I was relaxing at home on Tuesday when SN called me. She was at the HIV clinic then, giving some counseling to a newly diagnosed HIV positive guy. SN wouldn't call me unless she has a favour to ask or a client to refer.
True enough, SN asked if I'd be on clinic duty the next day as there was one particular case she wanted to specifically pass to me. Well, my next clinic duty will be in mid-April and so, that Wednesday (yesterday) the clinic duty was attended by my colleagues.
According to SN, this guy, Aman, a Muslim convert, needs a place to stay. His parents are no longer around, and he's been staying at an aunt's house, (the aunt knows he's a Muslim) but when the aunt found out about his HIV status, she wanted him to move out. She said she'd be coming back in a week's time and she wants him out by then.
Aman used to work at a food court, but ever since he got sick (he found out about his HIV when he was hospitalized recently) he's no longer working. Now that he needs to move out of his aunt's house, and without earning any income, how on earth is he supposed to support himself? And where on earth is he supposed to live? Not only does he need shelter and moral support, being a new Muslim, he also needs religious guidance.
And so that was why SN decided to call me. I already had other appointments in my office on Wednesday, otherwise I wouldn't mind dropping by the hospital for a while to meet up with this guy. I told SN to just refer him to my colleagues who were on duty so they could take down his details. I trust my colleagues would still refer the case to me.
Just as I had expected, while I was at my office yesterday morning, my colleague who was on clinic duty called to inform me about this guy. I already had some basic info about Aman from SN, so my colleague didn't have to explain much. But I couldn't give an answer there and then as I still need to ask around on where would be the best place to refer this guy to. Only problem was, he doesn't have a phone, and he's about to be chased out of his aunt's house, so how was I supposed to contact him? I had no choice but to tell my colleague to tell Aman to call me in 2 or 3 days time, with the hope that I'd be able to come up with a solution by then.
Meanwhile I've been surfing the web, searching for homes that may accept people like Aman. I know of some shelter homes for HIV+ men, but the ones which would probably give some Islamic guidance are the ones specifically for drug/substance users - and according to what I've been told, Aman is not. His HIV infection was probably due to his bad past. There are a few other shelter homes for HIV positive men, but they are either Christian or Buddhist homes. Yes, there are some homes which are not religion based, but Aman needs religious guidance as well. Yes, there are many Muslim shelter homes - but all for either women or children. For men? Ahh, the old folks homes... but Aman definitely doesn't qualify.
I was browsing the website of a particular Muslim dakwah and charity organisation. I figured this organisation would be the best organisation to help Muslim converts. I just tried my luck by sending in my query - telling them of Aman's situation and asking if the organisation is able to help. When I checked this morning, there was already a response to my query, asking me for Aman's or my phone number. Alhamdulillah... there's hope, I thought. So I quickly replied, saying that Aman doesn't have a phone but is supposed to call me back in 2 or 3 days time. So I gave them my phone number. Again, there was another quick response, telling me that someone will call me. I became even more hopeful.
Before noon, a lady from the said organisation called. I was expecting her to maybe ask for further details and then suggesting to me where I should refer this guy to. But instead the lady said they didn't have the sources for this kind of cases for men, and so she suggested that I refer this case to JKM instead. Aduh, my hopes were dashed! If an organisation supposedly doing dakwah work can't help me out on this one, who can?
Aman still hasn't called me yet. Frankly I'm not sure if I can come up with a solution by the time he calls. I guess the most important thing is for him to get some shelter, so I guess all I can do for the time being is to give him the options of the various shelter homes for HIV positive men.
Aman may be rather weak and fragile at the moment, but if given proper care and guidance, I believe he can get better. And when he does get better, he should be able to work again. But if he becomes homeless and doesn't get any proper care, his condition will only worsen. And probably, so will his faith, na'uzubillah.
Ya Allah, help him please.
9 comments:
Hai Pi,
doa2 Aman will get a place to stay.Sedihnya dengar cerita nasib mereka yang kena HIV dan dihalau oleh mak sdara macam kucing kurap.
I rasa so sad and mintak ampun banyak2 tak dapat tolong buat masa ni.
Cuba mintak tolong dari Adun kawasan you?Maybe he can think up of an idea?
Pi,
Malaysians are known to be very generous when donating for causes beyond our shores. TVs, Newspapers would rally and raise millions within a matter of days. Can't they do the same for our own people? I am more inclined to think that they do it only when they can garner publicity when doing it.
So much can be done to provide such shelter with just a million ringgit. It is the case of 'kera dihutan disusukan'.
Mamasita,
Adun?! Adun2 kat Perak ni kan ke semuanya tengah sibuk mengadun strategi merebut kuasa? Mana ada masa nak kerja untuk rakyat? InsyaAllah, adalah tu nanti tempat untuk Aman tinggal dengan aman.
Pak Zawi,
Bukan tak ada shelter homes, ada. Tapi if you notice most of the homes are for women, children and old folks. For young men, mostly for drug and substance users. Macam Aman ni, payah sikit nak jumpa - especially ones which provide Islamic guidance.
JKM doesnt sound like a good idea but you can always try. their existence are after all to help those in need. there will be all the redtapes and crap initially and the wrost part is, you may have to put up with their typical kerani gomen attitude. but i'm sure they'll come up with something.
all the best, insyaAllah.
Kerp,
I dah pernah jumpa one officer (bukan kerani) yang terang-terang cakap HIV tu "penyakit sendiri cari" - without taking into consideration the fact that most of the cases we bring to their attention involve single mothers who became victims of someone else's doings. How lah like that? Inikan pulak nak bring to their attention the case of a MAN.
I wonder how I got here but I am pleased to be here, nevertheless, reading about something real in life – stranger than fiction. You see desparation and helplessness the same way I see and feel in what I have been doing. Keep it up, young lady. Just think of the odd occasion when we relish the satisfaction over something that does go the way we hope and pray for. Sometimes I am so frustrated that I think I could do with a miracle.
Pak Cik of Almanar
Pak Cik,
Welcome to my blog. Yes, sometimes this kind of work can be so frustrating but as you said, the odd occasion when something does go well, nothing can beat the satisfaction.
Thanks for dropping by.
Probably u can have a look at PERSATUAN PENGASIH MALAYSIA. www.pengasih.net Hopefully it works.
T,
Yes, Pengasih does have shelter homes for HIV+ people but they cater for drug users. As mentioned in my posting, Aman is not.
Anyway, to date, Aman has not contacted me yet. I hope he has not given up. Hopefully, he has already found a good option.
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