Why I became a volunteer / famine advocate

Let me start by telling you WHY NOT.

It's NOT because:

• I have more time than you (same like you, I have 24 hours)
• I need less sleep (8 hours is my standard)
• I don't have a job (or in your case, a demanding job. But do not ask me about my previous jobs because it's too complicated)
• I don't have loved ones that I spent time with (I will drag them all to the 30-hour famine whether they like it or not, that's how we spent time together)
• I don't have chores (I need to wash the toilet, laundry, bath the cat, kill the mosquitos, and other daughter, sister, daughter-in-law,  and wifely duties)
• I don't have any friends (I have, though I only have a handful of good friends. But but I have made so many friends after being a Famine Advocate/volunteer)
• I don't have children (Yes, I don't but we have 3 sponsored child, I wrote and send gifts to them every year and their sponsorship costs us RM65/mo x 3. My mom who is retired share the sponsorship too. Though I know RM65/month is probably how much you spent in Anmum and Nestum and I dunno what..)
• I have more money than you (I don't, you are richer, wanna compare bank account and salary slip?)
• I have a rich mom, husband, secret lovers, granny left a lot of $$ for me (Well, let just say that we are in the medium income family and my granny left me a Singer brand sewing machine)
• I don't have liability (I have a car, a house, a brother, a few unidentified samans, car repairs, I need to drink Starbucks and buy Vincci shoes, sometimes Gucci, etc etc)
• I don't have stress (I do, and I am the most bipolar person that you know. Do not try to pull my plug ok?)
• I strike the lottery? (I wish so!)

So why the heck that I can find time to volunteer? Maybe it's passion and making the effort? :) Or maybe life is short and if I am not going to do it now, when the heck am I going to do it? Definately not going to wait till when my legs are wobbly, my face is wrinkly, and bladder is losey and I am cranky)

An awe-inspiring workshop

As a Famine Advocate, I was glad to have the opportunity to attend two Camp Leaders Workshops to share my experience with World Vision.

 I was a lot of nervous that I looked. :P

At my first workshop at HELP CAT university, I arrived at 8.30am and there were already some camp leaders and committee members who had arrived earlier even though the workshop was scheduled to start at 10am!  All the volunteers and World Vision staff were already busy with their given tasks and I can feel the excitement in the building.

As I chatted with them, I got to know that some of them actually came from hundred miles away to attend the workshop. A big shout out to them!! It was really a feat to come so far especially when the workshop starts so early.

During the workshop, I was awed by the spirit of about 400 attendees comprising camp leaders, committee members and volunteers. Despite the long hours from 10am to 6pm, everyone was so upbeat and sporting throughout.

The fun-loving camp leaders

All the camp leaders and volunteers

My favourite moment was when the groups were competing against each other to attract people to join their respective camps. It was really hilarious as there were so many creative and outrageous proposals and the groups were very competitive.

I was also glad that I got to know some very nice people during the workshop. There was our dear photographer, Kit, who had volunteered for the workshops on both days. For the 2nd workshop, he actually traveled all the way from Singapore and arrived at the venue at 4.30AM! 

And most of the photos here at taken by him!

I also met another volunteer, Jennifer, who was an ex-Camp Leader and she has been involved with 30-Hour Famine for 5 years. They are only some of the amazing individuals that I met during the workshop, not to mention the all the other awesome camp leaders and committee members. Meeting all these inspiring people was really what kept me going.

With the awesome volunteers. Jennifer is the one at the far right

As this was my first time sharing with such a big crowd, I was actually very nervous throughout the day even though my session was scheduled at 3.30pm.  What if my message wasn’t impactful enough? What if I miss out important points? What if I couldn’t hold my tears back?

 My sharing

I was only given a short 5 minutes for sharing during the workshop, though in fact, all the advocates have prepared for this for so long.  We had attended a public speaking course and came up with so many speeches. We also revised them many times and rehearsed together so that we can improvise based on the feedback.

If you were to ask me why bother to do what we do as a famine advocates, my answer would be really simple.  It’s difficult to not put in all your effort in the job when the less fortunate ones are people that you personally know. Poverty is generally sad but it only hit me hard when I met the poor children and families in India. To me, they are not just people plagued by poverty, but they are also sweet-natured, loving parents, and parents who weep when they see their children suffering.

Their children are just like you and I who want to become teachers, footballers and doctors and when they grow up. But will they be able to grow up and go to school like us?

Little Samiran, a very cute boy that I meet during my trip in India.

Samiran almost die a year ago when he suffered from chronic tonsillitis for 20 months and left untreated. :( 

But luckily, he was taken to the hospital for immediate surgery when World Vision came to his village.

As a Buddhist, I believe in giving back to the society. It’s just the law of nature and fortune. With all the good fortune and blessings that we have received, why not give out some of it to the really needy ones?

Please check out my other write-ups about fighting poverty at World Vision Malaysia 30-Hour Famine Facebook page! Click here!

Me and the panda

When I was a child, I remember seeing a big panda donation box for WWF in the supermarket that I used to go.  When I was taking my PMR, I was so desperate to score that I made a secret wish to donate RM100 to the panda if I could get a full distinction. My daily pocket money was RM1.50 during that time. I have even thought of a strategy to do this, which is donating small amount of money everytime I go till it hit my targeted amount.

And surprisingly, I did get straight A’s!!!!! and I wasn’t even a very bright student. Power of the panda??!! I started to drop in 50 cents to the panda box whenever I go to the supermarket. Then sometimes, after pacing back and forth in front of the panda, and requiring a lot of courage, I would drop in RM2 while gasping for air. Due to my kiamsiap-ness, I have stopped donating after a year and I think my donation didn’t reach RM30. Sorry panda, I was 16. 

That was my first experience in donating money to the charity. Fast forward many years later, I still do donate money as I feel that with all the blessings that I have, I should contribute back to the society even I could only afford peanut money. I became a child sponsor. As my kiamsiap-ness has not changed a lot since I was 16, sometimes I still pull a handbrake or I would replace donation with volunteering.

As I have now seen children who are sick, weak and are tormented by poverty, I’ve vowed to continue donating as long as I have a roof on my head and food on my table.

And if I have functional hands and legs, I would volunteer to help the less unfortunate ones who are crippled by poverty.

If you are reading this, I would really urge that you could take action to help others.  You do not have to donate your kidney or your 1 month salary to the charity of your choice. If you could just donate even USD1, that would be enough for the meal of a child who have not eaten for 3 days. YOU, can make a difference to people and children who are desperate for help. Otherwise, you could just use my most loved reason for NOT donating if anyone asked.

NOT ENOUGH MONEY, (insert your preferred answer below)

I am still a student.

I just started working and I am struggling to make ends meet.

(After a few years..)

No money la, you think living in KL easy ah? I am vomiting money every month for my parent, my car, my girlfriend, my cat, my loan, my slimming program, blah blah..

Need to save to buy house.

Need to save for marriage.

Milk powder and mamy poko is expensive.

Need to send kids to college.

(Too many years later…)

Almost retiring already la, I need $$ for my old age.

At the funeral…(no need to say already.)

Helping others makes you a happier person, don't you agree?