On my birthday last week....i decided to visit Chasity Home in Kajang town....have seen some of the children from there during a christmas lunch last year at my friends place. Those pure faces had been stuck in my mind eversince....most of them were autistic... though one girl was completely normal but unfortunately her parents couldnt afford to take care of her...she was pretty and looked intelligent. Another boy who i thought should be around 12 or 13 years old turned out to be 20 !! he looked so small....and there were a few others too...i was touched to see how patiently they waited for their food to be served at the dining table...and obediently finished their meals. As i was talking to Ms Amutha ( one of caretakers ) i gathered that these few who were able to visit other peoples' houses occasionally were the ones who are manageable...and are able to walk and communicate but there were a few others back at the home who were more seriously autistic and couldnt be brought out for such functions. It broke my heart to hear this......and thats when i decided to visit the rest of them another day....so my birthday was a perfect time to go visit them.
I Had informed the home a day earlier about my visiting and also getting them some lunch.
And as we reached there....i got out of the car ...passed the food to the ladies in charge...then saw 2 elderly men sitting at the porch on stools simply staring into space....these 2 elderly men were abandoned by their children, they were not ill or autistic....they were simply OLD...... i nodded and smiled at them and walked up to the entrance of the living room which was pretty spacious....there was a small TV turned on, showing some chinese program....there was a 3 seater sofa placed in front of the tv.... only one indian girl around the age of 12 or 13 was sitting on the sofa but she was not facing the tv....either she doesnt understand whats on...or she wasnt just interested....i dont know...and there were 2 chinese girls on the floor....one big sized girl whos hair was so short that she almost looked bald ...she was lying on the floor facing the opposite direction ( away from the tv )....and had both her legs up on the sofa....then on the far right....that 20 year old boy i met on Christmas was sitting on the floor...leaning against the wall with his legs folded and he was also not watching tv...but simply looking at or probably through his fingers...holding his head low...i noticed no one was communicating with each other...they were all in their own space...but somehow it was PEACEFUL in there...
While i stood there scanning through the room and not knowing whom to approach first ....or what to say to them ....an angel came to the rescue...another chinese girl who also looked about 13 or 14....must have been looking at me standing frozen there in the middle of the living room......she must have sensed that i was feeling lost....so with a BIG SMILE ...she stretched her right hand out towards me....with a nod ...which conveyed a message that clearly meant ..." hey you...come over here".....so i immediately walked up to her and held my hand out....she grabbed my hand ....and with her left hand she patted on the seat of the sofa and almost shouted at me " DUDUK LAH!!!" hahahahha....i laughed...Nantha who had been watching the whole thing....laughed out too...! so i sat down and smiled at her....still not sure what to say....then i asked her..." whats your name ?".....she immediately looked down...and shook her head as if to say she doesnt know...and her smile faded a little....i was puzzled at her reaction...i dont know if she did not understand what i said ....or she did not want to tell me her name for some reason...and i am still wandering what was going on in her beautiful mind....
then the next moment she got up and cheerfully walked about ....hmmm...so that was life in there....and i felt a little embarrassed at how long i took to get familiarised with the environment and the people...while it was so easy for that girl to reach out to a complete stranger !...i guess we just think too much !!!...She wasnt afraid to reach out to me....coz she SAW simply ME ...and nothing else....she saw...whats inside...which we all share...and recognized no difference....wish i could get there ! :) dont you ??
On my way home....i coudnt help asking myself over and over ......now...
WHO IS ACTUALLY NORMAL ??
If any of wish to contribute or simply share the love with these lovely souls....
There are 25 ppl in need at :
Chasity Home
Mdm Amutha: 017327 4809
Add: No 11, Jalan 10, Taman Sri Langat, Jalan Reko, 43000 Kajang, Selangor.
Account number: EON BANK 0112-10-0009057
