Official Closure of PBS

This morning I was given privilege to deliver my closing speech in church (the same one I delivered at the final PBS committee meeting 2 weeks ago) to inform the congregation that Pusat Berdikari Seremban is now formally closed. Pastor Paul Christie prayed for the continuing work of the Persatuan.

I felt good at the way PBS work has been handed over to Persatuan and although I am apprehensive over the great potential Persatuan can reach I am also aware how insignificant I am in this vast sea of change and progress. I am humbled by all the help I have been given and must admit that Persatuan will not get to where I envision unless my team give me its continuing support.

Charity in Recession Times

People have been telling me that it is bad timing to raise money during recession. It is generally true that pockets are less deep when economy is bad but the key word is 'generally'. In the hearts of charitable people and organizations, recession is not an overcoming factor to decide how much, or how little to be given out. In fact, the reverse can be true, that because the needs are constant, recession should NEVER be a reason to give less. Welfare centres like ours are in constant need to finance our work and look toward a steady stream of resources to put our mind at ease.

The 'Mama Mia!' musical is ongoing at the Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur. I read with interest how the Star Foundation and SP Setia Charity Foundation are actively raising funds to support the works of selected welfare centres throughout the nation that cannot survive financially on their own without such public donations. Recently I also read of another charity called the Budimas Foundation carrying out similar works but with a different focus. Here in Malaysia I believe that charity is in the core of many people and organizations. Not because they get any returns but they just find it so natural to be helpful. Isn't that so Malaysian? And this makes me really proud to be one, in spite of the many negative political talks about race, religion and government policies in the various blogs.

Charity foundations are very common in the west. I google that term and come up with many such foundations in the United States that aid the handicapped families, small businesses and welfare homes. Most are for those within the nation although they do support international needs but qualifying conditions are stiff and competitive. As more and more centres vie to get limited supports the chances of getting a reasonable sum is harder. As such it seems that to be in the race one has to impress as well as do very well to earn that support. The philosophy of any foundation work is to give to those that deserve to be helped. In the coming years I guess we have to work real hard to join the category that 'deserved to be helped'.

Like the proverb in Bahasa Malaysia says, 'Sedikit sedikit menjadi bukit', translated to mean 'Bit by little bit a hill will be formed', so we will need the charity from many hearts to build up the required financial base to enable our work to be discharged without any anxieties even in recession times. Our faith is that recession is NOT in the equation of charity. And I hope that our supporters feel the same way.

Our Precious Partners

Betsi let in a secret this morning. We have 93 partners at last count since we launched the Partnership Program almost exactly a year ago. Some paid more than once in the year and we thank all of them for their generosity. Without partners and volunteers we would be nowhere in this work, really.

Christmas comes in just a week from now. I pray that our spirit of joy will not be in any way dampened by the current global economic recession. Think through this: Jesus Christ was not born in a predictable, safe or comfortable place. Yet he grew up in a warm and loving family and help restore broken relationship between men and between men and God. If Jesus had been born into a well-to-do family and a safe environment how can we expect Him to understand many of our predicaments of life? But He did, because He was there, done that and understood the ebbs of our difficult times. Therefore let nothing tough influence the true joy of Christmas, because Christmas is about God among humankind.

Let me wish each and everyone of you who read our posts a very blessed and thankful Christmas and may your New Year bring about new hope and new resource to face the challenges ahead. May God bless you and your family and give you health and happiness.

My Thoughts on the Initial Years of Persatuan

Yesterday I spent some time jotting down what I believe to be key issues Persatuan need to address in the initial years of its formation. As chairman it is my responsibility to plan for the development and growth of the Persatuan. Infants need breast milk or infant formula to build up strong bones, healthy bodies and brains to prepare for their childhood. Likewise we need to be similarly provided to grow up strong.

