RACTAR

RACTAR stands for Rumah Amal Cahaya Tengku Ampuan Rahimah =)

It is just in the area of Summit, Giant and Mydin near my home.

Fortunately, I was given the opportunity to do what I have planned before the summer holidays came; doing volunteer work =)

There are only girls in RACTAR, all from the range from 3 year olds to form 4 students. There are a total of around 40 something students.

So far, everything has been going fine with my time spent there. Of course at the beginning, we were a little shy to greet one another. But as time passed by, the barrier broke down =)

It really is interesting to see the many different personalities of the students there, as well as getting to know each and every one of them =)

Some were a little more quite, but when she was within her good friends, I really see her talk a lot =) Some were naturally willing to share and ask a zillion questions XD

I even had a std 5 girl, ask me a lot of things; but mostly related to my religion XD For example, she would ask me; Akak solat tak dekat US? Akak belajar pakai tudung dari mana? Tau baca Al-Qur'an tak? Akak nak kahwin orang mcm mane? Org yg beriman ke, yg tak pndg perempuan ke..

Haha it was surprising, but at the same time funny to really get these tough questions from a std5 girl XD She even said that she liked wearing the tudung (head scarf/hijab) which is really2 rare to find a person like her! =)

There was this one time where they found out that I loved to draw, and the news spread really quickly; I came one day and saw everyone with at least a paper and a pen/pencil for me to draw on XD Unfortunately, the warden scolded them (and me as well hihi) because I was doing them a favor~ which I don't find burdensome at all =)

There are also around 6 or 7 girls, who are not even in pre-school, but they are already living there. I only heard that some of them were from broken families. All of them are really cute and adorable. Of course, they might be naughty at times, but I find it natural for small children to behave as such =) Besides, we should be worrying if they weren't curious about everything, aite?

Anisha is one of them. She is the youngest of her 3 siblings there, and also an Indian Muslim =) She often come to me and hug my legs, and even repeat her silly acts which I find funny simply to watch me laugh =) There was once where she was looking and 'investigating' my bracelet and watch that I was wearing, then she suddenly asked me something; "Akak, tangan akak takde bulu ke?"

Alright, I won't lie. I certainly burst into laughter XD I told her yes I do, and she double checked me hand and said "takde pooonn" hahahaha adoooi XD

I even got the opportunity to 'babysit' her for a while; I managed to bring her to the toilet for both occasions... ;p ;p

I had always had this fear of really interacting with babies and small children. Not really a FEAR like lari bila jumpa kanak2 kecik, but when my younger sister was a baby, she would cry whenever I just carried her XD (I don't know why haha) So, you get the idea XD I wouldn't want to make babies cry XD

But Alhamdulillah, the smaller children here do not cry (so far haha) when I play with them. I really felt a little bit like their mother as well, when they came to me. Asking me for help to open their sweets and chocolates. Helping them at the toilet and helping them wear their pants again =)

There was even this one time when I came to Ractar as usual, and the small children were playing together. When they saw me, they only smiled at first. But then, when I raised my hand to salam them, all of them came running to me. I had this one feeling of happiness that I could not explain at that very moment =)

So far, those are the experiences that I have had at Ractar =) I'm sure I'll have more until the time I fly back to US. I'll surely miss them when the time comes.. =)