering stories on 'beggers' living in the streets. One reporter even went undercover, pretended to be a begger. If i remembered correctly, he collected quite a sum of money from begging generous Malaysians. Then there were stories where they were controlled by syndicates who forced them into begging. There were also real stories where these people are drug addicts.

Few years ago, i would have easily sympathize and empathize. Yesterday, i was angry.....i was angry seeing a man sleeping in the streets of Subang!

While withdrawing money, i was thinking and asking God what should i do. I could have harden my heart and think that that guy sleeping in the street prolly earned more than me milking money out of generous Malaysians. I got into the car, still asking God if i should do anything. I really wanted to have driven home.

Jesus said when you do unto the least of these, you are doing unto me. Sometimes its hard to wrestle with convictions so i made a turn back to the man.

I went to him. He was asleep, i had to wake him up. He jumped and sat up straight when i said i wanted to buy tissue. I asked him why was he sleeping in the street. I asked him to go home. I asked him if he has eaten. I asked him to go home. I asked him to get help from welfare department. I asked him to go home. I asked him not to sleep on the five-foot way. I asked him to go home.

He told me he hasn't been home in 10 years. Used to stay in Sunway, brother kicked him out of house. Have been living in the street for 10 years. People shoos him away and scolds him. He has eaten dinner. He hasn't been home for 10 years.

Throughout that few minutes, i dunno what went through his head. I told him i've seen him before few years ealier sleeping on the street. Never had the guts then to confront, yesterday i was just angry to see him still sleeping in the street. I told him to go home. I told him to go home. I just told him to go home. Sigh! He had alcohol breathe.

I find it really ironic, Subang a highly developed residential and commercial area, also an education hub. People here are mostly educated, living in the middle income bracket. And yet, there are still people living in the street!

When he realized that i wasn't sympathizing with his sob story, and that i was serious about him going back home, he wanted to give me change for the purchase of the tissue paper. I told him to go home.

As i was driving home, i was just thinking and asking what would Jesus do?

Adulthood

When do you start to realize that you are an adult? A grown up?

Late last year i was reminising my school days a lot. I miss those carefree Convent days a lot. I had pangs of nostalgia, i had wanted to live in those moments again. The days of going to tuitions with friends, staying back at school, doing different projects, having different parties and going for inter school events. Those days were fun! We'd chatted, giggled, poked fun, talked about future, checking out guys. Sometimes we fought, cried, get petty.... i miss those days!

You know how when you are in school, some adults will tell you that it is the best day of your life? I had one uncle telling me that, even the Lat's comic says so! But when you are at school, you'd think they must be joking when they say “student days” are the best. Who would ever says being a student, having exams and test and homeworks are the best days of their life? I thought it was a joke at that time. These grown ups don't know what they are talking about.

Anyway, coming to the present time... next year will be the 10^th year i've graduated from high school. I never really realized i'll come to this day, coming to reflect the milestone of it.

Journey out of high school was not easy, in fact it was really challeging. Lots of things changed. I'm no longer in Muar, my friends are all scattered living and pursuing their own lifes. College days, tho i had good times with my college buddies, movies and hanging out, there were also culture shocks and depressing moments. But even then, those were the days when i found JESUS, my GOD. (made me wished i'd known HIM earlier)

After four years of higher education, its off to the working world. The real world..... this is life itself.... wat you choose it to be.

Trying to calculate, i think i've prolly worked four years? And its only FOUR years!!! Imagine the many more ahead.... gosh! Its daunting! It's gonna be the rest of my life till i retire at 70 maybe? =)

Anyway, what i wanna say is, its true. Its true what they said. “Student days” are the best days of life. I find that so very true, very very true. I am even starting to tell my student friends. Being an aunty now... -_-” working friends, i don't think i need to elaborate.

So, when did i realized i'm a grown up? =) it dawned unto me when i could just go ahead with last minute planned road trips. Having the independence, knowing i'm capable to making the right decisions in life, knowing that i am acocuntable, knowing that i could be trusted, knowing that i could take care of myself. It suddenly made me realize i don't need my mommy to do what i need to do. You know?