I've identified the following key areas to develop in the next 2-3 years:

• Financial Resource - We need to build our Partnership Programme, Corporate Sponsorships and Donations from Welfare Foundations to be financially adequate to meet our expected growth.
• Capacity Building - Our centre is fully subscribed. We need new space to grow.
• Human Resource - With growth comes the need to recruit more staff and volunteers.
• Publicity & Awareness - New brochure, updated website and blog and newsletters to keep our supporters and visitors informed.
• Social Networking - Create bases for parents and trainees to interact, share and encourage.
• Skills Training - Improve on the quality of skills we possess and impart to the trainees.

There is much work ahead of us and many people are needed to help bring them to fruition. We need people to offer their skills connected to the above key areas to take Persatuan to the next level. Presently the available resources within the committee, Persatuan membership, trainers and volunteers are not enough to achieve them. More help are needed.

Closure of Pusat Berdikari Seremban

A symbolic meeting was held this morning to formally close the work of Pusat Berdikari Seremban. Over the past 5 months Persatuan had gradually taken over Pusat's work and it is fitting to end this chapter of Pusat and hand over the work completely to Persatuan. Several resolutions were passed and the chairman gave his closing address below.

It gives me great pleasure, honor and privilege to deliver this closing address of Pusat Berdikari Seremban. 10 years and 6 months ago I remember attending the dedication service of this training centre officiated by the late Rev. Paul George Ponniah on 31st May 1998, 5.30pm. On 1st June 1998, PBS was officially launched with 17 trainees under the care of a staff trainer and a group of 13 volunteers.

From the time when the idea of setting up this centre was mooted by the Social Concerns Committee of Wesley Methodist Church Seremban to the LCEC on 23rd May 1996 to its inception, much work had been put in by both the church leadership and Malaysian Care who undertook the advisory role in setting up of the centre, putting a workable system in place and training the trainers and volunteers. No single party is more important than the others, all play important roles in ensuring that PBS was safely delivered and nurtured. We thank God that we enjoyed unity and passion in this work.

Over the years we have realized our vision of training self reliance to many of our trainees. In so doing we have indeed changed their lives for the better. And this is our reward, to be part of the life-changing process.

Unlike some of similar centres which choose to take the route of immediate registration as societies, PBS chose to remain within the church and waited for the right timing which came 10 years later. Therefore, when PBS celebrated her 10th anniversary on 5th July 2008, it was a fitting closure to a social ministry that began quietly, grew steadily and then blossomed into a butterfly to enable it to grow further.

Persatuan Berdikari Seremban owes to Pusat Berdikari Seremban the solid foundation it is built upon. Although about the same team takes over the helm, history will record how Persatuan’s work could not have been this smooth and strong if not for the early vision and efforts of its pioneers and founders.

In this closing address I wish to put on record my appreciation to every one of them. PBS shall find a place in the history of Wesley Methodist Church Seremban as the fore-runner of Persatuan Berdikai Seremban. On this note I wish to commit the continuing work to God for His onward blessing and shelter as we bring hope and joy to the learning disabled people who enter our doors.

To God be the Glory! Thank you.

The following members attended the meeting:

Welfare Allowance Approved

Trainees who found work are entitled to receive a welfare allowance of RM300 monthly. We have been actively helping our trainees apply for their allowances. While some of the approval letters were sent to their homes, others came to us. Yesterday we received such a letter for one trainee who is now gainfully employed at Giant Supermarket. As he is working we presented the letter to his mother in a simple ceremony. Chong Ying Heng, congratulations!

A Surprise Gift

Today we celebrated Christmas by giving the trainees a party in which 6 members of the d'Nous Academy students helped in leading the singing and playing games. Sister Siew Khim told the story of God's creation. Among the guests who came were 5 members from Kuala Lumpur Wesley Methodist Church, specifically on a mission at our invitation to present us a gift.

These guests are: Veronica Ting (Director, Social Outreach), Lim Pik Wah (Chairperson, Christian Social Concerns Committee), Goh Joo Gaik, Cindy Ong and Ong Jin Gay (Members, Christian Social Concerns Committee).

