The Children Of Rhema

May 6, 2008 | Category: Uncategorized

 

      Rhema is an unwanted kids shelter in Seremban, Malaysia.   We made a couple of rounds there taking photos and understanding their situations.  Sometimes, we brought a few friends too….

      In one of those occasions, a friend commented that the kids look too happy.  She has seen worst! 

      Of course she is absolutely right but perhaps missing the point. 

      I can’t argue with her observations and can only say that as have I..  as have I….

      Our intention is to convey what we have seen from our visits.  While we were taking photos, we interviewed a number of kids.  We heard stories about how they were abandoned by their parents; how some of them stayed with their relatives and despite being given a shelter, have shared no love and were even abused.  We could see their despair and loneliness as they narrated their short, but difficult, lives while fighting to control stream of tears rolling down their sad faces.

      I am not a man of god and do not possess an empathetic soul.  I spend a lot of time pondering over the triviality of life and wonder sometimes aloud too, the meaning of existance.  A lot of us share that same luxury which we have taken for granted as our rights and privileges.  Not these kids…  Whose lives hang on to the lurch of humanity and struggle to fit into a society that has rejected them.  It is in places like Rhema that give them back the shimmer of hope, restore their self worth, shower them with the sanctity of love and care of a family and hopefully in the process fill them with hopes and dreams….

      On one occasion, I was particularly touched by what I saw.  As part of our routine, we snapped photos of what the kids go through in a day.  In this instance, we were taking photos of them gardening and cleaning the field outside their house.  Our hands were on the shutters and seconds away from shooting this kid dragging a huge black trash bag, picking up whatever garbage he could find with his bare hands.  Suddenly he turned towards us and shouted “No take!  No take!”  Respecting his wish and curious about what he has in mind, we stopped and waited.  He lugged the bag to a corner and out of sight, combed his hair with his fingers and his face turned up the biggest grin and said “You can take now!”  Pride and dignity!  What more can I say?

      They are not the saddest kids and nor shall they be.  They live a normal life and have shown great strength in their characters.  If you step into the shelter for the first time and see the shining smiles they give you as they welcome you to their home, you may even wonder if you have stumbled onto the wrong place.  The contentment and self confidence that they display will not be there if not for the love and care freely given to them. 

      Now, they have a chance to pursue the same dreams and happiness…  Like us.

       ~ TC ~

 

 Please click on the photo to access gallery

Tags: , , , ,

4 Comments

  1. -cal-
    on May 6th, 2008
    1

    Yay!!!! Is out finally!

  2. [another cal] -ca lene-
    on May 7th, 2008
    2

    Yeahhh!! Well done! The ‘about’ was hilarious.. Nicely put. So, u guys here not to save the world huh. hehe.. Can’t wait for the pictures of your next project.

  3. chap fan partner
    on May 12th, 2008
    3

    haha..the “about” was funny but overall, i must say, i’m impressed !! nice work !

  4. azza
    on May 27th, 2008
    4

    Congrats….. very nice…. well done!! I really love the pictures….. a picture says a thousand words……keep up the good work. I felt touched ;-)

Leave a Reply