BMSM WELFARE SECTION: March 2012

Our last welfare programme for year 2011 was the visits two welfare homes, i.e. Pusat Jagaan Beribuan Kasih and Home for Special People, Cheras in Kajang on 26 December 2011. It was participated by 18 members and friends.

Our first stop was at Pusat Jagaan Beribuan Kasih, which is located at No. 3, Lot 1547, Belakang Taman Bangi, Jln Reko, 43000 Kajang. It was our second visit to the home for 2011. It has 22 children and 16 senior citizens. We found out that it has recently accepted three young Indian siblings whose father had passed away lately as their mother was unable to support them. We were also happy to learn that MAXIS had assisted them to raise RM10k to settle the balance of the purchase price for the current premise. They finally got a place to call their own.

Apart from groceries such as rice, cooking oil, milo, potatoes, onions, biscuits, etc, we also donated RM500 for their operating expenses.

Group photograph with the children

Some of the children in Pusat Jagaan Beribuan Kasih

Next we visited Home for Special People Cheras, which is located No. 35, Jln Rakan 11, Taman Rakan Cheras, 43000 Kajang. It was also our second visit for this Home for 2011. It has 14 children with various disabilities, such as down syndrome, asperger syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, spastic etc. We were surprised to find out that one of the girls is a normal kid. Her father, a Malaysian, had already passed away. Her mother, who is a Chinese citizen, was deported back to China as she had entered Malaysia illegally. The poor girl is rendered stateless due to her parent's marriage was not properly registered.

We donated some groceries and RM500 to the Home.

This year, our annual trip to Ipoh was scheduled on 19 - 20 November 2011. It's encouraging that we received full participation of 44 members (i.e. a full busload!!).

First and foremost, before reporting this trip, I would like to say a big sadhu to Ipoh Buddhist Dhamma Association, particularly Bro. Fong Chin Onn who helped us to plan our programme in Ipoh, book lunch and dinner from restaurants in Kampar and Ipoh, and led us to the welfare homes and two monasteries in Ipoh.

On 19/11/2011, our bus departed from Buddhist Maha Vihara at around 8:45am and we reached Vihara Buddha Gotama, Temoh at around 11:00am, which was on time for us to participate in the lunch dana offering to the Sangha.

Offering dana to Bhate Hye by Bro. Dennis

Offering dana to Bhante Hye by Bro. Lau

As we were going to have our lunch in Kampar, we partook some fruits and kuihs only.

Bhante Hye conducted a lively Q&A dhamma session after the lunch dana, which gave us a better understanding of the delicate aspect of the Buddha Dhamma. Many members took the opportunity to clear their doubts about dhamma so much so that extra time had to be allocated for asking the final question.

We bid farewell to Bhante Hye at around 12:45pm and proceed to Kampar for lunch. Our next stop was Batu Gajah Handicapped Children Welfare Home.

The Home has 40 inmates with various mental and physical disabilities. It is now more systematically organised. For the first time, we were issued receipt for the groceries we donated. We also donated RM1,000 to the home.

The administrator who joined the Home few months ago told me that she was very happy to work there. She said the "children" were nurtured with a spirit of helping each other. The physically abled children always help to carry (or push the wheelchair of) the disabled one whenever required. The children were quite happy to see us around, particularly this young lady and this young man (in the picture below) who sang along with Sis. Choo.

However, this boy was a bit shy to receive attention from so many uncles and aunties.

We took a group picture for memory before saying bye bye to all the children.

Our journey to Pusat Jagaan Yayasan Latihan Insan Istimewa (a handicapped children welfare home) in Pasir Putih was hampered by heavy rain. Certain part of the road leading to our destination was inundated and was inaccessible to light vehicles causing massive traffic jam. However, we were still able reach the welfare home as scheduled at around 4:15pm. The rain stopped when we reached there. How lucky were we!!!

The home takes care of 35 "children" with various physical and mental disabilities.

Sis. Sumitra distributed sweets and titbits to the children.

Sis. Sally's motherly touch was so soothing !

Bro. Koy cheered up the young boy on wheel chair.

We left the Home at around 5:00pm.

After dinner, we attended a fellowship gathering at the Ipoh Buddhist Dhamma Association Centre in Canning Garden until 10:00pm.

Welcoming speech by the IBDA's President, Bro. Kiang.

A happy moment.

Performance by Bro. Pheng, Sis. Khoo (from Ipoh Buddhist Dhamma Association), Sis. Thum & Sis. Lily Cheah.

The next morning, we visited the Jelapang Old Folk Home and Loyal Handicapped Children Welfare Home in Silibin.

The Jelapang Old Folk Home has about 50 old folks. It was conferred with the "Excellent Organisation Award" by the Registrar of Society in 2008. We donated RM1,000 to the Home and also distributed angpows to the old folks.

Bro. Dr. Koh and Sis. Lily Cheah distributed angpows to the old folks at Jalapang Old Folk Home

This uncle (above) is the best singer in Jelapang Old Folk Home.

Sis. Lily Cheah (left) and Bro. Pheng (right) rendered a song to entertain the old folks

The Loyal Handicapped Children Welfare Home is located at No. 17, Lorong Silibin, 30100 Ipoh. It was was established in 1999 and has about 39 "children" of various severe disabilities. We donated RM1,000 and some groceries to the home.

Group photograph with the children at Loyal Handicapped Children Welfare Home. The man in in purple batik shirt is the founder and care taker of this home.

Next we visited two monasteries, Dhammapiti Meditation Monastery in Gunung Lang and Sukhavana Meditation Monastery in Bercham.