Years back.
Ever since as a little child, I ask myself why these old people living, seating along the streets, along the road, under the bridge, within the chinese temples' compound begging for money. In their old clothes, with or without shoes, dirty, smelly, sick, handicapped, uncombed hair made me wonder at the age of 8.
WHY? I ask myself again and again ......
It all started when my parent brought me to pray in the Penang Island, Kek Lok Si Temple during the Chinese New Year. My grandma hold my hands as she was afraid of losing me again.
That was a prosperous year for me as I received many angpows.
All the angpows I received, I opened one by one and I started to give out portion by portion of the angpows to these old people as I climbed the steps. Angpow is a small little envelope size which contains money given to children or singles who are not married during the Chinese New Year festival.
My grandma and my mom asked why aren't you going to keep some in the piggy bank or buy something with the angpow money. I gladly said yes. But my heart said I will give some to these old people who has no food and money too. Guess what? At the end, I gave all to these people. I realised by the time I wanted my ice cream, I had no more money to buy an ice cream from the ice cream man.
I ran towards my dad and asked for money as I still wanted to have the ice-cream. He scolded for not listening but he gave me some money to the ice-cream for me, my brother and grandma.
"You got to study well" he said. Papa and mama are not rich. I nodded and ran off to get my ice-cream.
"You got to study well" he said. Papa and mama are not rich. I nodded and ran off to get my ice-cream.
By the time my family and I had prayed, taken photos and enjoyed the view at the top of the temples. We walk down the steps again. This time, I see many people were walking up the steps. My heart felt at ease when I see these tourist gave some money to these old people too.
Up until a few years back, I still wonder WHY these old folks stayed along the streets and beg.
Time passes.
As life goes on, as I was in search for meaning of life in peace. One day, I met a new friend who brought me to this place called Kechara House because of our similarity of beliefs and principles of being a human being.
A new friend whom I met during our Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia's Conference. Can't belief it. Within the very short frame of time during our first meet, we talk, we share numerous common belief - doing good in life & karma. We heard what all our High Monks from all over the
world's sharing. A very good sharing connecting to our mindset on spiritual, soul, beliefs, karma, knowledge, compassion, intellectual, wisdom and practices. I am very lucky to have receive this special admission ticket which was paid by another friend who are dear and close to me like a sister.
world's sharing. A very good sharing connecting to our mindset on spiritual, soul, beliefs, karma, knowledge, compassion, intellectual, wisdom and practices. I am very lucky to have receive this special admission ticket which was paid by another friend who are dear and close to me like a sister.
Being new, I was curious, I am amazed, I am in search of my belief and principles, I am shy, I am afraid of getting myself into the wrong friendship, I was afraid of people yet I love sharing as I want to learn and to know more, feel inferior, I am at no peace, I am hurt, I am not perfect, I was trying to get out of my negativeness.....so forth. I tend to control my likes, dislikes and kept myself weary of what i am getting into then.
This place was very new to me though what I thought I have in my mind as I have visited many wonderful places on earth before I came back to Malaysia.
I like to take time for unsolved mysteries. I found this place peaceful, beautiful, and my first time to hear a good concise clear knowledgeable teaching from HE Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. I am new. Yet to learn. Yet to understand the culture. Yet to belief. Yet to accept. There are many questions in my head. Trying times. Similarities ~ Karma, mala, blessings, Wheel of Nirvana, care, love, kindness, compassion, wisdom, doing good, seek refuge, sharing, repentance, flowers,
candles, water, offerings, teachings and explanation in English Language, my new friend, found another friend, and so forth. I like coming back to Kechara House and on occasional basis as I reveal to my friends. I have been to a few other Buddhist Centers some similar like this too. Teachings were in English Language.
candles, water, offerings, teachings and explanation in English Language, my new friend, found another friend, and so forth. I like coming back to Kechara House and on occasional basis as I reveal to my friends. I have been to a few other Buddhist Centers some similar like this too. Teachings were in English Language.
"Anger causes pain and suffering" as one English Rinpoche continued his teaching in one of the Buddhist Centers I have been. Having to give away all his years of studies (PhD) in the Universities. I am glad to receive his teaching and thank you. Without his teaching then, I would have not realized and would not have grown to the next stage. Before meeting my new friend and coming to Kechara House. I still visit and learn from other Buddhist temples occasionally. At times, a reminder teaching comes along while I wait, while I browse through free Buddhist books, postcards and so forth. Buddhism teaching comes in many forms for me.