So yeah, being a 25 year old now, i've finally come to accept that i am an adult. Its not too early, its not too late. =D

Knowing

You can hammer both your feet to the cross, you can hammer your left hand to the cross..... who hammer your remaining hand to the cross?

As i grow older in age, i learn more about myself and the different people around me. Have you ever noticed how people are sometimes so different from you? Gosh!..... I hate it when people tell me that not everyone is like me.....(trust me, I do. I have far too many people telling me that.) Kinda thank God also that not everyone is like me, imagine, the thousands of Jecys around, and the Raysons scream! heheheh.... making people do work, getting things in order, efficiency is the rule, claw up some people, save the children, go rock climbing! Actually..... it wouldn't be such a bad idea after all..... ;)

Anyway, i've been wondering, do people learn about themselve more than they try to make people to be like them? You know how sometimes you wish some people would change, and yet each time you try to make them change, it's still the same? Kinda frustrating.....

Only in the past year i began to discover and realize the different personalities that exist. Not that i never noticed before, but it just didn't dawned unto me till then, that it is important to realize the different personalities that exist and respect it. You better do! So you'll stop wondering why you keep knocking into walls.

Drawing to my colourful working life, out of comfort of things familiar to me, I began noticing the different personalities. There opened my life to another world, a world of learning human behaviour and respecting it. From there, I learn about the people around me. The people that I know, the people that I spend time with, the people that I hang out with, the people that I chat with....they are all different from me one way or another. Its kinda interesting when you take time and think about it. God makes us all unique, and yet each one us are made in His image.

Yesterday I took a personality test in Facebook. Here's what it says about my personality.......

“The determined realist likes to bear responsibility and welcomes challenges. She is a stable, reliable person. External contacts are very important to her; she mixes well and is very active. She is an excellent organiser and is very happy when things are done correctly and punctually; she can quickly react impatiently if others are not as conscientious, orderly and dutiful as she is. She prefers structured work which produces visible results quickly to abstract, long-drawn-out processes. She has no problem with routine as long as it serves efficiency. However, she very much dislikes unexpected and unpredictable occurrences which mess up her careful plans. Once she has committed herself to a cause she does this with dedication and is willing to make considerable sacrifices for it.

The determined realist does not avoid conflicts and criticism but faces up to them and looks for solutions. As she has a keen eye for the errors and shortcomings of others and is often quick at expressing criticism, she sometimes rubs people up the wrong way especially when she loses her temper and jumps to conclusions. Due to her marked sense of justice she is quickly willing to correct herself and never takes offence if someone speaks to her frankly. You do not have to seek hidden motives with her; you always know where you are. The determined realist is often found in executive positions as she combines commitment, competence and the ability to assert herself. In her spare time, she often also accepts responsibility in clubs and other institutions.

Traditions rate highly with the determined realist. She attends every family event and never forgets a birthday or wedding anniversary. Family and friends are very important to her. With her open, communicative manner, she finds it easy to get to know people and has a large circle of friends and acquaintances. She is never superficial, but a reliable and loyal friend who is always there when she is needed. The determined realist takes her relationships very seriously - she dreams of finding a partner for life. In a relationship, she seeks above all stability and loyalty and here, too, she is willing to invest a lot in a harmonious togetherness. She masters crises or difficult phases with composure; she would never think of breaking a promise given. As a partner, one can always rely on her support “

I find it almost 90% true of what I read about my personality. I tested it out with some people i know and i began to see why i just somehow couldn't reach certain people.... my guess is that we're just different. Positives and positives ends of magnets just won't stick. That kinda gave me conclusion to some things.

Anyways, yay! =) so yea, anybody out there reading this page, please realize that i am different from you. Please have some grace on me, when i seem to be difficult or hard sometimes. =D Slackers be warned!

Trying to conclude this entry, what does my personality have to do with the cross beginning?