KL Wesley had heard of our work and were touched by what they discovered and decided to help us financially. So on one Sunday recently, they took an offering for their Needy Fund which is to be channelled to us. We were 'shocked' by the amount they gave. It came to RM16,794.70! A private donation of RM300 also came with the group.

We were very touched by this gesture of fine charity and kept the faith that there are many caring Methodists in this country. To KL Wesley in general and those who gave to this work in particular, we want to record our heartfelt 'Thank You' for being our partners. The trainees are the more blessed because of what you gave.

Pelita Methodist Vol 33, No. 10/October 2008

The following article was published on our work. Double click for the enlarged size.

Time Flies

Hi, is it December already? Time for some of us to start Christmas shopping, writing our Christmas greeting cards, organizing family year end get-togethers and parties. We are already selling our trainees prepared and packed Xmas cards at RM5 for a set of 2. We welcome you to buy them from the centre. Call 06-7632005 for details. Oh yes, PBSNS will have her annual X'mas party on December 11. Do drop by around lunch time and enjoy some fun singing with the trainees. I'm sure they will enjoy your presence.

If you have been our Partner when we launched the program about a year ago we would appeal to you to stay connected with our work by continuing as a partner again next year. It cost just RM120 a year and the amount will go towards financing the centre's operating expenses. Please mail us your donation to the address given at the top of this blog. Thanks.

Take care and God bless.

Oops Again! It is Really on TV!

This morning a filming crew working for RTM2 came to carry out the filming and interviewing of our activities for their Kugapai Harapan TV magazine which, I realized upon clarifying with their Production Manager, Cik Suhaini Abdul, is actually a TV programme just like the Fitrah Kasih by RTM1. I was not exactly prepared to be interviewed but rather to read out the prepared answers to the questions that will be posed to me. As it turns out that state of unpreparedness placed me in a more relaxing mood before the camera. As it rolled and Suhaini sat next to it and asked me questions I managed to deliver impromptu replies. It was over in 10 minutes and the cameraman proceeded to video the rest of the activities by the trainees.

We are not advised of the actual broadcast date and time but once we have it I will update with another post.

Compassion in Society

Compassion is a feeling for another's sorrow or suffering. An equivalent term is empathy. Not many people has this ability to understand and feel for the sorrowful, the suffering, the disabled. Perhaps those who can already understood that in the realm of human capacities there is inequality and that they have experienced the empty or half cup syndrome, which is how a person feels looking at life up from the floor level, much as a crippled or a lame beggar would. They further understand that there are others in the same situation, and worst. As such it is easier for them to view life from a blessed eye and hence dispense compassion to those less well off. Or else how shall we explain the poor and the sick still having compassion for others? Compassion belongs to people of every status, wealth and educational background. I guess it is both a gift of discernment as well as life's experience that enable one to feel compassion.

How many of us has true compassion for the disabled people around us? Perhaps when they are truly disabled, like when they are obviously blind, crippled, speech impaired or mentally deficient that we are moved to feel pity and helpful towards them. But do we really feel the same way for others who are not so obviously handicapped? Like the learning disabled people in the workplace?

These people look as normal as you and I but for the exception that they are slow in thinking, expressing, learning and doing. Quite often we fall into the trap of raising our expectations of them. Like why are you STILL so slow? Why can't you learn as fast inspite of all the trainings?

Learning disability is a lifelong setback. Short of wearing a label that shouts 'I Am a Learning Disabled Person' we don't need to demean these fellow human beings any further. We ought to treat them normally BUT with understanding that they are not as normal as we normal people are, or ever will be. Strangers may be forgiven for not knowing the lack of certain capacities of these LD people but those in their circle like family members, neighbors and workplace colleagues ought to know better. Sadly, familiarity still breed contempt and over time our treatment of the LD shift towards the way we treat the other people.

Other factors as to why disabled people failed to receive special treatment are the 'why are they so special? I too have my own set of problems!' ,'it is not my problem!' and the 'they get the same pay so should do the same work!' attitudes. In bad times more and more people need compassion, including the regularly normal families who may cut off their feelings towards the disabled since they too believe that they now belong to the financially disabled crowd!