Some temples are poor and lack of fund as not many devotees who visit the temples can afford to contribute for the upkeep of the place. Yet I can find sincerity in them. I shall continue to visit, to pray and to contribute within my means and my time.
Each time, I come near to Buddhism, it helped me to rekindle myself through the teachings. I shall not be trapped, I shall move forward, I reminds me what I have carry out along the days, months, years...... What I have done?? What did I practice, What I can do, has it cause harm, has it help ..... each of us are made differently. Each of us have our own specialty. If I forget.... How may I go about it to be healed. How? How can I come back to the right track, if my life have not reach the fullest as I can create happiness? A choice of must I, may I, will I, should I, do I, I want too... It touches my heart at times when I hear, I listen, I feel....
I smiled.
So after a numbers of activities along the years gone by. I found Kechara Soup Kitchen. May be my new friend have told me before. But it wasn't a promotion for her to me. She wants me to grow.
My thoughts.
I came to Kechara Soup Kitchen wanting to meet her at the beginning. Wasn't for volunteering. I know nothing about Kechara Soup Kitchen then. She did mentioned whether I am comfortable to meet some where else if I mine. What? Soup Kitchen or Kitchen Soup. I asked myself. What is Soup Kitchen all about? Am I supposed to cook? Alright. I don't mine.
I don't surf the internet that often in Kechara House nor for Soup Kitchen. Only know Kechara had a few departments. Was pretty occupied with work, family matters and own personal life then.
It was a little confusing for me to find Kechara Soup Kitchen. Where else is confusing. I am always lost in looking for unfamiliar places.
Finally found Kechara Soup Kitchen. My new friend explain to me and ask me whether I would mind or want to help out. I said why not. I will.
So here is how I learned and found about Kechara Soup Kitchen. On my first day, I find the place clean. Well it wasn't the Soup Kitchen or Kitchen Soup that I imagine at the back of my head then. In my head then was a cooking place with many types of vegetables, bean curd, mushrooms and other types of food to prepare for cooking. I was proven wrong.
Upon arrival in Kechara Soup Kitchen. I was briefed by Justin Cheah. A young handsome looking man. Very professional. Here I learned more about the activities through his presentation. My mind was clear on what was the cause of Kechara Soup Kitchen.
I started to help to pack the food and beverages. I followed my new friend ~ Karen Leu. I saw many poor people. Homeless. In hunger. Sick.
Remember the questions I had at the back of my head when I was younger.
WHY?
Decision made. I feel happy to volunteer. It was like great being able to help though I too need to help myself and family. I came whenever I can.
How we can help in many forms. Here, working as one, knows no religion, knows no race, knows no cultural or background, making our pathways to help.
I began to learn more about the WHY???
Realizing the lifestyle of these poor, helpless, people in hunger, in pain, in loneliness, no one to share their internal thoughts or no one to listen to them, a few weekend by pressure of their personal life of not knowing how to solve or caught in the waves of pressure, a few mentally distorted, out in the cold nights, people who has no place to go back to their previous selves, not to mention to go back into their life before and people who are sick, no income or income which are so minimal which do not suffice them to even have a shelter, old and young who live along the street, among the back lanes, under the bridge, using paper box card board as their space divider or as their bed, in between of stalls or containers, beside our Klang River, or any place where they can take a shelter from the rain or sun and so forth. Many with many reasons and each has their own reasons. Some how, they are clustered as homeless people. How sad. Sad to see and sad to know. There must be a reason.
So many Why?
Why can't they have a better life than these. Why?
How these can occur until such stage? Is it healthy? Is it because of themselves only? Is it part of my problem? Do these effect me or my generations? If yes, in what way? If help has been given, in what way it is not enough? Why? How can these be improve? In what way? Will these effect the growth of such, will become worse or better in future? Will these happen to me or any of my love ones or people I may know? Or is it a community problem only, or a group problem only, or a nations' matter? Do we only have it here or also in many other parts of the world? I scratch my head. I am not any better nor any smarter. BUT full of the WHY in my mind.
Understanding WHY?
WHY?
Decision made. I feel happy to volunteer. It was like great being able to help though I too need to help myself and family. I came whenever I can.
How we can help in many forms. Here, working as one, knows no religion, knows no race, knows no cultural or background, making our pathways to help.
I began to learn more about the WHY???