Well.... i found out dying to self is easy for me sometimes. I mean, I'll just have work at giving up on certain things in life. I'll just have to deal with my own being and may God's grace help me. Hammering the last hand onto the cross.... it is not you who hammer your own hand. You pass it on to someone else to do the last work. Make sense?

Such joy

I never knew they could bring me such joy.

They are back in the centre after a month long holiday break. Almost all of them settled back into routine rather well. It is so good having them around again. I found out that if it wasn't for them, i wouldn't have travel such a distance, not even for any money paying job.

Having been with them about a year and half now, i've grown accustom to their behaviours and known them for who they are. They are a funny bunch of kids, and i love them for that! At the end of each day, i'll have a smile of contentment that they made my day. Reflecting on the funny moments at the centre, of how the child reacted or behaved, their antics and 'silliness', their cuteness and funniness, hehehe... their “it is so them” moments.

I especially love the schooling kids. They are the older group ranging from 7 to 11 years. Each of the children have their own unique personality. Remember how i was almost traumatised my the two 'screamin-at-the-top-of-their-lungs' tantrum throwing kids at my first week of work? They have the most powerful high pitched scream which could raise any dead person.... Lazarus.....or at least my bulu roma.

Anyway, those two are just funny once you know why they behave such a way. You could almost predict and see certain things coming from them, given a set of conditions. Not that i'm already expert of them, but i've come to know their personalities. Just last tues i had to put up with a boy whining pitch high at my ears. He just refused to get his work done and kept trying to get off task. Would you believe in the 45 minutes of study time, i've only managed to get him write his name. And that's all?!! He's quite smart in a sense trying to manipulate the adults with his threats of deafening cries thinking we would give in to his whimps and fancies. Even got into self injuring behaviour, of which i had two stinging tight slaps from, on my hand. Ouch! Tough battle, but lets see who will win. We've got our ear plugs ready~! Hehehe.....

And today, i was trying not to laugh as a girl unwillingly does her couting activities. I dunno why, but she suddenly burst out crying when she saw the counting worksheet. Prolly she 'misses' them, coz she hasn't been doing the worksheet in a long time or she was just complaining while crying 'why in the world am i doing this again?' It was a funny sight looking at her, coz she doesn't know how to verbally complain that she don't wanna do it, but she had to cry it out with tears and all. A friend of hers was so cute, he got a tissue box to her table and tell her 'no crying'. I never knew he could be so sensitive and so aware of his social cues.

I love the fact that i now know the children better and that i'm more confident in handling them. I remember how i used to be scared and not knowing what to do. But yea, they turn out to be children after all. They could be cheeky, naughty, rebellious, loving, innocent, blur, fun and all.

I like to see how the children progress on their academic development, from not knowing how to write their name to writing new words now. From not knowing how to handle scissors to doing cutting and paste activities. From counting to doing addition. It gives me a sense of satisfaction. =)

I also like the behaviour management. From making whinny irritating sound to knowing how to say “i want rest”. From being a whirlwind of tornado as soon as he steps into the centre to a boy who could sit down and read and greets you “hi” as soon as he steps into the centre. From a shy 'hide-my-face-in-the-pillow' to telling me about her Sabah holiday. It is a joy of knowing you are at the right place. =)

I would love to be a friend to these children. Playing and join in their little games. But i also have to remember that i am a teacher, to be the role model, to teach the right stuffs and to be of sound mind!

Many people, when i tell them what i do, they think i must have lots of patience and love. Well, i guess having those help, and i think i do have what it takes. But what i always tell them is, “Having a good sense of humour helps a lot. You must know how to laugh”.

Learning how to laugh has help me cope with my work. Many times i tell people if i don't laugh, i would have quit long time ago! (Joking! That's not the deciding factor, God leads me.) Anyway, it's good to laugh things off, even when the kids drives you up the wall or when you just feel like flushing him down the toilet, or mince him into the blender and make 'char-siew pau' or tie him to the ceiling fan and sping him round and round. Sadistic? Yea, very!

