REFLECTION 2

A great man by the name of Gandhi once said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Community service is define as having students engage with community-university partnering that integrates teaching, learning and research by collaboration. Unlike the moral studies we had during our high school years, all we have to do were to memorize all the 36 moral values just to pass the examination. But when reality hits us, we did not have the chance to experience the real life values hands-on. So, community service aids in bridging us between theoretical knowledge and enable students to transform them into actions in a real environment.

We usually have the thoughts that volunteering in community service are by all means to lend a helping hand to the less fortunate and often failed to perceive we are the one who needs it more than anything. Taking part in such events teaches compassion and understanding that gives yourself a chance to be opened to generosity, devotion and love. By reaching out to others, in return we can discover our passions and potentials.

As being part of MPU 3412’s Community Service and Cocurriculum, my team and I will take up Street Feeding as our activity of choice. Street Feeding’s concept is very much similar to Soup Kitchen. Acting as a meal center where food is offered to the hungry for free. These activity center usually place themselves within in lower-income neighborhoods or at non-profit organisations. Since Street Feeding was initially a project kicked-off by Trinity Methodist Church Petaling Jaya (TMCPJ) so the helpers are usually staffed by their church members but opened to the public for additional volunteers. The Street Feeding project was established with the joint efforts between Trinity Methodist Church Petaling Jaya (TMCPJ), YMCA and Kenosis Home. Each of which have their own respective roles to ensure Street Feeding can be executed weekly.

Trinity Methodist Church Petaling Jaya – underwriting the project with both financial and material support and also recruiting volunteers.

YMCA Kuala Lumpur – financial support and premises.

Kenosis Home – cooking and logistics.

I am definitely looking forward towards Street Feeding on 18^th April 2015, Saturday to engage myself with social works for the community. Ask not what you can benefit from the society instead ask what you can do for the betterment of this society. 

Likewise how Gandhi’s humanitarian quote states it, “The real journey of finding yourself, starts with you.”