Realizing the lifestyle of these poor, helpless, people in hunger, in pain, in loneliness, no one to share their internal thoughts or no one to listen to them, a few weekend by pressure of their personal life of not knowing how to solve or caught in the waves of pressure, a few mentally distorted, out in the cold nights, people who has no place to go back to their previous selves, not to mention to go back into their life before and people who are sick, no income or income which are so minimal which do not suffice them to even have a shelter, old and young who live along the street, among the back lanes, under the bridge, using paper box card board as their space divider or as their bed, in between of stalls or containers, beside our Klang River, or any place where they can take a shelter from the rain or sun and so forth. Many with many reasons and each has their own reasons. Some how, they are clustered as homeless people. How sad. Sad to see and sad to know. There must be a reason.
So many Why?
Why can't they have a better life than these. Why?
How these can occur until such stage? Is it healthy? Is it because of themselves only? Is it part of my problem? Do these effect me or my generations? If yes, in what way? If help has been given, in what way it is not enough? Why? How can these be improve? In what way? Will these effect the growth of such, will become worse or better in future? Will these happen to me or any of my love ones or people I may know? Or is it a community problem only, or a group problem only, or a nations' matter? Do we only have it here or also in many other parts of the world? I scratch my head. I am not any better nor any smarter. BUT full of the WHY in my mind.
Understanding WHY?
A family income range RM3,000 per month below is considered poor. Middle income family has been categorized earning between the range of RM5,000 to RM10,000 per month.
Living in the heart of Klang Valley, the individual standard living rated poor as per individual income earned. Range from about RM1,500.00 and below per month until age 60.
Living in the heart of Klang Valley, the individual standard living rated poor as per individual income earned. Range from about RM1,500.00 and below per month until age 60.
Even if earning is slightly better. Are we equipped to not land any of ourselves in such situation after age 60.
If in each family has both working parent, example earning income of RM6,000.00 per family of four. Father, mother and two children. (Calculation from 4 persons x RM1,500.00 per month
income) Will they be equipped to have long term survival. If yes until which age? If either parent work as government servant will these father and mother be able to survive after age 60 without the support of their children.
However if neither parent work as a government servant, will these father and mother be able to survive after age of 60 or younger. For how long? Will the non government servant survive any better than the government servant? Are they able to take care of their parents, like the previous generation. Will I be able too? I ask myself if I fall within these bracket. Tough.
Will the next generation able to support their parent in time to come? With gesture of thoughts, will we be good parent? Another think tank thought for actions to work at.
Everyone is chasing after survival for family's wealth of health and happiness in peace. Looking at the forever growth of standard of living. Middle Income earners and below have to continue and to strive harder to make sure by the time they reach age 60 and above. Will we be able to continue survival. Not to live life as homeless and in hunger. Well rounded social healthiness is vital for all of us. In order for our country to grow, for our generation to grow well further.
Glad with our lastest Budget 2012, our government who came up with this up coming sole proprietors insurance scheme as part of the many effort which has been look into. At least small traders have something to look into when they are older after age 60. Maybe not much if they start this special saving from now especially if they are now at middle age onwards but better than none. At least volunteers like me will not see the growth of the homeless and the hunger along the street with hope in future. I wonder how I will be by then. After age 60, medical bills versus no income plus other added basic expenses. Happy to have improvement with 1Malaysia Clinics, government clinics and government hospitals. Appreciates and thankful for having wonderful government care.
If were to compare with many other country in other cities, we are still fine. Still depend on good samaritans to keep pouring in their assistance with care, love, time, aids and so forth. We don't see every few feets away, a few homeless and hunger begging for money or food through out.
However we still have a number to shoulder on. Hoping the number will reduce to none. Will this be possible. Is it just a dream. A lot of hard work from top until to the door step of these poor people along the years.
So in order to continue to diminish poverty in all human kind, we got to work harder and smarter. Got to change to be better with better attitude, better character, with fair and better strategic achievement to reach as good vision mission. Many people from all groups are doing what they can and wanting to be fair to all human kind.
Poverty knows no colour, no gender, no race, no religion, no politics. Every human kind need to survive. Grow to be better. We shall move ahead as ONE to help.
Many other life in other country, is facing very tough situation now especially at this point of time. Extend compassion too.
A song which will never be forgotten, sang by our late Michael Jackson was meaningful and touch the hearts of many people in the world. "We are the world, we are the children.... so let's start giving..." will always remain dear to me.
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