Team Polaris

They were a joy to be with. Never failed to seize the moment to generate fun, they did it through cooking, cleaning and other daily rituals. They are NTU undergraduates, from different schools but united through a common cause: to give what they are called: Pieces of Love and Radiance in Smiles.

I was introduced to this expedition some months ago when I gave a talk at NTU for their Monthly Dose of Islam Series. Privately, I harboured the intent to do humanitarian work in Cambodia for many years when I watched the video produced by the YMS team for their expedition and community service circa 2001/2002. The team built a school building at one of the villages. So when I was informed that NTUMS is organising an expedition to Cambodia, I asked whether I could join the team without a second thought. Just soon after making this commitment, I realised it was not possible to be away from work for the entire expedition period. Nurfaiezah (or affectionately known by her team-mates as Faz) who is the team leader accommodated my constraints on the number of days I could be in the expedition. Later almost a week before departure she acceded my request for Muslim to join me on this expedition. Many thanks -- Faz.

Although I am acquainted with 3 of the team members (Faz, Acap and Abud), all others in the team were total strangers to me and Muslim. I reckoned some had felt uncomfortable and awkward by my presence in the team as we squeezed ourselves (including Pitou) in someone's bedroom for the nightly debriefs -- particularly those who have always saw the "serious" me at NTUMS. The generation gap was obvious, what more with the title "Dr" to my name.

During the introductory session (on arrival at Phnom Penh) I told the team that I came to learn from the young for me to be younger. When Muslim and I were addressed as their guests, I asked them not to accord us any special privileges, but to assign us duties just like any member of the team. Faz jokingly volunteered me to do dinner the first night at Sihanoukville -- and dinner we did (although I played a very small part, as a kitchen hand for that evening).

I tried to contribute and do whatever it takes to be part of the team, including dancing to the "hoky poky" song at the slump school, playing scissors-paper-stone with a three-year old girl, five stones (literally stones) with the children at the yard, kick-tossing the chap-teh with Zul and the boys, raking up the soil for the eco-garden, among other acts. Mariam, one of the team member, remarked that I am the epitome of "there's a kid in all of us", for her farewell message to me.

We bonded like family through Angels and Mortals, Blow Wind Blow, Tuki Tuki, Karaoke-ing and having meals together. These activities, the fun and the accompanying laughter re-energised our tired bodies, replenished our enthusiasm and kept our spirits high. The occasional tears and emotional intermissions, along with tasbih kafarah united us in spirit and soul.

I joined the team to learn from the young and to get some youthful inspiration. These young undergraduates had indeed taught me lessons. Their enthuasiasm, spontaneity, patience and resilience inspired me.

They strengthened the optimism I have on our young. I am deeply grateful to be in their team and very proud of each and everyone of them.

Team Polaris (and Polaroids: Faeizah, Nahri, Nafisah, Mira, Fasihah, Fiza, Nurul, Shila, Iz, Azzah, Mariam, Syuadah, Linh, Abud, Nadz, Shameera, Yaya, Zul, Khairil, Pitou, Ashraf and Muslim) -- You Rockz!

M'Lop Tapang Centre for Street Children

Founded by 4 young Khmers, M'Lop Tapang was conceived under the shade of a tree on the beach, hence its name. The organisation has been offering care and support to young people at risk in Sihanoukville since 2003. It provides access to education, medical care, counselling, vocational training and recreational activities while protecting the children from all forms of abuse.

We were greeted by Wanti, the education officer of M'Lop Tapang as he stood by a yellow coloured truck -- our transport from the guest house to the centre for the coming days. The ride was fun. We stood on the truck and enjoyed every bump as the driver negotiated the potholed roads and narrow lanes. But the fun was shortlived when we arrived at the centre. The sight of young children, many without footwears and shirts or tops sank our hearts. Later we saw babies in the baby room lying down on the floor without shorts and diapers. We were guided to the meeting room (on the upper floor of the building) for the welcoming remarks by the Director of the centre.

Despite the humongous challenge confronting them -- to provide non-formal education to the street children with the hope that they eventually be admitted to state schools, against the wishes of their parents who rather have them on the streets and beaches to beg or sell knick-knacks for an income to the family -- both Wanti and his Director appeared calm and collected sourced almost by an inherent inner peace, I reckoned.

The children crowded around us, everytime we arrived at the main centre, or at the slump schools. Many clinged to us, as though they found their long lost parents. Their deep eyes, troubled looks and erratic (and aggressive) behaviours were expressions of untold stories and psychological conditions. We came to offer help, but instead discovered our own human frailties as we wrestled our emotions, and the fear of giving these children the false hope and expectations of love.

Can we detach ourselves from the emotions and get the job which we came for, done? Should we not smile, hold their hands when they grabbed ours and play games with them to show that we care? Perhaps, this is what matters to them, and will make them happy.

We came to conduct art and basic numeracy classes at the centre, and build an eco-garden on the grounds of the slump school. Most of us were not prepared for the emotional roller-coaster but we took it in our stride. By the end of each day, many in the team "adopted" a child or children, and bonded with them.

It was selfless giving and receiving all day, everyday. We came to give, but I felt we were the beneficiaries instead.

