beyond toxicity

03 February 2013, Sunday. As we left Tina in our apartment in Butterworth for she needed to prepare and do a lot of things for the new week, Gabby and I hopped on the Rapid Penang Bus to Penang Sentral; took the almost weekly routinary 15-minute- ferry ride from jetty to reach Georgetown and took another ride to get into Straits Quay -the meeting place of bloggers who volunteered to the program called, Time To Give Back, to visit 3 orphanages in Pulau Pinang organized by Responsible Blogging Malaysia 2013.

I was the happiest Daddy in the world when my son volunteered to tag along. I regarded the opportunity as a very special one as it doesn’t happen on a daily basis, that we get to reach out in our own little way to children who badly needed aid.  Gabby’s eagerness to participate was remarkably surprising as he traded his time in watching cartoons and kiddie movies for this activity. Tina and I couldn’t be grateful enough for the chance, as charity was defined to our son not only by our words but by his own experience.

That shopping bag on the first photo above was filled with his own used clothes and a few toys that he personally chose and prepared with his mom.

Gladly, we reached Straits Quay, a premier seafront shopping, dining and residential complex in the island, about half an hour prior to 12noon – the call time for this event. We hurriedly grabbed some bites in one of its restaurants before we met the other volunteers.

Thank you, Chatime Malaysia for being one of the sponsors! Your iced teas and milk teas truly quenched our thirst last Sunday! The kids enjoyed the drinks, the volunteers too!

Subway sandwiches, you’re really are a favorite! Even long before this activity, Subway’s a family favorite! Thank you for feeding all of us! May your generosity be followed by other food establishments!

We departed Straits Quay and arrived safely in Ramakrishna Ashram.  A fine weather greeted all of us!

Apparently, this humble post aims to inspire and encourage its readers (yes, you!) to extend their helping hands by either donating generously, participate-in-a-sponsor-a-child-program, contribute in the children’s new school building fund. Details and information are all in their website via http://theramakrishnapg.org/

“To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children,
to leave the world a better place,
to know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived,
this is to have succeeded.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

This orphanage and the other two that I will be featuring next, also received one unit of tablet from another sponsor, Ninetology Malaysia.

One of the orphanage’s posts in their bulletin board is a heartfelt gratitude :

I personally endorsed Gabby’s donation to the “uncle” who’s one of the people-in-charge of the kids in Ramakrishna Ashram.

Although we only spent a little over an hour and left with everyone and headed to the next orphanage, moments were very meaningful. No words were needed to explain everything to Gabby. We were all reminded by the experience to appreciate and value more whatever he have.

*Contact details of The Ramakrishna Ashrama (Orphanage)  :

37, Jalan Scotland, 10450 Penang | Tel: +604-2270869 | Fax: +604-2278921

E-mail: ramkorp@hotmail.com | Website: http://theramakrishnapg.org/

*This blog post is part of the series that includes :

• The Ramakrishna Ashrama (Orphanage)
• The Children’s Protection Society
• Shan Children’s Home

Again, thank you to the sponsors of this worthwhile activity :

• NINETOLOGY
• CHATIME MALAYSIA
• LANGKAWI CORAL
• ALEXTAN ARTWORKS
• CROWDPOT.COM
• SUBWAY SANDWICHES (LEITH STREET, iAVENUE, SUNTECH)

*Special thanks goes out to the people behind www.responsibleblogging.my for allowing us to participate in this worthwhile endeavor.

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