Happy Home Project

9 September 2012

 

 

Chiew Ean:

家家乐（Happy Home) 这计划是帮助在那些行动不方便，家境有困难的社群，打扫和整理他们的住家，以便他们能在舒适的环境里生活。如计划名稱一样，我们希望那些接受我们帮助的家庭，能拥有一个快乐的家。

 

就在短短几个星期的筹备里，我们在八月里正式开始了＂家家乐＂（Happy Home)的第一个计划。这是一个与义顺东民众俱乐部的乐龄团体携手合作的计划。参与这项计划的有十几位乐龄人士，包括几位来自宣扬家庭的教友。整个计划里，我们打扫，粉刷厨房，客厅和主人房，更换了一些家具及电器，如：洗衣机，客厅吊扇，无线电话，沙发，电视柜，咖啡桌，主人房的床，床垫，枕头，床笠等等。我们甚至把现有的餐椅重新洗刷及更换坐垫套，就像新的一样。 感谢主，宣扬家庭在这个计划里承担了所有的费用。同时我们在最后一天里筹备了一个＂走廊派对＂皆＂为主人庆祝生日＂。我们邀请了她的邻居，朋友与亲戚一起与我们庆祝。我们是希望借着生日庆祝能够为她增添一些喜乐。同时也借此机会向她的邻居表谢意以及让邻居能保持与她的联络。

 

这一住户是在义顺，主人是一名坐在轮椅的年长妇女。由于糖尿病导致他的左脚细菌感染，左脚被迫截断。也因长期坐在轮椅，其他的病症也接二连三的来。她的心脏血管阻塞，肾脏开始衰弱，尿道感染。也因为她行动不方便，再加上她住的那一层楼，电梯工程还没有完成，所以她毎天的生活起居也成了很大的问题。感谢主，人间充满温情。她的邻居都非常的热心，每天都会确定她的三餐有人照理，而且每天都会去探访她，以确定她一切都很好。

 

加拉太书6：9-10
我们行善，不可丧志。若不灰心，到了时候，就要收成。所以有了机会，就当向众人行善。向信徒一家的人更当这样。

 

当我们在帮助人时，我们就是＂给＂。那就是一种舍，舍自己的某些东西，如时间、精力、爱心、财物等。而这些舍，同样会使我们得 － 得到是心灵的快乐，心里的安慰，尤其看到她的面上的笑容。有这么一句话＂"赠人玫瑰，手留余香。"这是说，当我们在给予别人的同时，自己也会有收获。说得多么好，因我们每个人都不是独立地存在这个世界上，每个人都会遇到困难，遇到自己解决不了的问题。这个时候，我们就需要向别人求助。如果我们能得到别人的帮助，那么我们就会心存感激。身为伸出援手的，同时也有心灵的回报。同时身为基督跟随者的我们，更应该要乐意的付出，因这是上帝的教导。

 

主人因长期需要別人的帮助，加上身体的状况一天比一天差，她的心情也随着身体状况一样，一天比一天更加的愁感。与她接触的前两天，几乎都没见过她的笑容，直到我们更加一歩与她交流，鼓励她，慢慢地，她终于露出那失去很久的笑容。尤其是在计划的最后一天，她的心情好得不得了。我们不只看到她的笑容，同时还听到她的笑声。当我们看到，听到她的笑容与笑声，我们全部的参与者都跟着开心起来了，因那是我们所要看到的回报。

 

我深知她当天的笑容，笑声是短暂的，因接下来的日子，她还是要接受无数的治疗。我们人所做到的就那么一点，我们所做的就是那么表面的，在物质上鼓励她，帮助她的生活起居，但我们无法减轻她的病痛。她需要勇敢的去面对，倚靠神的带领。她不能单靠自己，不然那将会很辛苦。她需要完全的倚靠神，神必定会带领她度过这艰难的路程。神同时也会赐她喜乐的灵来帮她度过在世所剩下的日子。就如诗篇所记载：

诗篇28：7
耶和华是我的力量，是我的盾牌。我心里倚靠他，就得帮助。所以我心中欢乐。我必用诗歌颂赞他

在此我要谢谢所有参与者，尤其是义顺东民众俱乐部的乐龄团体，他们没有因为他们的年龄而找籍口不参与，但反而更积极，那么的热心及愿意。

 

