The House of Broken Hearts 45 minutes in the rain and wet traffic yet, who was I to complain. I took a final turn onto a bridge crammed with people huddling under umbrellas, each one peering into the monsoon drain below. I took a quick glance and saw fast moving water that was about to break its banks. Little did I know, it already had. As I got out and walked into the home, the caretakers with hoses and scrubs were smiling and yet yelling at the same time, FLOODED!!! Confused, it took me awhile to even get a grasp at the trail of debris left behind by what was now post-flooding effort in full swing. The whole incident happened within 3 minutes, they saw a yellowish brown glow at the gate and then a gush of water rapidly filled the administration office and the main hall. No one even came to help Along this raging river, stood a row of houses along Jalan Kelapa, Semenyih, Kajang. Each one of this houses are aborted dreams. Three houses on the far end, Sincere Care Home for the mentally ill, disabled and old folks, Malaysia Independent Animal Rescue Shelter, a house for mans ex-best friends and a church run boys home. The only road leading to the entrances of these homes lay with still muddy water. Cars submerged as a botched event at MIAR had the animal lovers carrying out cage after cage of cold, shivering canines with many more still due for re-rescue. I walked back into Sincere Care Home, offered to help, yet these jovial barefooted souls went on their course of duty. One of them, could only keep wondering if anyone knew about them behind the petrol station. If anyone would actually come to help if it had been bad to worst, or would another death of a 60 year old woman trying to save her paralysed husband up the roof be the reason anyone would finally do anything about the increasing affair with danger. Yet in chorus, God knows on this row are His deserving children and precious creations. I felt helpless yet deeply humbled. This is my second visit to this home since I was first told about it by William Cheah. I remember the first meet where we all sat giggling over how silly that I got lost in Klang enroute to Kajang from Subang. They surely had a whole dimension of gratefulness I had to learn. Today, I saw the same Mdm Dana, looking distraught at the able bodied residents of five doing their best, rushing so they could prepare for communion dinner in about an hour for the other residents in the homes. She was stopped in her thoughts by a concerned man who came by to air the contents of his heart and then she took the seat next to mine, and I heard that sigh. She wished she could cry or be sad, but she held on strong cause that would be the only logical thing to do. It took her awhile to register her thoughts before she got back into a conversation, before I could even ask her if she needs any help or if she needs anything damaged replaced. Politely she said, what can we do, the barrier made along the river needs to be repaired or else, she stopped. Her staff seemed so optimistic when I asked about any damaged furniture, yet the adrenaline rush made them all recollect their Goliath strength lifting every furniture out of the office including a prehistoric mammoth sized photocopier machine. Just a week back, this hall was filled with glaring and inquisitive eyes, yet intuition made Mdm Dana move all the folk to the last home which is on higher ground. Now in this hall only an extra large CRT idiot box stood in the hall professing its survival in the aftermath, then my heart broke, one of the residents lay in a deck chair, who had to be temporarily restrained for her safety, got me thinking, if they were not as alert and if this house had filled with water, would the header have been, A pool of broken hearts. I understood firmly now, why one of the main urgent request was for a battery operated wheelchair for one of the residents who first suffered abuse and had diabetes that took two of her limbs beyond the knee. Now imagine with her weight and in state of panic. The yard around the house itself was not even level enough for a regular wheelchair to safely maneuver and yes, I was asked before why so demanding, but imagine a frantic woman, trying to wheel herself out of harms way while the other caretakers summon all their strength to lift to safety the other immobilized residents at the home. I knew from the start why this request would do good, firstly, its sturdy and has wide threaded wheels that are safe for any surface. Say even if it malfunctioned in the water, at least, AT LEAST, shes stay safe at being much higher than a regular wheelchair. Now imagine if you are in a position already grasping on to life after so many blows and I still expect you to give every breath and arm strength just to go around your house. All the office table legs have warped by the time I left the house, this home would thus really need at least 3 office tables with either plastic legs or anti rust coating applied on the legs. The documentation kept in the office also got wet and a proper filing cabinet set on castors would be much appreciated. Lastly, their office chairs, have seen better days. Perhaps for Christmas, how about thinking about the caretakers and coordinators who can do way more than we ever could and just give them that little cheer for Christmas. 3 office tables and chairs, 2 filing cabinets and possibly a water dispenser, boy were they thirsty cleaning for hours. I then left the home with Mdm Dana, on our planned mission. To be continued... (Detailed list available on PDF, PM me your email)
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 17:11:58 +0000
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