This service learning experience has been truly enlightening and refreshing for me. The numerous visits have awoken in me a never before felt energy for helping those in need in the world. As the experience has certainly revealed, the Service Learning project emphasises on personal growth, rendering willing aid to the needy, while enjoying the experience at the same time. While helping the elderly in Zion Home For The Aged, I have encountered numerous wonderful elderly women, who, although may be rather silent at times, are truly grateful for our time, and show their gratitude by participating actively in the numerous activities that the class and our form teacher have organised for them. I was truly impressed by the way things are conducted in the home, with schedules and order in the home for the aged. In the experience, I have also learnt to be more open-minded and to appreciate the life that has been granted to us all. For it is a hard and cold fact that most of us take life for granted, believing that nothing would happen to us on a calamitous scale, and enjoying life nonchalantly without giving a thought for the needy.Many of us have never experienced the things that the elderly in Zion Home have experienced, and the hardships that they would have gone through. As global-minded citizens, we should always spare a willing thought for the needy, and consider the fact that no matter their standing, status, race, religion, etc., we are all equal and deserve equal opportunities to enjoy life and live a meaningful life. In order to do so, help must always be rendered all the time to those whom we see to be in need, and we should willingly take up opportunities to volunteer and make good use of the free time that we have. Life is not always about whiling our time away doing enjoyable yet pointless activities that are meant to entertain on a personal level. We must consider things on a more social level where we include others in our range of helpful views.
The best thing I have experienced is the crafting of origami cranes together with the elderly in Zion Home. I had never folded cranes as origami before. It was truly a challenge to learn the numerous steps to fold the cranes, and it took time, effort, patience and of course a little skill to even know how to fold the cranes before even teaching the elderly to fold the cranes themselves. When I finally managed to teach the elderly woman whom I was partnered to for the day how to craft the cranes (with the aid of other helpful classmates!), I felt a sense of achievement and gratification, for I knew that no matter how small, trivial or tiny the task, it would have given the elderly a more enjoyable time to learn some craftwork and ensure that they could retain their mental clarity in a meaningful and fun way.
Within the next few years, it is my goal to be able to volunteer on a regular basis at some orphanages or other societies in Singapore, for I believe that it will be extremely meaningful and would further expand my viewpoints and improve the attitude i have of life and the way I perceive the world. I have always kept an open mind of the world for the past 2 years, and will certainly continue to do so throughout my life in the my goal to achieve a more enjoyable, full and vibrant community and society for the needy and for the world citizens. When I do have the funds and time, I would expand my volunteerism to overseas nations in order to widen the circle of people whom I could render help to. It is only when we can help and aid those in need we see willingly and with a full heart to achieve world peace, then we would have achieved true humanity.
Assistance is rendered, not sought after.
