Wednesday, March 3, 2010

The path they choose?

Had a wonderful experience
And it's more than mediocre

The scenes seen
The touches felt
The "not so bad" smell
And the faces 'imprinted'
Will stay on my mind for as long as I can

The Japanese team were just great!
I think their ages were
19 to 22
Doing things
Our peers wont naturally do

But its the Kampung that really shocked me
Didnt know that behind that "Giant Mall"
There would also be a "Private Village"
400 families, almost 4000 people
Making their homes out of poor wooden planks

Living on water with houses afloat
Didnt know that this place existed
Old ones sleeping
Young ones playing
And teenagers looking with eyes not teasing

They loved the Japanese
Whether girl or boy
Just held onto their hands
Not letting go
Showing us their prides, their homes

They made they're own games
Played it they're own way
Integrating skipping with dance
Moves with counting
Self-made kites out of plastic bags

I will try to do my best
To make their lives better
The hygiene is terrible
For us unbearable
But for them its all normal

Hopefully I can join more of these events
When the Japanese comes again
To teach them a better way of living
And in themselves to start believing
Living life with a new different meaning

I wont forget the memories captured
And the friendships nurtured
With the Japanese and also the "refugees"
For we're all the same with great potentials
Just holding the keys to unlock for some people

The path they choose
What can they do?
For it isnt really fair
For they were born in a circumstance
They cant really choose

They'll just have to accept it
And we have to lessen it
The impact of poverty in their lives
The way society look down upon them
And how everyone blames them on the degrading of society

Right now all I can do is say a prayer for them
Keep them in my thoughts & prayer
Remembering every face I saw
Every hand I held
And every touch I felt

For the path they choose
Doesn't allow them as many options
As we "luckier ones" do
Its either this or that
Nothing really to be proud of

Lord, help me see that You will guide
The path they choose...
For unlike society
You love them as much as You love everyone
Putting their hearts first instead of their ways....

2 comments:

Henry Lee said...

haha... why was it the not so bad smell impels u about?

i somehow think that poverty is not something that happen naturally but it's an option now, people start to think and those who are capable to work will be given work and if they are honest and hardworking, they will be given a great chance to success... somehow, i think they are comfortable to live in the slump and stay dirty or like a malay saying; kais pagi, makan pagi, kasi petang, makan petang...

i dun think ppl in east timor or timor leste need our help in financial or supplies anymore... they should be independent since they have good schools and educations now...

but of course, places like taiwan, haiti or chile is in the need of our helps so we shall concentrate on them... Pitas is the poorest places in Malaysia, but some of them are willing to go out to seek for their own adventure.

So my point is, we shall not pampered the poverty overtimes but we must pray and let them seek their own wealth... :)

Tricia said...

I see what you mean, but i think i'm referring more to the kids there, that were born into a family like that. That path they didnt choose, i see them holding onto their books showing off their writings and what they learned, they're parents are trying hard to put food on the table, i asked a girl and she doesnt even know what her dad does, only knows he's working as a construction worker.. given the opportunity i think they'll do as well as us, just that cos of our bad perception of them, ppl here dont give them jobs and thats just their cycle,maid,worker,foremen... I was trying to look at them through the eyes of God? liek how will He see them? will He despise them like how we do? I mean, Japanese and Koreans are helping physically and financially, and we the ppl closest to them are despising them.bout the hygiene and stuff we have to educate them cos thats how they have live for as long as they lived.. I think work has to be done on both sides, mentally, physically and hopefully spiritually...=)