A truly awesome life-changing experience for me.

Cambodia: First Impressions

First impressions have a powerful place in memory, and so it is that I remember with startling clarity stepping out of Pochentong Airport on 15 June 2010. I was an "unofficial" member of the POLARIS expedition and we had to spend a night in Phnom Penh before travelling to Kampong Som (Sihanoukville) where M'Lop Tapang is based.

Pitou, our contact in Cambodia greeted us on arrival. Slim-built, unassuming yet competent, gracious and extremely helpful. A student of tourism at the local university, Pitou organised our programme, accommodation, transport and acted as our translator.

Pochentong Airport is about 2.5 miles away from the centre of Phnom Penh, and given that there were 23 of us, and a heap of boxes (of rations, stationeries, and cooking utensils) as well as our luggages, I eagerly expected a coach to ferry us to our guest house. Instead, Pitou had us, our luggages and boxes on a motorcade of tuk-tuks, a six seater rickshaw powered by a motorcycle from the airport to Paragon Hotel. We were thrilled by the ride, as we sampled the architectural and demographic character of the city, its potpourri of scent and strong smell of barbecued meat.

We arrived at Paragon Hotel at sunset. The hotel overlooks the Tonle Sap river. Sandwiched by pubs, cafes and massage parlours, the hotel is attractive to budget travellers such as the middle-aged American (with a Macintosh in his hand) who was curious to know where I came from and the purpose of our visit. After a quick view of our room and dropping off our luggages, we marched along a dimly-lit road of shophouses and curious onlookers. Who could blame them. We stood out like black ninjas. With our black attire, and sisters in hijab, everyone on the street looked at us as we passed through the road, looking for the Halal restaurant. We found one, although not the restaurant in mind. The place was full, with Malaysians who had just arrived from KL. To make way for us, the Malaysians were nudged by the restaurant owners to leave the moment they finished their meals. The lady who acted like the manager-cum-waiter of the restaurant, suggested that we have the same menu as the Malaysians: tom-yam, omelette, fish, mixed vegetables with white rice. Too tired to think, and too hungry to argue, we agreed with her "instructions". We ate dinner for the stomach. For taste, I thought the tom-yam was too sweet for my liking and therefore complemented it with small cut chilli padi(s). After dinner we walked straight back to the hotel for our first briefing (and introductions).

We assembled at the hotel reception and walkway with our bags and boxes early next morning to wait for our chartered coach that will take us on the 4 hour ride to Sihanoukville. There was hustle and bustle on the corniche, and the road next to it. Foreigners and locals, joggers and peddlers, motorcyclists, and an elephant (with its keeper) were sharing the road, making it an eventful (and delightful) morning.

My first impression of Phnom Penh resonated with Yaya's (one of our team member). She described the city as broken and beautiful.

To me, the city may be broken, but the people are definitely beautiful.

The Swings, Hammocks and Mosquitoes

Alhamdulillah, we've had a great weekend (well, my children may not totally share my sentiments). Inspired by an email from a very dear friend, I persuaded my family to spend the weekend at a homestay at Kampong Johor Lama (by the mouth of Johor River) run by a retiree, Encik Mohd Bahari nicknamed Bob, hence Bob's Homestay).

It took a while to get there. Not because of the distance, but due to my poor navigational skills (and travelling without a map). Our faces lit up when we saw the sign pointing the direction to Kampong Johor Lama. My children were not too impressed with our bedroom and the basic amenities (or according to them, the lack of it). But somehow the idylic setting and the sight of kelongs, fishing boats and mangrove swamp mitigated the initial misgivings.

We watched the fishermen (and women) unloaded their catch at the foot of the jetty from their sampan in the mornings, ate at the warongs at Teluk Sengat for dinner, munched keropok lekor and sweet pisang goreng on the jetty at sunset.

We drove to Desaru Fruit Farm, and Tanjong Balau, visited the Ostrich Farm at Teluk Ramunia (we saw photos of FM and Mrs George Yeo, and Minister Dr Yaacob with an ostrich egg) -- and were given an interesting and insightful briefing on ostrichs, and their living habits.

On sunday morning, after subuh, I asked my wife to give a short tazkirah to me and our children -- the best reminder we've had for a long time.

I didn't manage to do what I partially came for -- BBQ and canoeing with Muslim and Mus'ab. We were too tired from my (bad) driving and the tide was low, until when we were just about to leave yesterday.

InshaAllah, we intend to return to this kampong, and offer a rejoinder to the pantun that stood at the jetty to bid farewell to the seafarers:

Asal tembaga menjadi dulang
Asal kayu menjadi peti
Andai jodoh masa mendatang
Moga kita berjumpa lagi

Muslim and I will be joining 20 NTU students for the POLARIS expedition at Kampong Som, Cambodia tomorrow, till Sunday. The students will be in Cambodia for 18 days to share their love and smiles with the children at M'Lop Tapang and later at a school in Phnom Penh. May POLARIS inspire them to develop a vast love for all human beings and for all creation, and thus live their whole life in the ebbs and flows of an all-embracing love.

May Allah weave the lace of our lives on the canvas of thought and action of the many heroes who have won His pleasures.

We Will Not Go Down