Beginning the Volunteer Journey
I’ve always wanted to volunteer in an area where I could impact a group of people and in a way that could help them further beyond just a one-off thing; perhaps equipping or teaching them a skill that they could take back and use. The question that remained on my mind with regards to volunteering was, “How do we as christians help others in a sustainable way?” And I found the Lord leading me to Colours Foundation, and more specifically, the Colours Friendship Centre.
I joined the volunteering program at Colours Friendship Centre in October 2024. Every Sunday, we hold two classes to teach our migrant brothers simple computer skills and digital literacy. I really enjoyed my time there, as I was able to really build relationships with our migrant brothers through conversing with them about life, sharing jokes and asking them about their work and their families. And I fel many of them also enjoyed building relationships with the volunteers and it meant alot to them too.
Nazrul – My Friend
For me, an interesting experience was with a migrant brother called Nazrul. Nazrul has difficulty communicating in English, so he would need writings in notes and I would need to use google translate to communicate with him sometimes. He has been working in Singapore for over 15 years and still has a smile on his face every week. One week, when I was asking him if he preferred Singapore or his home country, he told me that if he could, he would move his family to Singapore as it’s a great country and he feels extremely well taken care of and at ease here. He shared with me that he appreciates the safety and the people in the country. And to me, that surprised me! It surprised me because most of the migrant brothers I talked to thus far had responded that they preferred their home country because their family was there. But Nazrul was so grateful and joyful when telling me these things. He told me that in about 5 years, he will be going back as he cannot work in Singapore anymore.
That broke my heart, because I felt like his journey here will come to an end and he would need to go back to find a sustainable job again. But he told me the news still with a smile on his face, and I could hear just how grateful he was in everything. Even when he had just rushed over from his work, he still had a smile, with a heart full of gratitude. I really reflected that in our lives we have so much yet complain so much, and who am I to complain when others are so grateful without even knowing Christ yet.
Learning to See with a New Perspective
Many times we walk past these people and communities and overlook them, but God really taught me through this process to open my eyes and heart to love them as well through building friendships with them. Now, when I walk on the streets, I look out when there’s a group of migrant workers just to see if it’s the friends that I made at the centre.
God also moved my heart, by showing me that even though I’m a lowly skilled and imperfect person, He uses it when we offer it in gratitude for Him to use us in whatever way he pleases to bless others. I realised that of such little I have, God used me in this instance to help the migrant brothers with computer skills and building friendships with them. What we have to do is offer ourselves to God, and be available and humbled for God to work.
Finally, although it is joyful, it can get draining and tiring going to volunteer each week. But one thing that I’ll always remember is that in these short 4 hours, it is my opportunity to love these brothers and spend time with them. They are probably more tired than me, and yet still have a smile on their faces every single week. I think as Christians we are called to love everyone in every opportunity given and that goes beyond the four walls of church.
I’m super inspired by one of our migrant brother, whose name is Sankar, as he goes week in week out beyond his work to volunteer to help his own community. To me, if he is able to do that in love, then all the more should we as Christians too!
