Not All Of Us Are Lucky: A Helping Hand From SSVP Lundu Conference

We grumbled and complaint a lot. Yes, we the luckier ones are very charitable and generous when it comes to grumbling and complaining. We freely grumbled just because of some slight temporary discomfort or minor shortcomings. We complain when food served to us does not taste that good. We grumbled why our income is never enough even though we are adequately remunerated or compensated. We complain why it rains when we thought the sun should be shining. We grumbled about this, we complain about that, never ever satisfied with what we have.

For the unfortunate few, complaining and grumbling is a luxury. Not that they never did so, but to them, grumbling, complaining and self pity is seldom heard by us the more fortunate ones. As if by design, our ears are out of range to the pitch made by the blind, the deaf, the sick and the destitute. Our eyes are as if blindfolded to the sight of these fellow humankind. They are everywhere as we are, yet most of us do not care to even acknowledge that they are in our midst.

At least, however, there are a number of organizations and individuals that care for these fellow unfortunate souls. One of them is The Society of St Vincent De Paul or SSVP in short. SSVP is a worldwide charity organization under the auspices of the Catholic Church. SSVP Lundu Conference (branch) was established a couple of years ago whose main noble objective is to render assistance to the hardcore poor irrespective of skin colour and religious beliefs. SSVP Lundu Conference has been operating behind fanfare for the last couple of years in it's effort to bring some comfort to the unfortunate few within it's jurisdiction and capacity.

It was on the evening of December 12th, 2008, that SSVP Lundu Conference organised a gathering to host it's adoptees. The silent event was held at the Lundu Catholic Centre where some token were distributed apart from the monthly allowances that the adoptees were given. In all, there are about thirty individuals (mostly from whole families) who are now recipients of SSVP's helping hand.

Below are some memorable pictures of the simple yet humble activities that was held that evening.

This blind elderly woman pondering what lies ahead in her life.

These adoptees listening attentively to a brief speech by one of the SSVP member.

Mother pondering the future of his young son who is suffering from leukemia.

Daughter, mother and father standing attentively while being introduced to others attending the family gathering.

This adoptee lost lost her husband due to sickness.

Mother with a mentally retarded son. Mother's facial expression tells a lot about her sufferings.

Elderly blind mother (middle) with blind son and daughter-in-law (light green T-shirt)

Her face shows it all. Mother with three of her many young children. Her husband was killed by a huge falling tree while he was preparing his farm to plant padi.

This young gentleman is unstable upstairs.

Two blind relatives enjoying food served at the gathering.

A young gentleman suffering from leukemia (left) sitting next to a friend who is mentally retarded enjoying food together.

Enjoying their food. A moment of gesture of little smiles and temporary relief and ease.

A minder giving a helping hand to an elderly blind lady washing her hand.

Blind elderly woman with blind nephew (middle) and blind son (white shirt) in one row.

Some token for a young man suffering from leukemia (right).

Distributing packets of rice to the adoptees.

This cute young boy does not yet know the meaning of suffering.

Three young children posing with a lady. These children lost their father in a farming accident.

Being guided on their out of the hall by an SSVP member (red T-Shirt) on their way back home after the gathering.

Two minders holding the hands of an elderly blind woman out of the hall for home.

Freely We Receive Freely We Give. Come, Donate Our Blood!

They say donating blood is good. It sure is. It is free and most importantly, blood saves lives, including the lives of the rich and powerful. The worldly order of things is that the materially haves folks are the expected ones who should donate to the materially have-nots. In the case of blood donation, the reverse is almost every time true. Majority of the blood donors are the ordinary Sipolans on the streets be it terms ratio and percentage.

It is ironic that while majority of the blood donors are lay people, many amongst the rich and powerful folks are not quite keen to do the same. I remember some years back of a newspaper report from India where a pint of blood can fetch as high as more then ten thousand ringgit. Well, at least they buy, I mean those rich and powerful Indians. Ours? No, I am not quite sure of that. Anyway, I would have been richer by ten thousand ringgit if blood were for sale here in Malaysia.

I first ‘learned’ how to donate blood back in the year 2000. Then there was a long pause until this year. Last July, The Society of St Vincent De Paul (SSVP) and Lundu District Hospital organized a blood donation campaign. I was amongst the more than forty odd volunteers. We are not just volunteers, but happy and eager ones at that. A few days ago I did it again, this time may be as a sole donor of the day. I was accompanied by my three daughters and my nine year old son, who acts as the 'cameraboy'. Earlier on, I made a call to the hospital's pathology department and the answer was, "Anytime brother, be not afraid", was the answer of a polite lady at the other end of the line. So I did.

I need not have to make a ‘Surat Akuan Bersumpah’ or an oath of “Statutory Declaration ” that donating blood is good and beneficial to both donors and recipients, but here is my testimony. I have been suffering from severe head pain for the last few years. The pain can be so unbearable and can come at any time without ‘notice’ that there are times when I vomited severely and twice I lost consciousness. Call it migraine or whatever but doctors including specialists could not conclusively determine what the cause of the pain was. Thank God, all that is now gone.

Is it because as a result of my donating blood? I say a big yes. Yes, because I have not taken any prolonged prescribed medication; and yes, because I have not changed my food regime and habit. And yes, I believe in prayer too, lots of it. In fact I find prayer very important in all my undertakings.

For those who are healthy, why not try donate your blood too? It can be done after every three months. We always say; "Money we don't have, gold and diamond also we don't have, how to donate?". But I say, "We have blood, so blood we donate". And we don't just donate, we save lives by so doing.

Below are some pictures of some of us in action donating our blood. Please click on pictures to view larger images.

One for the album, please!

Mr David Bong, the friendly Laboratory Technologist checking the particulars of a newly registered donor. Behind is a nurse who came to assist.

This 'shy shy cat' student nurse readying and psyching herself up with a 'shy shy laugh'.

Another friendly Laboratory Technologist diligently trying to insert a cannula to the arm of another donor, a Health Inspector by profession.

"Hello mister photographer, can you take our picture, please?"

"Dear donors, I tell you that donating blood is good and noble and we salute you. But to be honest, we ourselves have not done that yet."

The hero of the day. This gentleman has donated not less than fifty pints of his blood over the years.

Plenty of time to tie a shoe lace while waiting for their turns. Faces of happy and willing blood donors.

"I just want to make sure that this blood is free from any contamination", says Mr Muiees to the nurse.

"I pray to God that this blood of mine will save the life of anyone who receives it."

Three student Laboratory Technologists posing with their mentor on the right.

A shot by my nine year old son of his two elder sisters waiting patiently for dear dad to complete the blood donation.

This frame, shot by my nine year old son. Another very amicable Laboratory Technologist, Mister Shabeli Yaya and me.

For anyone who wishes to donate their blood, please contact the nearest clinic or hospital. We will never know when we and our loves ones need blood transfusion.