However, compassion towards the physically and mentally disabled must be an all-season attitude because they are an all-season disability people.

Disabled Persons in the Real World Job Market

It is all honky dory to believe that the real world outside will accept disabled persons in their midst with more compassion and patience than their regular peers. After all, the very fact that they are less endowed than us should invoke a sense of sympathy or even pity, right? Wrong!

What I have learned is that disabled employees are sometimes expected to perform just as well as the abled ones. Perhaps at the onset when they were new their colleagues tend to be more understanding but over time their expectations increase. They begin to expect the disabled colleagues to be picking up new skills as fast as they can and when that is not forthcoming they become critical. The able employees may not know that the disabled colleagues of theirs spent many years just to learn some basic skills and are also not able to learn new ones as well or as fast. Such treatment tend to give rise to grievances.

In some societies, perception of the disabled community is more matured in a sense this special people are already accepted as different and therefore treated with better respect and preference without any qualm. In such environments the disabled are accorded respect and preferential treatment that do not give rise to complaints from the normal adults. Evolving societies are learning to change their mindset. This process may take many years.

Management may have decided to give special privileges to their disabled employees. However, the workers themselves may not be as enthusiastic or charitable in their hearts. Such conflicts take time to resolve. It is necessary for open dialogs between employers and employees to resolve any misunderstanding.

Disable employees and their families are naturally aggrieved by any mistreatment or prejudice at the workplaces. It require patience and public discourse to bring this matter to the forefront, debated and resolved.

Oops! Not TV but Magazine

RTM2 has advised us that this November 25's interview and photoshooting will be for their health magazine for the disabled people entitled Kugapai Harapan. It will not be for television broadcast as misunderstood by us. Upon reflection I realise it is a better idea since we will have newspapers, television and magazine coverages. Publication is due in March next year so this help spread our publicity over a long period rather than condensed all into this year. It is marvelous how we see PBSNS start off.

We plan to buy several copies of this magazine for distribution to our supporters.

Proposal to Buy Church Building

Yesterday, at the local church executive committee meeting, I raised the proposal agreed by the PBSNS committee at its 27th September meeting, to buy over the church building that we are now renting so that the work of training the learning disabled may be expanded to include the first floor that is now used by the church as its administration office. We need the additional space to both improve on the training modules as well as accept more trainees on our waiting list.

Should the church agree to sell we will have to embark on fund raising projects after getting approval from the relevant authorities. It is my belief that the timing of this proposed purchase will help both PBSNS and the church in its growth. Do pray that God's will for us will be carried out smoothly.

PBSNS on Fitrah Kasih

I am thankful that RTM1 has aired a 3 minutes segment on the work of PBSNS on their Fitrah Kasih programme on 7th November 2008 at 9.00pm. Below is the videoclip for your viewing.

Filming Date Fixed

RTM2 crew will film our work and conduct an interview on November 25.

RTM2 Wants to Cover Our Work Too !

It cannot be coincidence at work here. I believe God is behind the publicity He wants to provide PBSNS for greater work. Today RTM2 contacted us by email asking for permission to publicise our work in their majalah kesihatan OKU (health magazine for the disabled people) called Kugapai Harapan. We are excited and will arrange a suitable date for their crew to visit us and film our activities. I will update on this subject as we get further details.

FITRAH KASIH

We have been told that we will be featured in this programme of RTM1 on November 7 between 9.00 - 9.30pm. Please remember to tune in.

A Really Fun and Exciting Day!

It was a momentous occasion for us. We never anticipate it but true to the agreement, a team of RTM1 crew arrived at the centre at 10am to record our works for broadcast in their FITRAH KASIH programme. Below is the 'behind the scene' pictures of what really happened this morning. Thanks to Betsi and David for getting everything ready.

