Calvary Care Home

Since I started to teach at the city campus, I have been more keen in getting myself involved in social work in town, one of which is my visitations to Calvary Care Home (CCH).

All the children of the Care Home are actually not real orphans but their parents had chosen to leave them there for some reasons. Calvary Life Assembly (CLA) provides them with shelter, food, clothing, education and tender love. Full-time, part-time staff and volunteers work together to create a godly, home-like atmosphere for them.

I had first seen the boys' pictures in a leaflet about CCH, then their real faces at CLA. When I was an assistant teacher in the Sunday school, the youngest boys were in my upper-primary class. I was aware that they needed more attention than those who were under their own parents' care, but I was not to manifest my special concern for them, which might have been misunderstood as favoritism by other children.

After I had resigned from the post to focus my service in the hospitality ministry, I had been thinking of reaching out to these boys at their home where they were doing most of their daily activities outside school. The opportunity came when Wilson, the eldest CCH boy that I had known at the jumble sale last year, told me he needed a tutor for his Chinese subject.

The first two times I went there, I was in a rush. Even then, Wilson seemed to enjoy my brief presence. When I met Wilson's mother who was paying her only child a weekly visit, I realized that Wilson was very attached to his young mother and he was also longing for elder sisters. So, besides helping him in his homework, I also lend him my ears when he reveals anything in his heart.

I usually arrive at the Care Home in the afternoon, where the boys are either playing football or other games.

In the beginning, I just said hi to everybody, walked into the dining room and gave tuition to Wilson only. When I asked two other younger Chinese boys if they also needed help in the subject, at first they shook their heads. After a few times, they were no longer shy to approach me and sit next to me.

When I managed to memorize all the boys' names, I started to chat with everyone who was passing by or sitting in the room. The more they were familiar with me, the more they smiled, talked to me and showed me their home work.

Since, I also resumed my baking hobby to share some snacks with them. It was always a pleasure to see them appreciating whatever I brought, even though the results of my experiments were not always very successful.

Jesus told His disciples,"...whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me." (Matthew 18:4-5 NKJV)

I was not passionate about children in the past. But thanks to my Lord Jesus, now I have learnt to give more than a cup of cold water to these adorable little ones (Matthew 10:42).