The volunteers were always encouraged by Uncle Ah Poh’s optimism and courage. (Photo by Cai Rong Fu)
“Good Morning, Uncle. We’re here. Oh, don’t come to the door. We’ll open the door ourselves.”
When the volunteers arrived at Ler Ah Poh’s 3-room flat in Marine Parade, Sister Wu Yu Chin took out the spare keys from her bag to open the door whilst calling out to the care recipient fondly known as Uncle Ah Poh. The old man was beaming on his chair waiting for the arrival of his guests.
Soon the otherwise quiet home was bustling with laughter. Sister Fong Soon Yoke was all ready to do a hair cut for Uncle Ah Poh, while Sister Goh Eng Eng went cleansing the grapes which are Uncle Ah Poh’s favourite. A volunteer nurse of TIMA took out her first aid kit to change the dressing on Uncle’s wounded leg. The care and concern showered on the elderly man had touched him dearly and Uncle Ah Poh had long regarded Tzu Chi volunteers as his close kin.
An affinity with Tzu Chi
Uncle Ah Poh was born in 1942 to a poor family. He left school from the age of 12 and started to work for a living. His parents passed away during the early days and he remained single all his life, taking up numerous jobs to support himself with life went on pretty stable for him.
However, faith took a turn on him when he was injured in a work accident about 10 years ago. During those days, the company he worked for did not buy any insurance for him and he had no compensation for his injury. The injury caused him to be disabled and he had to stop work since. Unfortunately he fell at home one day and injured his spine and hip joint. This had caused him difficulty in walking and he had to rely on a walking stick since then. For over 10 years, he shut himself in his flat other than going for his regular doctor’s appointment.
As age caught up with him, his condition deteriorated and his savings soon depleted. He had to rely on the social assistance of $260 a month for his living. This has caused a strain on him financially. On 23 August 2006, he was referred to Tzu Chi by a Family Service Centre and since then, he became a long term care recipient of Tzu Chi Foundation.
Care and concern of a family
When Tzu Chi volunteers first visited him, they felt heartrending when they see a thin and frail Uncle Ah Poh who could not even walk steadily. The social assistance that he received can barely get him by each day, leaving only $100 for his doctor’s visits after paying for utility bills. At times, he even had to rely on bread for his meals.
The volunteers were concerned about the lonesome elder and hence came to visit him almost weekly. During each visits, they would bring him food, fruits as well as Tzu Chi’s monetary assistance. They also brought him to the doctors and helped to get him a pair of reading glasses. Gathering other available resources, they put in great effort to assist Uncle Ah Poh whenever they can.
During Chinese New Year, Brother Peter would bring festive ornaments to decorate Uncle Ah Poh’s home, while other volunteers would prepare a sumptuous dinner and gathered at uncle Ah Poh’s home to have a reunion dinner with him. This helped to bring family warmth to the elderly who has never had any chance for a family reunion.
“Tzu Chi volunteers are the most loving people, they are No.1. I don’t know who referred me to them, but I am so grateful for that!”
The candid comments made by Uncle Ah Poh and the trust he had for them warmed the hearts of the volunteers. The optimistic elder who faced his sickness with courage set a role model for the volunteers and made them respected him even more dearly.
“Although Uncle Ah Poh has difficulty in walking, his home is always so tidy,” said Brother Ooi Hooi Cheng. “Whilst holding on to his walking stick, he can use his other hand to clean the floor. He always makes sure he doesn’t need to trouble others, always insisting to do things by himself although he has to do them slowly.”
Joyous giving and cultivating kind thoughts
On each visit, the volunteers would take the opportunity to share with Uncle Ah Poh on Master Cheng Yen’s teaching and together they would watch the video on Master’s daily teaching (‘Life Wisdom’) with him. They encouraged Uncle Ah Poh to have kind thoughts each day and do his best to spread the love he received and be someone who is able to help others in need.
Uncle Ah Poh was quite puzzled initially: I am a poor man, how could I possibly help others?
But after listening to the volunteers explaining to him about how little money gathered together can also do great deeds, he started to save money into the bamboo coin bank he adopted from Tzu Chi. “Since then, every time we gave him a new one, he’d fill it up very fast (and turned it in for charity),” recalled Sister Yu Chin.
