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Another side of SG.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
10:58:00 AM . posted by noshidoshi
10:58:00 AM . posted by noshidoshi
Last night my husband was supposed to have his weekly guys-only ngaji session, but since all the other guys couldn't make it, the Habib asked if my husband would like to help him instead do a delivery. A washing-machine, to a needy family.
So my husband said ok, and they went after maghrib, together with Habib's father.
By the time my Husband reached home, both kids were asleep and I was doing laundry. He made a cup of coffee, and sat down in the kitchen, talking to me while I sorted out the clothes.
He was slightly in shock and in awe.
He was silent at first, staring into space, and I know that when he's in that mood, you have to tread lightly and ask simple questions before he starts unloading, coz he's ... you know, deep in thought. Hah!
I asked him where did the needy family stay at. He mentioned the area, and described the place, and he said to me, "you know how you always say this place or that place is so ghetto? The place I went to just now was the ghetto-est of ghetto. There were all these heavily tattooed guys under the blocks, one group here, one group there. Young couples walking and smoking while carrying babies and small kids running around them. Some of the groups / gangs also had small kids with them."
"Mummy, even those yg muka mcm slenger-slenger, or innocent gitu ada tattoo sampai kat tangan and stared at me."
"I just walked looking down. I was scared they were gonna say you can't make deliveries to MY territory." (I had to laugh at this ah, a bit drama kan!)
"When I was at the place, the neighbour came out, really young! But so heavily tattooed... and he was drinking. Pakai seluar pendek je keluar rumah. Dia stare kat I, then dia look away. I was quite nervous ah."
He described the flat, and then said that his Habib told him at least the house they went to was a bit neat. There are those who are more pitiful, or single parents with more kids.
The one he visited yesterday was a single mom with 6 kids, eldest was 12 years old. It was a one room, one hall sort of flat.
He asked his Habib to bring him again when he is doing deliveries, and also he wanna ask around if anyone has anything that they wanna give away, or donate, you can do so by contacting us, and then he will ask his Habib on how to go about doing it. These are the people who fell through the cracks, and just couldn't get their way up at all and so they just perhaps either stay there or get worse.
I'll be honest with you, I cannot stand people who are in gangs and such. I also cannot stand jailbirds who are fathers, because hello you wanna have a kid but you still don't want to change yourself, how like that?? (And yes I know I shouldn't judge, but ... urgh geram, you!)
So when I help single-parent families (whose breadwinner is in jail) it is because of the kids. Only because of the kids.
I'll be honest with you, I cannot stand people who are in gangs and such. I also cannot stand jailbirds who are fathers, because hello you wanna have a kid but you still don't want to change yourself, how like that?? (And yes I know I shouldn't judge, but ... urgh geram, you!)
So when I help single-parent families (whose breadwinner is in jail) it is because of the kids. Only because of the kids.
He was really in disbelief that there really are people and families like this in SG. So am I, honestly. We are too sheltered. I mean, yes you see these kinda stuff sometimes on TV shows, but hearing it (or in his case, seeing it) live is more real kan?
My ustazah ngaji always shares with me about one family in the east side - husband just passed away, wife is sick and in wheelchair and therefore not working, 4 kids, youngest is 7 years old I think. All the kids in madrasah.
When someone gives them food, she will pack it in 5 packages, and keep them in the freezer for the next 5 days (a package a day, for a family of 5!!) The mom needs medical treatment but she cannot afford at all, so she just endure the pain.
When someone gives them food, she will pack it in 5 packages, and keep them in the freezer for the next 5 days (a package a day, for a family of 5!!) The mom needs medical treatment but she cannot afford at all, so she just endure the pain.
She said this is a family that needs a lot of help. You can of course give your zakat money thru masjids and all, or give makan to orphanages, but there are also families like this that lives like this from day to day because they don't know when their next meal is coming.
I'm not sure if they are getting any help from any organisations, but even if they are, I doubt it is enough?
I'm not sure if they are getting any help from any organisations, but even if they are, I doubt it is enough?
Stories like this break my heart. I feel so sad, and I feel so helpless, but I feel like I can do more. I know not many read my blog, but Insha Allah I can do something, a small outreach or whatever, especially when I am no longer working, I wanna try find some way to help them out.
One thing that was really beautiful last night - my husband told me about Habib's father last night. He's maybe in his 60s, and very thin and sprightly, and he has a thick black book full of addresses of families in SG that needs help.
So yesterday during the whole journey, he was on the phone calling up people who owes him money. Not to ask for his money back, but to ask them if they need more money to help their families, and if they are ok and such. SubhanAllah! I was SO in awe, and I was thinking that is behaviour that we really should emulate.
So yesterday during the whole journey, he was on the phone calling up people who owes him money. Not to ask for his money back, but to ask them if they need more money to help their families, and if they are ok and such. SubhanAllah! I was SO in awe, and I was thinking that is behaviour that we really should emulate.
(slight digression - emulate is such a cute word. An emu that is late! Hahah!)
There must be more ways in which we can help, but for now, I ask that anyone who has stuff to donate (be it money, clothes, furniture, food), you can contact me thru email or my hp no (if you have it) and we'll go about the whole process. Insha Allah it will be beneficial and very helpful to the needy families.
Thank you in advance!
Thank you in advance!