PBSNS chairman, Peter Yew, getting ready for the interview.
RTM crew filming card making process.
Teaching session being filmed.
Cup cakes with welcoming messages to RTM friends.
Filming baking session (1)
Filming baking session (2)
Birthday celebration for 5 trainees.

Going on National Television - It's ON

We have been officially notified by RTM1 that they want to cover our work under their FITRAH KASIH programme which is broadcasted every Friday from 9.00 - 9.30pm. The filming crew will record the various activites on October 29. Actual airing date to be advised later.

New Signage Up

Our identity is finally taking shape, the transformation from Pusat Berdikari Seremban to Persatuan Berdikari Seremban is showing through the new signboard outside the centre. Signages inside the centre and posters will also be replaced. This in line with our application of registering the centre as a Care Centre. God willing we should be in full compliance with the law soon.

Thanks to David for expediting the new signage. Appreciated!

We May be on National Television!

We were approached by RTM1 recently. They wanted to find out more about our work. They came to know about us through the newspaper reports in the Star, NST and Utusan Melayu and were curious. They came on 16th October to conduct a preliminary study if we are 'good enough' to go on national television to share our work. I think we did qualify to go on their Friday night's show called FITRAH KASIH because they asked us to prepare some answers, get the centre ready with activities to videoshoot, and have trainees for interview. They even set a tentative date for the programme to be aired. This seems like a done deal! I don't watch RTM1 much but I know this segment will be on community work that should interest the generally caring Malaysian public. I don't know if we deserve it but surely the timing could not have been better!

RTM gave us just 2 weeks or so to prepare. Fortunately our new signages are coming in anytime. Our PBSNS tee shirts are already in use, and we have several trainees already in public employment that RTM wants to interview some of them. It is exciting, and a little unnerving! Getting on national television? It must be a nice dream and I hope that it is true, that we will do well, and that we will create so much awareness that we will have people remember us to support when we make our next appeals.

If this go through I will post the airing date and time here. Stay tuned!

Updates

Although it has been generally quiet, things are happening in PBSNS that require me to write this update.

The committee met for the second time on 27th September since it was elected in June. We dealt with many issues, including the decision to invest in a building of our own so that we can have our very own administrative base. We thought that the present building we are renting will make a good base and we will approach the church to consider if they are willing to sell. This decision, if agreed, will mean a new round of fund raising exercises. The purchase if it materialise will only take place in 3-4 years time.

We were visited by a Social Welfare officer who served us a notice to register as a Care Centre under the Care Centres Act 1993. It is no coincident that the visit came several months after we were registered and had celebrated our anniversary (actually that of Pusat Berdikari Seremban, our predecessor). We believe God was working in our midst. The registration as a Care Centre should not give us any undue problems from the impression we received from the officer since we are well organized.

And we are going to replace all existing Pusat's signboards to that of Persatuan's to reflect our new status as a society. We have already produced new letterheads, invoices, receipt books, payment vouchers, etc under the society's name. And we have already activated our Persatuan's banking account over a month ago. We will soon be producing our new brochure hopefully before end of the year, in 3 languages. By end of the year the transition to Persatuan will be complete.

The trainees at Giant and Guardian are already into their 3rd month of employment. Most are adapting well to the 'harsh' and 'real' working environment that they were not exposed to at the centre for the years they were with us. Perhaps we had been a little overly protective. We learn from this experience and feedback. We will give existing trainees reality checks once in a while to ensure they are better prepared for the workplace should they get chosen one day to work outside. We also learn not to leave these working trainees unchecked or assume that they will be able to adjust on their own, which in reality they cannot since they had not been in this new environment before. We will be following up on them more frequently, interact with their parents and supervisors, and talking with these working trainees. Lastly we are thinking of reviving the Social Club to give these working trainees opportunities to re-establish their bonds with friends still at the centre.

The work at PBSNS requires much alertness on the part of management, staff and volunteers to keep our clients in safe hands. Because we believe that even as normal adults need to be checked in now and then to see how they are doing, learning disabled people should require even more attention.

