We finally managed to hold our Buddies group meeting last night. Unlike the Board meetings which are held on monthly basis to discuss more on administration and general matters, the group meetings are supposed to be held once every 2 months to specifically discuss matters pertaining to our PLHIV (People Living with HIV) clients. However for the past few months we have not had any group meetings as every time one is planned, there is always not enough volunteers able to attend due to other commitments. Ah, we are all busy working people, when this person is free, that person is not.
Each of us who attended the meeting last night had to report on our clients - but most of the other volunteers only had a short report to give. Somehow or rather I seem to get the more complicated (and dramatic!) cases so my reports tend to take a longer time.
The case I'd like to highlight this time is not a case I'm handling; but I've mentioned about Devi before as I met her during one of my clinic duties.
So, what's up with Devi?
In my earlier posting here, I mentioned that Devi was staying with a friend of hers. Well, the friend now wants her to move out as the friend's husband, who was earlier working outstation, would be coming back soon. Devi has been given until end of November to find herself a new home.
Devi had recently managed to get her EPF withdrawal of RM13K, but as of yesterday, she only had a balance of RM2K left in her account. Apparently she had been borrowing here and there, promising them she'd pay the money once she gets her EPF and so when the money came, the bulk of it was used to pay off her borrowings. I guess this is a case of dengar guruh di langit, air tempayan dicurahkan (or should it be dengar guruh di langit, kepala paip ditanggalkan? :)) - the money was not even in yet; but she was already spending them.
Never mind that. Now she has to find herself a new home. But she is not working, if we help her find a new place to stay in, how on earth is she going to pay for her rental? She'd be chased out in no time. The way I see her, I think she should be able to work - maybe as a cleaner or any other suitable jobs. But in her mind, she is too weak to work.
One of my fellow volunteers had actually managed to get a good offer for her. Someone who had recently opened an Old Folks Home had agreed to offer her a stay-in job at the home. He even allowed her to bring her 2 sons along to stay with her at the home. But Devi turned down the offer! Can you believe it? She wants a house nearer to her present place. I can understand that if she's working somewhere there, or if her children are schooling there but she's not working and her children aren't schooling! We offered to help the older boy to go back to school, but the boy doesn't want to go back to school. He said he helps out his grandmother from time to time "when he feels like it". Adoi, susahlah ini macam, we are thinking about their future but they don't seem bothered at all.
Just recently another volunteer had arranged for her employers to contribute some Deepavali goodies to poor families under our care. Devi was one of the recipients. When Devi came to our center to receive the goodies, the volunteer did ask her what else she needed. And Devi's answer to that was, "Boleh carikan saya rumah?" And my friend immediately responded with "HAAA?!" My friend then asked her, "Habis, kerja macam mana?" Devi just kept quiet. She wants a home, not a job.
We volunteers have to work to cari makan, and the people we are voluntarily helping actually expect necessities to bergolek their way? How lah like that?
People say beggars can't be choosy - but this one seem to think she can!
We decided to let things be first. Maybe when Devi becomes more desperate (when she runs out of money and when it's time to leave the present house) she would accept our suggestions.
On another note, here's an update on Yah - who is not only getting on my nerves, she seems to be getting on other people's nerves as well. Before this I've mentioned about her sleeping around with guys without telling them she's HIV positive. This time around, she got on Fuzi's nerves.
Apparently during our Family Day in August when Yah and Fuzi met, Fuzi must have told Yah about the friend who's helping her to settle her daughter's problem in getting her MyKad done. For whatever reasons, Yah asked for the friend's phone number and Fuzi actually gave her the number.
Yah did call up Fuzi's friend. That's quite okay I guess, otherwise what's the point of Fuzi giving her the number kan? But what was totally unnecessary was that Yah actually told Fuzi's friend that Fuzi has HIV! What on earth was she trying to do? Just because she lost her job when her own in-laws told her last employer about her HIV infection, Yah is now seeking revenge on other PLHIVs?! Is she getting to be a sicko?!
I'm losing my patience lah with this woman.
