VOLUNTEER SHARING BY
RAY CHEUNG, VOLUNTEER, CHILD CARE HOME
(1) Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hello Eunice. My name is Ray. Usually, they call me big brother Ray. I am a full-time programmer, work from nine to six, from Monday to Friday. I have served Mother’s Choice for more than nine years. I work as a volunteer in the Big Baby Room of the Child Care Home.
(2) Please share how you first get connected with Mother’s Choice.
If talking about how did I come to Mother’s Choice and start volunteering, I want to put it this way. I, like ordinary people, have some ups and downs in life. At the time of low tide in life, I wanted to do something to give myself some strength. I thought that interaction between people would be great, so I thought about volunteering. When I was thinking about volunteering, Mother’s Choice came to my mind. So I started to apply, and then I came here as a volunteer.
(3) What’s your most memorable moment/experience in your work with Mother’s Choice, and why?
I have two things that are unforgettable. One is how I joined in to volunteer, the second is on special moments with babies. In fact, Mother’s Choice” is very strict in selecting volunteers. At that time, the application was often full. I have been paying attention to the website. I followed closely online, and eventually the application got through. After applying, I waited for almost half a year before moving on to have my first interview. After the last interview, I waited two or three months before receiving a letter informing me that I got confirmed to be a volunteer. I remembered the first time when I volunteered, it was Chinese New Year’s Eve that evening, the following day is Chinese New Year. I thought to myself, the application was already very challenging, are they trying to test my determination at my first shift? But I didn’t think too much eventually. I thought that since I applied joining, I would make it even though it’s on Chinese New Year’s Eve. I remember that since then, for the many New Year’s Eve that follow, I took the initiative to sign up to be on duty.
Special moments with children… Let me give you an example. When I first came, there was a baby, he got some health issues and his whole body was rather “soft”. When I carry him, and he was almost one year old, but he couldn’t even turn around his body. As we carry him, we have to hold up his neck. I noticed that he did not have much facial expression, did not smile often, without many requests desires, didn’t display much on needs, lying on his back, like a Buddha statue. I felt like the need to arouse his desire for life, then I often carry him and hold him up to look outside the window. Every time when I hold him, I will be reminded by the staff: “Be careful! Be careful!” Then I will carry him like this. I remember that after carrying him for a period of time, he started to have expectations. He will ask others to hold him up to look outside from the window. After a while, he started to stand up and learn to walk. When he could walk more stable, once when I entered the door, he walked over and took my hand to walked towards the area of volunteers. Then he used his body and hands to push other volunteers away, make room and indicated me to sit down. After I sat down, he sat on my lap. At that moment I was very touched, it was a very special moment.
(4) What’s your hopes/dreams for the future of Mother’s Choice and/or the children we serve?
In fact, I hope that more people would get to know Mother’s Choice, perhaps through your marketing or publicity channels. If more people know about you, hopefully there’s more understanding and recognition, and then get more resources and support from the community. In this way, be it activities for children and pre-school education, these may be better provided.
At the time of low tide in life, I wanted to do something to give myself some strength. I thought that interaction between people would be great, so I thought about volunteering.
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GET TO KNOW MOTHER’S CHOICE INFO SESSION
Learn more about Mother’s Choice or how to become a volunteer on our team by joining the next Get To Know Mother’s Choice Info Session via Zoom. Sign up here please.