Visits by STM Students

It is with pride & joy that we at PBSNS welcomed students from Seminari Theoloji Malaysia (STM) in their endeavour to orient themselves to the work among People with Learning Disabilities. The team comprising 18 students from the English department and 15 students from the Chinese department and their respective lecturers Rev Dr Joseph Komar and Deaconess Margaret Chen were here to understand the complexities of this ministry to the marginalized segment of our society.

Seeing the trainees make Christmas cards, bake cakes, and after sampling the Banana walnut cake and Magic sponge (chocolate cake) these aspiring Church leaders expressed that they are “touched by their capabilities” and that this ministry challenges them. Several have assured us that they would promote our cards and cakes in their respective churches.

At PBSNS our vision is to see people with learning disability be self-reliant and move towards independent living. The focus of our training programme is to help discover their potential, enhance their capabilities and empower these people with dignity.>

The Korean Connection

We are favored by the visit of the newly appointed pastor of the Korean Church in Seremban, Rev. Lee Hung Sub, to understand our work better. Rev. Lee was here in Seremban to minister to the Korean Christians as well as carry out local missionary works.

Rev. Lee took a keen interest in our work and asked if he can bring Koreans visitors from South Korea to observe our work to which we agreed without hesitation. He further said he would like to bring his wife over to see how she can be of help. We are deeply touched by his gestures, which include possible financial aids later. We see today's visit as a potential beginning to a future tie whose opportunities only God can limit. We are glad to have been given this chance to explain what we are doing to him, as well as let him sample the cake and fried rice our trainees prepared.

The Bakery Section Picking Up Steam

It is heartening to see the bakery section getting more orders of their cakes. Parents of the trainees involved would show or share the cakes baked by their son or daughter to friends and neighbors. Such acts of pride and neighborliness invariably leads to fresh orders. Today I managed to capture these 2 trainees happily preparing ingredients to bake a new cake under the close supervision of Ann.

Securing Welfare Benefits for Qualified Trainees

We work hard to secure welfare allowances for qualified trainees. Presently those who are working are eligible to receive a monthly allowance of RM300 on top of what they earn. This morning two officers from the Seremban Welfare Department came to the centre to interview the trainees and their parents. This is part of their validation exercise and they were impressed by the work at the centre as well as its cleanliness. Even trainees who are now working at Giant and Guardian took time off to present themselves for the interview. We are happy for these trainees as their combined income will help them cover daily living expenses as well as save for their old age.

Ooops! I hope our trainees won't say this to us! Seriously, this little girl has no learning disability.

GCH Retail Accepts PBS Trainees

All 6 trainees who underwent 7-10 days training at various outlets have passed the evaluation and will be employed full time by GCH Retail. Indeed, this is a proud moment for them, as well as for us and their parents. Whereas once we all thought there was little hope of any of our trainees becoming gainfully employed outside of our centre, today these 6 learning disabled people showed that, putting in sufficient effort and not giving up, any learning disabled person can become employed given the opportunity. These 6 dignified people now rank with their other colleagues in carrying out their work, earning the same salaries and enjoying the same terms and conditions of service.

Who says that self-reliance is a term that only belong to the abled and normal persons? Now that these 6 have shown that they can become BERDIKARI too. Thank you GCH Retail for making it possible.

Updates

Shiraz and Khairi have been transferred to the Ampangan Giant outlet. Ying Heng passed his medical and have joined Yoga and Poh Leong at the Terminal 1 Giant outlet. Mee Ling continues at Terminal 1 Guardian outlet. They are are doing well.

We have today opened our banking account at Public Bank, Rasah Branch. From next month we will begin to make receipts and payments through the Persatuan account, effectively activating its work.

PBS Trainees Doing Well in Giant

I did a spotcheck on Yoga, Shiraz, Poh Leong and Khairi at Terminal 1 Giant outlet this afternoon, and later on Mee Ling at Terminal 1 Guardian outlet. Contrary to any anxieties we may have, they are doing quite well and stand very good chance of being absorbed into full employment there. Tomorrow Ying Heng who passed his medical exam will join them.

