Visit to the Soup Kitchen

On an early Saturday morning, at around 9.00 am 33 Form 5 Interactors set off to a Soup Kitchen in Jinjang. This visit is the WMS Interact Club's first community service trip for the year 2011. This is something new for all of us because none of us had been to a soup kitchen before.

We arrived at around 10.30 am. There we were split into groups to prepare the food and get the place set up.

There was the cutting of the onions, bags and bags of onions, which made every one doing that tear. Those who walked pass the area even for a moment left with teary eyes. :) Some others were chopping up the garlic, stirring and literally digging the rice out from a HUGE rice cooker to place into the container.

Some of us cleaned the fans

Others were out here skinning carrots, melons, potatoes etc.

Some of us were in here, cooking food with the large wok

Oh, there were even Interactors who helped with the traffic...

and looking after the bicycles, making sure none are stolen.

Then at 11.00 am, we were all ready and people were anxiously waiting outside the building. Soon, they were all swarming in, and Interactors were there serving the food and interacting with them. Most of those who came were senior citizens, a few of the young ones too. These people actually come here as they cannot afford their meals. Some of them come just for the environment, where people are friendly and the atmosphere is lively.

People kept spilling in until around 1.30pm, after which the Interactors themselves took a break for lunch and talked with some of the folks there. Most of them could only speak mandarin and Cantonese or Hakka. Some of us had some trouble with communication, but we learnt a few words, and they were quite willing to tell us their life stories. Smiles were on their faces when they left.

Then of course, we stayed to clean up. Around 2.30pm, we left the place, bringing back with us an unforgettable experience and indescribable joy.