THEY WILL ASK thee as to what they should spend on others. Say: "Whatever of your wealth you spend shall [first] be for your parents, and for the near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer; and whatever good you do, verily, God has full knowledge thereof." - Al-Baqarah (2:215)
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Wednesday 14 November 2007

I am a Buddy Bear



Hello… I am a Buddy Bear.

Oh, please excuse my picture. The owner of this blog didn’t bother to bring me to a proper photo studio to get my picture taken. She simply placed me against the wall at her NGO centre and took my picture using her camera phone. She didn’t even give me the chance to put on some make up!!!

I am just a plain bear. There’s nothing fancy about me… and I am very unlike those big branded fluffy teddy bears. No, my friends and I are not even for sale.

You see, we were made with a mission. Our mission is to bring some cheer to HIV infected kids. That is why we are not for sale. My friends and I are given free to HIV infected kids around Malaysia and even overseas! Some of my fellow buddy bears have gone to China, Thailand, Cambodia and wherever else around the world where we are requested to go.

How are we produced? Well, the Buddies Society of Ipoh would buy the necessary materials and send the materials to a group of senior citizens in Ipoh who would then sew us into what you see in my picture above (and we come in various colours). And these senior citizens provide their services for free! They too want to play a role in giving some cheer to unfortunate kids.

I guess you can say I am an “olijinal Ipoh Mali tatak sombong” Buddy Bear!! (The owner of this blog oso Ipoh mali you know… but she’s not a bear lah!)

So, if you know of any HIV infected child or a group of HIV infected children who may need some cheering up from me or my friends, please do contact The Buddies Society of Ipoh. Their fax number and email address are provided at the side-bar of this blog.

But I’d like to repeat myself that we are only given to HIV infected kids and we are NOT for sale. We don’t mind going anywhere around the world… but again still subject to availability of cheap transportation. The Buddies Society of Ipoh depends on public funding so they can’t afford to provide business class transportation for me and my friends. Usually when we need to go overseas, we are sent through friends of Buddies who so happen to be heading the same way. Yes, extra baggage for them… but not to worry… we ain’t heavy, we’re buddy bears…

Hmmm… if only any of the courier services wouldn’t mind doing some charity and provide free or discounted transportation for me and my friends to cheer the unfortunate HIV infected kids…

Okay then, I’d better go now. I don’t want to take up so much space here. The blog owner may end up smuggling me into a Soyuz and send me to outer space…

19 comments:

Daphne Ling said...

Hi Kak Pi,

What a lovely bear, and what a lovely idea to bring some little cheer into the lives of those living with HIV...

Actually, when I saw the bear when I opened your blog, I was going to ask where could I buy one...I collect teddies and all plush toys, so my first thought was to get one...

Oh well...I guess not...=(

Pi Bani said...

Daph:
Oi, you suka main teddy bear ke?! Nanti cari boyfriend yang cuddly macam teddy bear jugak la! Too bad, this Buddy Bear is made specifically for HIV kids only...

Actually sometimes during exhibitions we do display the buddy bears... adalah nanti yang merayu asking us to sell the bear to them... but nope, cannot la!

Unknown said...

Kak Pi,

Cute bear, just for the unfortunate.
I've been to Rumah Solehah at Cheras. Poor kids...

Good day.

Pi Bani said...

Akmal:
Yep, been to Rumah Solehah too, a few times. Even brought some buddy bears for the kids there.

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

dear mr buddy bear,

what can i say, here's a pat in the back. if only i could cheer a soul, that would be an achievement and here you are traveling the globe putting a smile on many kids' faces.

i beg to differ tho, the blog owner is such a teddy too. not sure if she's huggable but she sure deserves heck alot of it.

bon voyage.

your pal,
circus-freak bear.

Pi Bani said...

Kerp:
Dear circus-freak bear,
First and foremost, what makes you so sure I am MR Buddy Bear? Did it show in my picture? Am I handsome or what? ;)

Secondly, the blog owner IS huggable... but again, it depends on who tries to hug her. Wrong person tries to hug her will get a karate chop!

Shhh... don't tell her I told you this ya...

Signed,
Buddy Bear

Daphne Ling said...

Aiya Kak Pi,

Find a bf yang cuddly macam teddy bear ke? Since I'm not small, looks like I kena find a guy roughly the size of a polar bear to really be able to snuggle up to macam teddy bear ler...

Ok! Kena pergi Alaska nak cari Eskimo yang berbalut many, many layers...;)

winniethepooh said...

buddy bear, ure doing a wonderful job just like the blog owner... bringing lots of joy, comfort and support to those who really need a helping hand to get on with life after being infected with HIV.

3 cheers for u and pi bani!!

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

eh, the other day somebody told me she looks like a panda, only with red nose.

ipoh mali also, just like buddy bear.

Pi Bani said...

Daph:
You nak cari Eskimo? Nanti sampai Malaysia dia cair... tinggal one very thin layer!!

Pi Bani said...

Winnie:
You're a cute bear too, aren't you?

Kerp:
A panda with a red rose? I think better be just a beruang lah. (as in ber-wang... loaded meh...)

Bro Jinggo said...

Hai Kak Pi,

What a lovely teddy bear... Joint us at www.prokhairy.blogspot.com

Pi Bani said...

Bro_jinggo,
Thanks for dropping by. And thanks too for your invitation... but I'm the type who stays away from political discussions...

Unknown said...

KakPi... I love teddy bears! Cuddly...ermmmm...That's why I think they would love 'em too... I let go all my favorite teddy bears for them akak! But I never missed them because I know they kids will love them and take care of them like I did.

p/s: now my hubby pun cuddly macam teddy bear...shhhhh!

Pi Bani said...

Raden Galoh:
Ewah, ewah... husband aje ke cuddly macam teddy bear? Diri sendiri tak? :)

Daphne Ling said...

Aiya Kak Pi,

I say Eskimo balut many layers (polar bear oso can ;)!), not snowman! Eskimo punya orang cannot cair lar =) Hehe...

Pi Bani said...

Daph:
You think your Eskimo can tahan so many layers when he comes to Malaysia ah? Sure cannot tahan one... layer by layer tanggal finally same thing... tinggal one thin layer oso...

Faten Rafie said...

do you accept donation in form of home made bears?

Pi Bani said...

Athene:
Actually the Buddy Bears is made specifically for the HIV infected kids. We do accept donations of toys which we give away not only to the HIV infected, but also to the HIV affected kids.

So yeah, I guess the answer is yes.