“After becoming a Tzu Chi donating member, not only was he donating to the Foundation every month, he even invited his cousin to join him. At times, we’d tell him that Tzu Chi is only helping him a little and yet he was donating back so much. He’d tell us that he only needed very little to get by and he’s happy that he can afford to donate the surplus to help others in need. Seeing him, I finally understood the Jing Si Aphorism ‘Giving is not the sole right of the rich but anyone who has a heart to give’”, said Brother Hooi Cheng.
So, every month, volunteers continued to bring words of encouragements, praises, love and care to uncle Ah Poh. These have accompanied and helped the elder man to deal with the illnesses he faced in life.
Uncle Ah Poh’s accommodating character and wise thinking, in turn, inspired the volunteers, especially Brother Peter who was about the same age as Uncle Ah Poh. “I’d share with him my problems and he fully understood me and always encouraged me and gave me advices. Sometimes, I feel like he is caring for me more than I could care for him,” a poignant Brother Peter said. The two has been like close siblings since.
Last journey in life
In recent years, Uncle Ah Poh’s condition went downhill and has been in and out of hospital more often. Seeing him needed someone to take care of his daily needs, his cousin Ler Yu Hock, who lives nearby, would come over to help him regularly.
During the end of 2010, Mr Ler was busy with the renovation of his hawker stall and did not manage to look after Uncle Ah Poh regularly. Brother Peter thus made it a point to visit the elderly every morning before he sets off to work. He would arrive with breakfast and helped to clear Uncle Ah Poh’s bowels, brush his teeth and clean his body. Although it lasted for a mere 10 days or so, Uncle Ah Poh was very grateful for the care showered on him.
Not long after, Uncle Ah Poh was hospitalized again due to ill health. He passed away on 3 Jan 2011 at the age of 69 due to kidney failure. The volunteers were saddened on hearing Uncle Ah Poh’s passing and they informed his cousin and other relatives on the news.
During his lifetime, Uncle Ah Poh once said that Tzu Chi volunteers were like his close family and he had hoped that Tzu Chi could take care of his funeral when he is gone. Together with Uncle Ah Poh’s relatives, the volunteers helped arranged his funeral as that was the last thing they could do for him.
On 5 Jan 2011, about 40 volunteers gathered at the funeral parlour at Sin Ming Road to chant prayer for Uncle Ah Poh. They proceeded to send him off at Mandai Crematorian for his last journey. The funeral undertaker was equally touched by the selfless giving of Tzu Chi volunteers and decided to undertake the funeral free of charge.
Uncle Ah Poh’s cousin and wife were very touched by the solemn atmosphere during the chanting. “I believe Ah Poh is definitely happy to see so many of you here to send him off. I will not be able to handle his funeral by myself without Tzu Chi’s help,” said an earnest Mr Ler who was also financially restrained.
Mr Ler continued, “I am quite close to Ah Poh. I must say although he had a bad temper, he was very kind in heart. He always tells me that Tzu Chi volunteers treated him very well and he is very happy that he got to know of you guys in this life time.”
In fact, besides Tzu Chi, the Family Service Centre at the void deck where Uncle Ah Poh lived also chipped in to help over the last nine years.
A staff at the FSC, Zeng Qiu Lan, recalled, “Ah Poh was a very joyful and big-hearted person. He was always thinking of how to repay others for their help and he always talks about Tzu Chi and commented that he has got so much help from the volunteers who even tend to his bowels. What all of you had done is truly a commendable act. Ah Poh is really blessed to have so much care and blessing.”
As for the volunteers, they will remember uncle Ah Poh’s laughter, his independence, his determination and his benevolent spirit despite all odds.
A volunteer giving Uncle Ah Poh a haircut. (Photo by Law Sook Fong)
Volunteers visited the frail and weak Uncle Ah Poh almost every week. (Photo by Law Sook Fong)
The volunteers also brought Uncle Ah Poh to a TIMA ophthalmologist for his eye check. (Photo by Law Sook Fong)
Uncle Ah Poh was glad to be able to contribute his donation on monthly basis. (Photo by Cai Rong Fu)
With the encouragement of the volunteers, Uncle Ah Poh adopted a bamboo coin bank to save for good deeds. (Photo by Law Sook Fong)
About 40 volunteers gathered at the funeral parlour to chant prayers for Uncle Ah Poh. (Photo by Law Sook Fong)
Brother Peter was saddened by the passing of Uncle Ah Poh but still braced himself to wish Uncle Ah Poh to rest in peace. (Photo by Law Sook Fong)
Tzu Chi volunteers sending Uncle Ah Poh off on his last journey to the crematorium. (Photo by Law Sook Fong)
Share 