参与了这一个计划，短短的几个星期里，心中有了很多感触。最大的感触是"与神的同行是多么的宝贵"。每当我们遇到困难时，不论是健康，家庭或经济等等 ，我们若用最简单的信心，最诚实、最坦白的态度，来到神面前求神的帮助，我们就会看见，神是永不失信的，因他总要恩待我们，时时刻刻的与我们同在。虽然整个计划用的时间不长，在短短的几个星期就完成， 但是所留下的是我与主人的友情。我们的友情才开始，我们将会互相鼓励，互相勉励，一起学习及完成主所要在我们生命里所要成就的旨意，一起走这一段新的旅程。

 

以下是一些参与者的感言：

Tommi :

当我受邀参与这个活动，我就义不容辞的加入。我不只兴奋也很期待，因这是我第一次參与这样的活动。我心里知道这是一个非常有义意的活动，觉得自己有能力帮助別人，就应该去做。同时我也要感谢主赐予我在维修这一方面的恩赐，让我能在这一方面祝福与人。当计划完成后，之前与之后变得完全不一样，心里充满了满足感。见到主人舒畅的笑容，心里有说不出的快乐，因她的表情也有很大的不同，之前是充满着忧愁，如今她以笑容來跟我们打招呼。

 

帮助別人的同时，我自己也在收获快乐。因为在助人的同时，自己精神上得到了充实，内心得到了满足，幸福感也大有提升。不要找借口，我知道我们每人都可以为社会尽一份力，只要你愿意。开始行动吧！ 我告诉自己，我还要继续帮助更多有需要的人。

 

Ken Ng :

忙碌的生活，常常让我们忽略身旁的人。。。很荣幸的可以参与这个活动，虽然我们所做的并不多，至少，我们做了我们可以做的，哪怕是一点点。学习放慢脚步，看看周围，学习生活上不同的功课，学习打开心中的眼目，去以不同的角度，探索別人的故事，来寻找自己的根源。原来自己常常为了一些小事而钻牛角尖，抱怨。。。但看到她生命转折，相比之下，我们是多么卑微的，看见自己属灵的缺乏。。。也开始学习打开狭窄的心胸，去接受，去体谅。原来我才是那个受福的。
千里始于足下，一砖一瓦，一点一滴，塡补的是心灵的建造。

 

Ching Foon :

When Chiew Ean first told me about this house cleaning project, I was a bit apprehensive. I was not sure what to expect. I knew this was not going to be easy and will probably involve lots of manual work. I imagined the worst case scenario - a house full of algae, stains on the floor with lots of rubbish, cockroaches, ants, lizards and pests all over... etc

 

When I arrived at the home, thankfully things were not what I had imagined it to be. However the owner who had her left leg amputated was sitting on a wheel chair and she wore a facial expression of hopelessness, loss and discouragement. I overheard her telling her family members,"the doctor should have given me a lethal jab to end my life and suffering... why allow me to live and suffer?" Through the project, we got to learn that there were family and other various issues. She had had no way of going downstairs on her own as the lift does not serve the level that she is on. She had to rely on someone else to carry her downstairs to the nearest lift level. She used to be joyful but she had lost all hope, joy and purpose of living since the amputation. She needed a hope to cling on, a hope that would encourage and spur her to move on with life, a hope that would bring her joy and purpose to live. Without hope, although she is alive, she rather be dead. I was reminded again of what God spoke to me on 1st July 2008, Tuesday morning, to me "hear the cry of the wilderness. There are many desperate people crying and struggling out there without hope, future and is in need. Let the people of the wilderness know there is a God that loves and is concerned about them and is able to help them."

 

Although we are a small team and what we can do is limited, but as we avail ourselves to be God's vessel and be his extension to the community, we not only bring God's love and hope to them, but it also challenges our faith to rely on God.

 

On our first visit together with the team from Nee Soon East CCC, we painted the living room, cleaned the kitchen and other parts of the house. Subsequent visits were focused on clearing, moving in the new furniture and discarding the old. During our last visit, the owner's countenance was lifted up especially when all the furnitures came in.  Although it has been tiring as I am no longer young, this project had been very purposeful. Let us continue to keep the owner in prayer.

Casey:

It was great to see the community coming together in helping those who are in need! Among those who helped in the project were non-Singaporeans. They came not wanting any attention but with a clear objective to make the home a little more comfortable and pleasant for the home dweller. This is what community is all about. Just like Mdm Lay, there are also many families who are facing the same challenges at home in Yishun alone. We can't help all but we can help one. Helping one family may look like a drop of water in the ocean, but it still adds to the volume. It's worth all the time and effort just to see the priceless joy and smiles radiated on Mdm Lay's face at the completion of the project! I echo what the rest said, "Her joy is indeed our reward!"