This morning at PBS I feel the other trainees are spotting tiny wings. The example of the trainees who were selected are giving courage to the others to attempt to fly away and explore the world outside the safe walls of PBS.

Successful Trainees Getting Ready to Leave

The Day PBS Trainees Went to Work

Today is a watershed day for us in PBS. Perhaps I should say for those successful trainees who are accepted into the GCH Retail programme of recruiting disabled people to work in their outlets. I remember some time in May this year when Mr. Nesan of GCH Retail spoke to the trainees and said that he wanted to see how many would qualify to work for Giant supermarket and Guardian pharmacy, almost every hand went up. It showed how keen PBS trainees were to find jobs outside. It showed they were mentally prepared to leave. Unfortunately only those who can withstand the rigors of a 'normal' world and passed a health check would be recruited. The final hurdle will be they successfully passing the training given at their job locations.

We thank Simon Hay and Carol Lina for their efforts in taking these trainees under their supervision and we wish all the trainees selected will meet the training requirements and be able to adapt to their new work environment and not be discouraged and want to return to us. For that some of our staff and volunteers will visit them and help these trainees adapt. Except for Mee Ling who will be posted to the Seremban Parade Guardian outlet, the other male trainees will be at the Terminal 1 Giant outlet.

Impressions: Betsi our trainer who accompanied the trainees out gave a very positive assessment of how the trainees conducted themselves. Except for one who needed some adjustment the rest fitted in nicely and should be able to be gainfully employed.


A group picture of selected trainees with Giant and PBS staff

PBS trainees dressed ready for work with Simon and Carol of GCH Retail

Posing outside PBS where some have worked for many years

Getting into a car for deployment to their respective work outlets

Fund Raised Exceeded Target!

We were very happy that we raised more than the RM50,000 target for the work of the Persatuan. The final figure has not been audited but it will be above RM60,000 which include funds raised through the Partnership Program. Praise God for the tremendous support from all the people who gave generously and willingly. This encourages us to look at another find raising effort in a few years.

Approval Obtained

Approval was obtained from the church executive committee yesterday to close Pusat Berdikari Seremban by the end of 2008, transfer some fund to Persatuan to open a banking account, and to donate the rest of the monies and assets held by PBS to the Persatuan subject to an internal audit first. From September we expect Persatuan to begin running the centre as PBS goes into a dormancy state pending closure.

PBS Anniversary Dinner in Pictures - Pt 3

Peter Yew thanked Mr. Nesan for giving the PBS trainees opportunities to work

YB Edward Lee of Bukit Gasing attended the dinner in his private capacity

Peter Yew caught off guard by Fran

Mr. Lau Seng Lee, past PBS chairman, sang along sportingly.

Linda decided not to be outdone by the men

Paul Gan & Co decided it is their turn to turn up the heat!

Kin Man wanted a phone pix for the wallpaper

Paul is getting into his elements now.

Are these the Fran backup singers?

Too bad many of the guests have left!

We joined Fran to sing her hit, Setia

It was a touching scene to see both abled and slow learners singing on stage

A fitting finale to a grand fund raising dinner!

But not without posing for a souvenir pix with Fran

We wish the evening never end

Phew! 49 pictures that tell the story of how PBS was celebrated. We hope those who came have carried home beautiful memories of the night.

PBS Anniversary Dinner in Pictures - Pt 2

Bibiana won the first cake auctioned

The winner of the second cake auctioned

A trainee parent gave her testimony

PBS trainees gave a rousing dance presentation

We were amazed by the coordination skills of the PBS trainees!

A round of applause for the trainees

Yoga gave a touching talented display on his organ

Mr. Nesan of Giant announcing the successful trainees

Message by Ms Christine Foo of Malaysian Care

Message by Rev. Yew Nieng Song, District Superintendent, Southern District

Poh Leong receives a hug after presenting a book gift to Fran

Bibiana sings a duet with sister Fran