Sabar Pi, sabar...
15 comments:
Komen Pak Malim, kucing ray yg alim.
Your work,that's a noble thing that U do, kata Pak Malim sambil makan budu.
Pak Malim:
Certain things are fardu kifayah, kata Pi Bani sambil teringat kat Yah. To me it has become an obligation, katanya lagi sambil tengok television.
Siapa lagi nak bantu mereka kalau bukan kita? syarah Pi Bani sambil start engine kereta.
Alahaii Pi - kesiannya Kak Puteri dengar all the dugaan you are facing dalam dok buat kerja amal macam ni.. sabar banyak2, itu ajalah yg boleh kata..there's hikmah in everything..
Quite frankly, I'd rather deal with cranky old folks than having to put up with people you mention here, ma'am. With old folk, all I've gotta do is put on a blank face as if I've seen a ship the size of Titanic flying over SS3, Petaling Jaya. he he
Something evil is in Yah's mind ... seems like she's seeking revenge in all the wrong placess. Susah ye, nak buat kerja amal macam ni? And how do you stay unaffected, Pi?
Kak Puteri:
Kadang2 memang frust bila dapat cases macam ni, but when we think of those whose lives had improved after we helped them, semangat pulak nak tolong yang lain. And more importantly, just because the parents buat perangai, doesn't mean we should let the children terbiar gitu je. Like you said, kena sabar banyak2.
So, sabar Pi, sabar...
Bergen:
Oh, I wish I can just put on my muka sadin with these clients of mine - but yep, I think it only works on old folks lah... :)
QOTH:
Tak ada kerja yang senang. Nak buat kerja amal mesti ada dugaan. I can't say I am not affected at all, but I try my best not to get too personal into this. Nak buat voluntary work, the important thing is to know where and when to draw the line.
Susah kalau taknak kerja tapi nak rumah bagai. Dah tu boleh lah pulak memilih. Pastu mulalah tuding jari kat semua orang kata taknak menolong. Sorry ye Pi but u knolah i ni kan cepat marah dgn benda2 camni.
Yg Yah tu, i think its best you tell the other ppl not to give out any contact numbers if she ask. Kalau tak nanti benda yg p&c habis dia bagitau semua orang. Just because her life is going down the drain she's taking other ppl w her as well. Memang very evil.
Farina,
Tu lah pasal... agaknya di Devi tu ingat senang-senang je orang lain kerja nak bagi dia makan kot. Kalau dia memang dah bed-ridden tak larat nak kerja I paham le juga.
As for Yah, kebetulan si Fuzi tu lurus bendul, dia tak terpikir nak buat naiya kat orang, so dia ingat orang pun takkan buat naiya kat dia...
Komen Pak Malim, kucing ray yg alim.
Pi Bani,
Kalau datang KL hari Sabtu
Jangan lupa letak sadin depan pintu
Wahai Pak Malim! seru Pi Bani sambil makan aiskrim.
Nak letak depan pintu yang mana satu? tanya Pi Bani sambil tengok cerita hantu.
on the bright side, she's cleared up some if not all, her debts.
and i think to be put into an old folks home isnt that bad, what more with a job waiting. cannot be too fussy la akka, just grab it.
Kerp:
She spent because she anticipated the money coming in. Bila betul-betul dapat duit, dah kira bukan duit sendiri dah.
And yeslah, kat old folks home tu good offer la. Got a job, got place to stay, boleh bawa anak lagi.Apa lagi mau?
Kak Pi, you are one brave and patient woman. I salute you for what you've done and been through to help all these people.
Sometimes I met needy people who's arrogant, ungrateful, selfish and just like Devi and Yah.
I'm not that patient la...
Kakchik:
Kalau time I muda-muda dulu I join this kind of voluntary work, mungkin tak berapa nak sabar kot. Dah tua-tua ni kenalah sabar sikit kan? Or yang sebenarnya dah tak larat nak marah... ;)
Yes, sometimes we do get fed-up with their attitude, but these people have infected/affected children - and we can't dump the children just because we can't stand their parents.
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