See, why i say you have to have a good sense of humour? If you don't you might just really wanna commit those acts that i mentioned. Last year i had such horrid thoughts in my head, that i couldn't believe i could have thought those thoughts. It was then i realised how real child abuse could happen to these children. They really do test your patience, some purposefully, some just being who they are.

Patience, love and all are my part to work on. What these children are rubbing into me, hopefully make me better person. I think they rub on more to me than i on them. I realized after a while of working with them my communications skills had gone down the drain. Sentence structure and intelligent talk are out of the window. For a moment i just talking in two or three words sentence. Anyways, people who do come and talk to me, please have something intelligent to talk about. Current affairs, general knowledge, bible......

Many of times i use to wonder and still wonder why such children exist. I ask God “So which part of You are in them Lord?” for He made all of us in His own image. I wonder..... i dunno which part of Him are in them. Humour maybe? 'coz i find them funny. =) i don't have the answer, but i have the faith that i'll see them in heaven. I guess these are God's special children. He knew them before they were even form in their mother's womb, He knows each one by name and the number of hairs on their head. God made them, he made them special just like you and me.

My Wish

My Wish – Rascal Flatts

I hope that days come easy and moments pass slow
And each road leads you where you want to go
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you
And if one door opens to another door closed
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile

More then anything, more then anything
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it
To your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small
You never need to carry more then you can hold
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too
Yeah, this, is my wish

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget
All the ones who love you, in the place you left
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret
And you help somebody every chance you get
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake
And you always give more then you take

Oh More then anything, Yeah, and more then anything
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it
To your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small
You never need to carry more then you can hold
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too
Yeah, this, is my wish

It's Been A Year

Today I had the privilege of observing and working with a group of young adults with learning disabilities. I must say it was a good experience and it helped me look further ahead in my work….

A year back someone dear to me asked what is your success. What do you see in your future? Have you thought about your future? Don’t you want to own a house? Car? What about your children’s education? Have you ever thought of it? And so on and on the questions played like a broken record.

It’s been a year! Praise God I made it passed the year! In the beginning it was very hard. Just the traveling would kill me; often I’ll be dead tired when I step back home. At times I would also oversleep. Then worst of worst are the things that happen during traveling. I’ve endured the consistently late trains; jam packed platform, sardine trains, flooded stations and even almost fire on carriage. My life is just so happening…… ;) I used to get so depressed when things like that happen. Even the haze could get me down. And I get continuous bouts of coughs and mucouses from the children. Yea, that’s when I thought everything was against me, and maybe I made a mistake for being so stubborn for the things I believe God had led me to do. Maybe I was wrong, or maybe I did not hear right.

Anyway, a friend brought a revelation that kinda set me free from these thoughts. Thank God for good friends! What he said made sense. It’s not the first time trains have problems, it has always been like that, even if I don’t commute in them. The haze has been going on every year!! What makes me so special to think the haze got to be sent to stop me from doing whatever I’m doing? Yea…. Made sense….. =) and, I just need to take care of my health la.

Praise God that He is gracious, He had sustained me, praise God for His strength.

The children.

This month, the centre celebrated its 10^th anniversary. I am glad to be part of it. The children had opportunity to perform on stage, after spending months in practicing. It was fun doing the whole thing with them. I must say, without the hard work put in, don’t expect sweet results. But then again, it also depends on what the child might be up to on that day. It’s really kinda exciting and helps keep people on their toes. Ahh… challenges that keeps your mind working on its feet. Praise God for such wisdom that He gives.

Over the year, I’ve grown fond to the children. I even have a few favorites. No, I don’t show partiality. I’ve got this child who calls me by my name, omitting the word “teacher”, like as if calling a friend. Yea, seriously like as if an old buddy would call me. Hehehe… it wasn’t easy when I first taught him, he challenged my authority, but I guess over time, I’ve proven myself and earned the respect from him. Maybe I’m his favorite teacher too.

