Home For Special People

弟弟，我告诉你，你就像是黑夜中的繁星

闪烁着，发光，发明

I went to a Special Kids home yesterday. I didn't know there's a home for special person near my housing area. In fact, it is located a Taman before reaching my residence area. I will never never know until I followed some of the auties and uncles (my mum's friends) to pay a visit.

I've never encounter special kids like them. This is my first time.

One of the kids welcomed me by holding my hand. She couldn't talk, and she used some gestures to tell me what she wants me to do. She pointed at the gate, and I got it. I helped her to close the gate, and she continued to pointed outside, but I never get what she meant anymore.

It has been a challenge for me to communicate with the kids with Down's syndrome, learning disabilities, spastic and maybe slightly hyperactive kids there.

There're around 30 kids there.
I didn't get to talk much with the person in charge, neither the children. Because I don't know how to starts. I looked around and observed the dynamic within the group.

Some of them are quite friendly. They hold people's hand, and they will try to express their thoughts to you.They hardly talk. They rely on hand gestures.

There's a little boy. I'm not sure about his case in details. But he can't talk, the person in charged said. When he smiles, my heart melts. He looks good, and cheerful.

I actually believe that he can learn, in term of speaking and simple knowledge. Maybe he didn't get to expose to the learning environment since young, that's why he doesn't know how to speak now. Person in charge there can't assure if he understands language as well.

He doesn't know how to chew the food. He just swallow when the food goes into his mouth, everytime.

I taught him how to pai pai shou (clap hand), and tried to sing kid song while clapping his hand and my hand. He smiles, keep smiling, cheerfully. Everytime he clapped, I gave him a positive regards and acknowledge his clapping actions. He smiles. He patted the chair beside to indicate that he wanted me to sit beside. He tried to pull the person beside him, but he has weak muscles and stopped by me. End up, he stood up, held my hand and walked around. He went closer to the aunties and uncles, who were talking around. I asked him to show aunties and uncles that he knows how to pai pai shou, and he gave a high 5 to them lightly. I'm proud of him.I believe he understands. His smile let me see the hope and strengths on him. =')

Seems like I can't help much. I hope I can have time and commit in the centre to teach the little boy. I believe he really can do it. I believe every kids can learn.

- I took a nap just now, I dreamt of him.-

He asked me to tell people everything about him, as in he's not doing well, may need assistance from people because he's not a fully functioning person. (Maybe I was trying to find a family or get him a job in the dream). He asked me to tell people honestly about him.

I hesitate and there're some worries on me to him.

Then I said, "Do you know that people may abandon and leave you if people know everything about you?"

He replied: "I think no. Not every can accept me. But people can accept me." —— he said this hardly.

What he meant was: I think no. Not everyone can accept me, but there will be people who can accept me as who I am.

- There're people who reject me and don't accept me; but there will be people who can accept me as who I am even if they knew how poor I am. - 

I hope they will meet a good ad kind hearted person, who can teach them for a long time. Build them up. They are special, just like everyone else.

Didi, Thank you for teaching me this lesson.

I hope, there's one day, when I'm ready and give you what I can.
You live in my heart, now.

Insight gained:

1. - 每次都说多么希望自己可以出国，不管是旅游、探索世界甚至是帮助他人；可是却不知道自己的国家也有这需要帮助的孩童等着援助

:: 如此靠近的需求，却想要走得如此遥远去体会

2. - 宁可花钱买东买西，花钱换娱乐和悠闲；却从未尝试不必花钱的欢乐和用心体会这国度

——很多人可以为很昂贵的物质享受付出；却从来不为免费的人事物付出——

-人-