When my son was at Primary Four, I received a call from his teacher.
He told me about my application form. He said that he was looking
for a person who could help in their Computer Centre.
After meeting Mr. Yeo, I agreed to assist the school children
when they faced any problem in using the computer.
The person who was in-charge those volunteer application forms might be
too busy. Hence, my form was keeping somewhere for three years until
Mr. Yeo dipped it out.
I started to perform my duty once a week in the morning. The students who
came to the Computer Centre were attending class in the afternoon. They came
to school early and made use of the computer.
If they wished to play computer game, they were only allowed
to play certain educational games. Most of them came and did not spend
much time with the computer. Instead, they liked to chat with me.
Once there was a boy who showed me his scalded hands. He told me that
he came to school early and was hurt when playing with the Monkey Bar.
He was not aware that those steel bars were heated up by the strong sun.
He later asked for help in the school office and he was taken care of by
the teacher. I was very sorry for that lovely boy.
A few weeks later, the computers in the Centre were shifted to the School Library.
I then performed my duty once a week in the afternoon in the Library.
I would supervise three school librarians and those children who were
using the computers. The librarians were school children too.
The three librarians helped to handle book-returning and book-borrowing,
to record the children who use the computer and to arrange the returned
books to the shelves.
Whenever I arrived at the school library, many children were waiting for me.
The librarians helped me to unlock the railings and glass door.
They helped to switch on the light, air-conditioner and computers.
They then carried on their duties.
Although the children might make use of the computer for half an hour each time.
They were keen to use it and later stayed in the library.
The librarians and children liked to chat with me. They addressed me as
how they addressed their teachers. Once there was a child asked me,
“Can we call you father?” Then all of them laughed.
But they were waiting for my answer earnestly. I thought about the question and said,
“You may continue to call me as teacher. Otherwise, you may call
me as ‘Uncle’.”
They answered,“Oh no! Not nice to call you ‘Uncle’.”
They were about the same age as my son. But, so many of them called me as father,
it would be a little bit awkward.
I later found out that they did not like to go home after school.
As their parents were working.
There was nobody at home. They preferred to come to the library.
They made use of the computer, read books. Sometimes, some of them
went to play football. Praise God for giving me wisdom to behave
as what the Bible taught us. I have been transforming into a person
who looked like a kind father and was attracted to many children.
They were looking for fatherly LOVE.
For the three years as a school volunteer, I was in-charge of the library
once a week. Sometimes I became a helper on the Sport Day.
After the year-end school examination I went with them for
educational excursions to Little India, Kampong Glam and Fort Canning Hill.
At one of the year-end vacation ceremony, one of the children Liang
asked me, “Teacher, will you be back next year?”
Looking at his eyes, I had to fulfill his dream of meeting the
kind father again and answer, “Yes sure, teacher will be back next year.”
Another year after attending my son's Primary Six graduation ceremony,
the vice-Principal asked me whether I would be back as a volunteer.
“Certainly, I will be back.”
There was a group of specialists taking care of the library the following year.
Hence, I did not need to go to the school library.
After the year-end school examination, I did not receive any
call regarding the educational excursions. I thought that
everyone might busy in the school closing-down matters.
Time flied. It has been five or six years and the school was not
existed anymore. But I still remembered those lovely children.
They might become the pretty girls and handsome boys now.
May God richly bless them.
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