On the 10th of November 2018, OVE 2019 held our very first session with our service users from the Metta Home for the Disabled at the Singapore River Safari. Each of our members paired up with one of our Metta Home friends and together, we toured River Safari with lots of fun and giggles!
“What a day! I truly enjoyed my time at River Safari exploring fishes, pandas and even snakes with our new friends. I am already looking forward to the next session!” - Desmond
Despite it being the first time meeting our Metta Home service users for most of our members, everyone was full of zest. Inevitably, some of us felt awkward due to language barriers and some miscommunications, but it never stopped us from reaching out and engaging with them through our actions.
“At first, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to communicate with the elderly and would be impatient with them. Thankfully, all went well. Even though one of them did not want to introduce herself to me at the start and was rather reserved initially, along the way, she slowly opened up, smiled and answered my questions. It was very heartwarming to see her enjoying her time with the animals. This experience really taught my how to interact with them - patience is really key. Contrary to my expectations, the Metta Home elderly were all very cute and friendly! I am looking forward to future sessions and hope to bond with them even more!” - Lisa
Nonetheless, it was extremely heartwarming to see how our members displayed a conspicuous spirit of volunteerism throughout the session and how our much Metta Home service users enjoyed the trip. Even the strongest heat and the heaviest rain did not stop us from showering them with our love, care and enthusiasm.
"It was definitely a new experience for me. If I were to use 2 words to sum up this trip, it would be ‘heartwarming’ and ‘patience’. Being my first interaction with people with general learning disabilities, it surely wasn’t easy as they might not fully comprehend what we tried to convey. But their smiles and excitement warmed our heart.” - Zhi Wei
“Today was an eye-opening experience for me. It was both fun and fulfilling, getting to bond with my Metta Home friends and my OVE’19 fam! Really hope to enjoy it again during the next Metta Home session.” - Jensen
“This was such an enriching experience. I stepped out of my comfort zone and conversed in hokkien throughout the session. Initially, it was challenging to understand them. However, their positivity and excitement made me open up and I felt more comfortable with them. Seeing how much they enjoyed my company and how they shared their joy with me made me feel really happy too.” - Xuan Ying
Each and every one of them is a ray of sunshine that have helped put a smile on our faces. Time passed so quickly and before we realised, it was time to part ways. It was indeed a fulfilling afternoon. Till the next outing together, our dear Metta Home service users!