Visit to The Community Service Centre for the Deaf

On the 7th of August 2009 10:00 a.m., all the participants gathered at the Masjid Jamek LRT Station to make a move to the Community Service Centre. Before that, the participants had to collect the food ordered for the centre’s students at a nearby McDonald’s restaurant. After a 10 minutes walk from the LRT station, all of the participants besides Leo Wei Keat reached at the centre for the first time. Ushered by a volunteer in the centre, we were brought to the canteen to place our food. Ms Cindy, one of the two principals of the centre, led us to the computer room and introduced us the centre by showing us the PowerPoint slides. From the slides and narration of Ms Cindy, we learnt about the initiation of the centre and how the volunteers and the deaf students had worked hard and struggle to build a school of them. We were also amazed by the abilities, skills, knowledge and most importantly the will-to-learn of the deaf students despite their hearing disability. We were also touched by their aspirations to serve and contribute to the community regardless of their own disability.

At 11:00 a.m., the deaf students gathered at the canteen for their lunch. We were once again amazed by the deaf students as they showed good discipline and courtesy while taking the food from our hands. They were also lively, lovely and friendly when we tried to approach them. Although most of us were not familiar with sign language, during the lunch break we had our fun moment playing and communicating with the kids, totally overcoming the language barrier.

After the lunch, we were led to the classroom and enjoyed a dance performance by the deaf students. The performance was enjoyable and we were certainly amazed knowing the fact that they couldn’t listen to the music. Requested by us, the principals – Ms Cindy and Ms Rose, taught us to sing in sign language together with the children. We fell for the beauty of sign language as we signed the lyric of the song.

The visit ended with a cheque presentation, amounted RM 1,500, as a gesture of gratitude to the centre for their contribution to the community and the hearing-impaired. We left the centre at around 1:00 p.m. after the cheque presentation.

By Leo Wei Keat.