This is a story of another boy. When I met him last year, he is a vision of a whirlwind of storm packed into a body of 3 year old. The moment he enters the centre, all fury of a ferocious tornado spun around the centre, till the moment he leaves. Creating havoc, drowning all senses, lasting prolly for an hour half. Okay, maybe I’m making it look dramatic, but it really did felt that way. The teachers would have to put up a fight just to get him to sit down; I think I got my hair pulled too! hahaha…. Those were the days of wrestling with the child; besides having to bear with his endless whining and annoying cries.

Today when I look at him, I couldn’t believe in the vast improvement that he has made. I am just so impressed that he is communicating, reading, and his nonsense behaviours had been tamed. He’s got this cheeky face, and twinkle in his eyes; I see so much potential in him to learn many more things. From thinking “why am I assigned to teach him again?”, I now look forward to teaching him. It’s fun!

It’s just so wonderful seeing the progress of the children, knowing that they have learnt and achieve milestones. I was ecstatic when my girl actually knew how to write her own name and could cut proper circle out on paper. I was touched when I hear a boy now starting to speak, from not being vocal for the past 6 years. I am impressed to see a 4 year old girl walking compared to when she first came in last year, she was crawling on all fours. Achievements like these make me proud of what I do. It ain’t little, it’s significant.

Being at the work base today, it helped me see further into the future. It reminds me that the children won’t be children forever, they too will grow up. I look at what the young adults were doing; I couldn’t help believe that they were also little children. I wonder what kinda challenges they gave their teachers. I wonder if they threw tamper tantrums like what some of my kids are doing. I wonder if they had behaviour problem, which sometime makes me feel like hanging the kids upside down. I wonder if my children would grow up to be like the fine young adults I saw today…….

As I observe them today, I just felt so privilege to be there. I don’t think I can meet and socialize with them in the society; they’ll probably be one of the oddballs that people avoid. Besides, how would you react when you see one in the sea of strangers? You prolly wouldn’t care less, who talks to strangers anyway. So yea, it’s a privilege for me to meet them. Like the children, I am impressed with the capabilities the young adults shown. My children will learn those skills. Ordering their own meal, paying, responsible for their own work, time management, clearing and cleaning, and even exercising leadership qualities. I especially love what I saw, peer supervision. A peer guiding another who is slower, it’s just an awesome sight to me. It made me forget they had learning difficulties.

Last year, I had a chance to visit a few centre and homes. I got to see the best of best and also the ugly side of the work. In the best of the ones I saw, the centre had sheltered production workshop, packaging socks, quilting, simulated housekeeping, and even nursery. In the worst that I saw…… it was heartbreaking. People were tied to pillars, chair, and some caged…. The caged ones broke my heart; I couldn’t believe seeing such thing. It’s so easy to forget that they were human made in the image of God. The reason for these bondages is that they were deemed violent; therefore that’s the best solution to the problem. Sigh!

From the exposure trip, I see even more important awareness and education are needed for the parents and even the public. Many of times, it seems like a doom sentence to have a child with special needs. From what I see among the parents that I work with, I see the love and hard work that they put in, I truly admire their strength. I know of this petite mom whom all three children have learning disabilities. I salute her courage and strength.

Know what? It’s not all gloomy to have a special need child, though I may not be in the right position to say this. But from the many stories that I’ve read and lives that I’ve seen, parent couldn’t imagine their life without that special child. Their own special child has enriched them even more than they could imagine. I must say, it’s not only the child that is special; it’s the parent’s love and dedication that makes all the difference.

Doing what I’m doing today, I can say my life have been enriched by this group of people. In the short one year, I’ve learnt so much and experience so much. And I am no longer afraid of crying babies! hehehe….

So what’s my success?......Like what I’ve told the dear person, my success is not in owning the big bungalow or driving a big car. I may not even earn the millions or wear the branded clothes. My success is knowing that the child has learnt and the parents being thankful that somebody cared to teach.

My success? I know I had not wasted my time.