Dear friends, Hope you had many joyful moments with family and friends this Lunar New Year season. During a family circle discussion this week, we were reminded that family is also a commitment to care and friends are an important source of support. After sharing how they spent their holidays, and exchanging festive greetings, Zoe shared that her husband had been in hospital for some weeks now and she had been caring for her children on a reduced family income. It was clearly a very difficult situation, but Zoe communicated her challenge in a matter-of-fact way. It appeared that to fulfil her …
Another Week Beyond -2303
Dear friends, Tomorrow evening, many families marking the Chinese New Year will be having a reunion dinner. This is considered the most important family dinner of the year that honours the virtues of family togetherness and harmony, filial piety, and respect for the hierarchy in familial relationships. This was explained to our children at our child development centre as we introduced what red packets, oranges and some cookies symbolised. Importantly, we also impressed on the children not to open their red packets in the presence of the giver after receiving them. Festivals are enjoyable occasions to reflect on values and …
Another Week Beyond – 2302
Dear friends, “I was so worried when I could not reach her. Her phone battery was dead and so I went downstairs to see if I could find her. I was so relieved when I met her and learnt that she had been knocking on the doors of her neighbors and getting them to leave their homes,” recounted Hafizah who was trying to contact a friend when she noticed the fire from her home in the opposite block. The fire in the neighbourhood that happened a month ago on 8 December was still fresh on the minds of everyone when …
Another Week Beyond – 2301
Dear friends, Happy New Year. I wish you much kindness and calm as your year unfolds before you. My colleagues and I spent yesterday morning recalling experiences at work that we are grateful for and articulating milestones we aim to reach for the year ahead. Importantly, it was an occasion to honour each other’s efforts because it is so easy for such a “stock-taking” exercise to turn into a performance appraisal where presentations become a show of strength. As community workers, we are a commitment to journeying with those on the margins toward a meaningful and fulfilling life. This journey …