The next day, I wore the shirt as I was instructed to. My mother and I drove to Woo Ye Sun College in the early afternoon so I could help set up.
Candace, the others and I helped wrap up the gifts and label them with names. We ordered party food from a local fast food chain and had them delivered to us. We then set up and laid the food and juice boxes out in arrays. We compiled a bingo chart and printed out an assort of copies.
It was mostly manual work, and since I was acquainted with most of the volunteers, I had a easy time doing all that. For the most part, I just participated and anticipated in the motions, and helped set up for the grand event.
When the time came, students and parents all flowed into the room. A powerpoint was set up for the graduation, and we had a little concluding speech to thank them all for participating in our event. My mother proceeded to step up and give a speech that roughly went like this:
"Do you kids like it here in CUHK?"
A resounding "Yes!" from the kids.
"Well then, we liked having you here too. You are our future. If you work hard enough, you too can become students here. Our volunteers here are all students of this college, except for the exception of my daughter."
She went on to describe how the future is in our hands, how their families have immigrated over to give them a life of their own. How blessed they were that they have such loving families that allowed them to join these programs.
When she finished, the crowd erupted in applause. After awarding the kids for perfect attendance and good conduct, parents called my mother over and told her their life stories and asked about how they could give the best to their kids.
One particular mother worked minimum wage as a dish washer and came home past midnight every day. Her daughter was none less than Abigail, the little girl who was assigned under my care. I had a fondness towards her, and I found her a delight to have taught.
The mother told us that her husband had left her with another woman seeking to have a son. The mother and daughter were left to fend for themselves. "Some nights," Said the woman, fighting back tears, "I would beat her. But I really do want the best for her. I really do."
The daughter Abigail was smart beyond her years and her spirit was sweet. She reminded me of myself when I was her age; curious and outspoken about the world. Without thinking too carefully, I asked the woman, "Why don't you enter her into a gifted program?" The woman stared blankly back. "I have no money."
My mother nodded and gave the woman her card. "If you need anything, contact me."
I bit back emotion, and went off to distract myself. I stationed myself at the food station and started out dishing the salads and the siu mai to the parents and students. I smiled at their faces and shovelled plates of food relentlessly. All the other volunteers asked me to eat, as they took breaks here and there. I didn't faze and kept on shovelling, determined to just keep busy.
It numbed me, the service I did. I manned two stations single handedly in order to keep my mind off of the other stuff. In the meantime, my mother was called to her office to help out with the O Camp on campus. After all, she was the dean. She told me to go to her office just a floor underneath when it was over.
After the food, we then played bingo (read in English), and the volunteers and I roamed through the rows of tables and desks to check if any of the kids forgot to circle their numbers. As the kids they were, there were many who did not know how to circle the correct number.
The morale of the game was that "everyone is a winner". In the end, all the kids eventually got their numbers and all the gifts were dished out. The volunteers ushered the parents and children back to University station with a final adieu, and we bid our goodbyes to each other. I was glad to have met the students around here, and they were incredibly patient with me.
It was a joy, really.
I went down to my mother's office and she took me to the cafeteria for frozen yoghurt.
My mother and I sat adjacent from each other, and she quietly mused over her thoughts.
"You know, the lady told me so much in just so little time. Being in this group, she was underprivileged.
Every parent in Hong Kong wants their kid to end up in a college like CUHK. These people have rarely been able to meet a professor. I had to come.
The woman had so much toxic waste in her system that she just had to cathartically spill it out. It's like if you held a candy wrapper for long enough, you'd be delighted to see something as trivial as a trash can.
You see, raising a daughter like you made me understand and be able to help other people and kids like you. You're not alone, Victoria."
And I didn't feel half as bad.
This service as made me a lot more introspective and has taught me a lot. Whether I liked it or not made no difference. I was glad to have participated.
In the coming year, I promise that I would be more involved in service. For my sake and others.
Service is what you make it.
You get as much as you give, and you learn as much as you teach.
And it's worth it, every bit.
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