dream house!

Love begins by taking care of the closest ones - the ones at home. ~ Mother Teresa

My dream house seems so fairy tale like. I remembered someone told me its impossible for me to fulfill this dream, such would not be possible in Singapore! But in other places, I'm sure one day I'd fulfill my dream. To lead a simple and peaceful life after my retirement. The thought of reading a book under a dreamy star filled sky, this feeling is... inexplicable.

Oh like in my previous post I woke up early in the morning today travelling all the way to Bras Basah to Kum Yan Methodist church. I guess it a missionary as well as providing welfare to one room flats rented from the government by old people. So After the briefing and stuff we set off in a mini bus and ended up in North Bridge Road where the government, houses these people.

oh and I just received a text that says I'd be ignored for one hour ): sigh. THIS SUCKS. ):

Looking around the place I'd say they are given quite a great condition and facilities! Heres what they got.

A beautiful garden with loads of exercising areas!

High rised apartment flat!

A canteen area by volunteers for food at practically no charge!

Gym facilities!

karaoke plus many many other activities room such as chess!

Omg their like so good right! Like living in condo sia everything is just located under their void deck! All they need is a swimming pool and its on par with a normal condo flat! Got chance I also want leh. Their rental only 100 dollar per month includes all utilities bill and somemore can ask volunteers from downstairs to clean their flats at no charge!

So yup, we broke up into small groups and went on with the main purpose, I was grouped with my grandma and another old lady. She was a rather friendly lady rather healthy too, even at the age of 75 she could walk unaided. The first unit was at the 9th floor, we went there to meet a granny which they had once visited before, although it was not the first time visiting old folks living in one room flats its the first time for me to actually step in and mingle in their home. I'd say everything is well provided and one room is ample for them, but there won't be extra space for anything more than a bed, a cupboard and a Tv rack. Something like our very own chalet in downtown east. But like the nature of old folks to keep stuffs, even unnecessary ones their house would likely be packed with tons of trash which they deem as valuable and as waste to throw them away. I took this mentality in when I was on my way up.

Upon knocking the door the group of three was greeted with a warm smile and she cordially invited us in to chat up further. We went in and the 3 old ladies started chatting about their life, seemly friends which had met long long time ago. Like a usual conversation, old people would usually take about 3 points.

• Their Past.
• Their Grandchildren/Children.
• Their Health.

They were speaking in Cantonese making it hard for me to join in, not that I don't understand Cantonese but phrasing chim sentences kills loads of my brain cells and it was still early in the morning. I'd rather sit back and listen. While the threesome continued, I peered around the house trying to see how limited space was. Without the divider that the old lady placed up I'd say the room is only like 250 sq ft? I could only give a light smile and nod in agreement when they mention and gave me eye contact.

But it's kind of pitiful for such old folks to live alone in such flats, having no one to take care of them. Some even at the age of 98 lives alone in this little room of theirs. Their physical needs are often answered by the volunteers but what about their other needs? Upon talking to them many of us could see that they are generally unhappy, unhappy about many many things, being lonely is one of the common issue. They had lived alone for so long with no family members, no kins, no friends, no one to confide into. Having to bear all their problems they face, they worries, no one could share their burden. ): If this happened to me I won't know what to do. Life would indeed suck, suck to the fullest. Let's just pray that it won't happen...

Did I mention that their house is filled with gadgets to prevent and observe their safety? Their house even had a movement detector to ensure their safety and any unusual activity would be reported directly to the control station below their block! They also had alarms and emergency bell which they could press and an ambulance would be directed to their aid immediately!

The duper loud siren outside each of their units.

All of these would not have been possible without these passionate volunteers from Peace Connect! http://www.pcnl.org/about_us.html

We then went back to the church and had a 'holy' debrief. It was kinda weird where The Lord is mentioned in every single like they speak. ._. Thereafter I brought my grandma to bugis street and ate Lerk Thai since shes mad over Thai food.