Month eight on the Race is called "manistry month." All of the men leave their coed teams and serve together while the remaining women from new teams. I was super excited to be on an all-girls team for the month. For the month of August, my team served at St. Nicholas Home for the Blind. We lived among the community there and were able to serve in so many different ways.
When we arrived I was so impressed with the numerous departments and the organization this home operated under. I couldn't wait to find out where I was going to be placed.
We had a thorough orientation our first day, complete with a run-down of the whole organization and a tour. Upon receiving my schedule, I discovered I would be working in the Deaf Blind and Multi-Handicapped program (DBMH). This program is catered to young children whose inability to see is accompanied by other physical and mental disabilities. There are 10 children in this program, and I would get to work with all of them. I was a little nervous at first. I had never worked with children of persons who are handicapped before.
On my first day with the program, I had no idea what to expect. I showed up and joined the kids for exercise outside. The staff members were all so friendly and greeted me right away. I felt immediately welcome. I was introduced to the kids, and jumped right into the activities of the day. I loved the morning schedule. We got to do so much, from circle time, to exercise, to tea and snacks. I think it's great the children get to be so active. I was overwhelmed by all of the many needs of the children, but I then decided to focus on them one by one.
Breakfast with Khaw Seng
It was easy to establish a routine with DBMH. I worked with all of the kids during our group activities in the morning. Before lunch, the children are broken up into three levels for lessons. I worked primarily with the Level One students: Lim and Thurga. We would focus on activities that required fine motor skills and a longer attention span. I definitely grew in patience during these times, because these girls required a lot of assistance. But they are so sweet. Lim loves music an singing. Thurga just likes to have someone around her. I enjoyed getting to know them.
Daniel exercising in the morning
Although a lot of my work was with Lim and Thurga, I got to spend a lot of time with the other kids too. Daniel, Chee Chong, and Siti are all in one group together. Daniel is talkative and funny. Chee Chong loves being outside and active. I loved watching him skip during exercise and jump in the pool. Siti loves attention. She sure is a charmer and a great singer. Yash is the oldest student who gets to help with daily responsibilities. I learned quickly that Jason loves anything with a beat. I would play music for him constantly, trying to figure out what he liked. I formed a special bond with Khaw Seng. He is the most talkative and speaks English really well. We had a lot of conversations.
Pool day with Jason and Khaw Seng
One of my favorite days with the kids was when my team took them on an outing to the pool at Youth Park. These kids love outings, especially Khaw Seng. Almost everyone got in the water to swim. The kids were so joyful and their happiness was contagious. I think it is so important that these children get to experience the world outside of St. Nicholas.
I have been so humbled by the opportunity to serve here. This has been a great experience that has taught me so much about the blind community and those who face other disabilities. My time here has inspired me to look for more opportunities to volunteer with handicapped individuals when I return home.
In a lot of ways, sight has nothing to do with our physical capabilities
