Celebration for Rachel's birthday -- A celebration with a heart

I have not organised a birthday party for Rachel after she turned one.  First of all, I did not want to spend time and money on such celebrations reason being she will not remember a single thing even if she may have the best time at the party.  Secondly, for superstitious reasons, I have refrained from celebrating.  Ya, of course, I know I am a Catholic.  But as many of you know, Rachel who had been in the best pink of health from 0 years old to 2, had her health taken a turn in early 2011.  Soon after she turned 2 in end 2010, she was in and out of hospital in the whole of 2011.  I had no choice but to heed what the folklore’s disapproval of celebrating a kid’s birthday.  Since then, there had been no celebration for her birthday except for having a small cake placed in front of her to let her blow the candles, so as not to totally deprive her from a happy little moment of having a birthday song sung to her. 

This year, I decided to walk out of that fear and have something for her 5^th birthday.  I figured that I would end up having to spend some money.  So I decided to have the money well spent, which means that I wanted the celebration to be meaningful and unique, rather than just children gathering her and sing her a birthday song.  I don’t recall where I have read this from, but someone suggested doing charity on the day of birthday.  I thought it was a great idea.  In karmic context, her involvement charitable act might even bring her good health and all.  In my perspective, which is very much Catholic, it would be yet another golden opportunity to introduce charity to her. 

 

After contemplating, asking questions on internet forums and researching via google, I thought of celebrating Rachel’s birthday by bringing food and celebration to the underpriviledged.  

As Rachel might not be ready for other charities (such as home for the aged, facilities for the physically impaired etc), I thought I should start her on something “easy”—  something that she could relate to –  a facility for young children.  I quickly decided on Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home because someone commented that this home is very receptive to volunteers. 

Very quickly, I emailed and called the Home:

>> Dear Sir

>> 

>> I would like to celebrate my child's birthday this year doing

>> something

> meaningful and charitable.  Her birthday is on 2 Nov.

>> 

>> I am thinking of either providing breakfast, lunch or tea break on

>> that

> day to the residential children at your home.

>> 

>> I wonder if your home is receptive to this.

>> 

A nice lady Nancy who was in charge of volunteers responded to me.  She has kindly offered a great suggestion:  

> Hi Jessica

> 

> Thank you for choosing our home. Can our kids birthday on the mth of nov

> join in the celebration. Eg cutting the cake together.

> 

> I am sure the kids will be very happy with lunch provided.

> 

> I will block 2nov for the birthday celebration.

Celebrating for all the November kids… Why didn’t I think of that?  So now, you know, I was not the genius who came up with the idea.  Hehe!

I have talked very little about my plan because it was my first and I did not know how successful it was going to be.  Most importantly, I was a little shy to talk much about it.   Nonetheless, nearer to the event, I happened to talk a little at Blossom World Society while waiting for my kid's lesson to end.  One of the parents, Vivienne, overheard my little conversation, had approached me and asked if she could join in the meaningful event because she too wanted her daughter to learn something about charity home.  I was so glad to have met a likeminded parent who expressed interests in my event.  I gladly agreed for her and her family to join although I still had no idea how the event would turn out.  At the same time, my ex-colleague from SAFRA Samsudin, a friend who is the forever generous in helping and an expert in event logistics, volunteered to lend his hand the helpless me in this event. 

Okay.  Fast forward to the event preparation.

To make the event more meaningful for the November children than just having food and a birthday cake, I approached Alantic Sports to sponsor the birthday presents for the November children.  The ever-generous businessman Mr Gary Gan and his wife Cecilia have kindly sponsored a pair of Converse shoes for every birthday kid. Cecilia was indeed thoughtful as she gave a cash donation to the Home on top of the sponsorship. God bless this wonderful couple! 

Food was ordered from a reliable caterer and then it was time to decide on whether to get a big birthday cake enough for the children, or cupcakes.  Considering the messiness of cutting a huge cake and distribute on plates to all participants, I decided on cupcakes.  

Nearing to the day, I made an effort to brief Rachel on what was going to happen.  After all, she is still a kid and I did not want her to go through the motion and not know what was going on.  I told her about the children and why they were there.  I also told her that it was her birthday, a happy day where she would share her happiness with the poor children.   She has not fully grasped the full meaning of the charity connotation of this event, but I believe this would make a good start and I seek to do better every year for all the years to come. 

On the very day, we woke up early to get ourselves ready.  I was quite jittery about this whole thing.  Like any event that I had done before, I would always, always worry about things like “What if the caterer doesn’t turn up?” “What if there is a mix-up by dunno which party?”

My family and I arrived way before the stipulated time at the Home as I was afraid that the caterers and the cupcakes might arrive early.   We were also there so as to take a look at the place.  The Operation Manager on duty Danny had kindly walked us around and told us about the Home and the residents that they are helping.   It was a great and loving place where children from dysfunctional families are protected, well taken care of and nurtured.   We saw the dormitories where the residents live, places where they have dinner in a home setting environment and the hall where the children get to study and have tuitions conducted.  

Soon Vivienne and her family arrived followed by Sam.  The caterers also arrived with the food and so did the cupcakes.  We took out the cupcakes to decorate them on the tray while the caterers set up the food stations.  I was glad that I had the opportunity to briefly explain to Vivien’s eldest child, Rachel’s classmate at Blossom World Society, on the charitable purpose of the event, for the same reason that I briefed Rachel prior to the day. 

During lunch, some of us mingled with the children, getting to know them better.  I finally got to know Chloe, the sweet looking one that I noticed while I came for a short meeting with Nancy three days before the event.  She seemed bright and not as withdrawn as she seemed when I first met her.  I was amazed to meet Chi Yin, a chatty girl of Chloe’s age who has the exact same birthday as me! 

It was a short event.  I did not have any entertainment like magic show or performance as this was my first and I did not budget for anything else other than food and cakes.  Of course, we had a birthday song sung followed by blowing of candles.  Sam kindly took out his camera to snap pictures of this precious moment but I had to stop him (Sorry, Sam!) because of the policy of “No photo-taking of the children” imposed strictly by the Ministry to protect the underprivileged minors who are placed in homes.  This was the reason why I could not provide any of the event photos in this blog but instead took snippets of the annual reports and a couple of pictures that I managed to capture of the place during the tour.     

The Converse shoes were then distributed to the birthday children.   The shoes were simply gorgeous and one of the children had them put on immediately.  This was immediately followed by the distribution of presents by Vivienne and her family who did not come empty-handed as they too had prepared some nice gifts. 

  

This birthday event, although simple and low-key, marked the inaugural service project by me and Rachel.  I shall call it Project Chanrity (Chan is the surname of Rachel and Gary), a movement in the name of our family to advocate charity, love and service to the community.  I hope to set up a tradition in my family that says “we give to charity.” It is a good lesson and models good behavior for the kid. 

Before I end my blog, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Mr and Mrs Gary Gan of Alantic Sports Pte Ltd for their benevolent generosity, Vivienne Ooi and her family for their kind presence and contribution of gifts, and Samsudin Bin Haji Saman for his big help.