Good Samaritans bring CNY joy to retirement home, needy families

KUCHING: Contributions in conjunction with the coming Chinese New Year celebrations were presented by a group of Good Samaritans from Kuching to a retirement home for Catholic nuns in Kuching and three needy families in Singai, Bau recently.

Their representative, voluntary social worker Lim Chee Haw, said the first recipient was Santa Clara, a retirement home for

Catholic nuns located at Jalan Airport here which received donations comprising food items and adult diapers.

He added the contributions were to reduce the home’s expenditures as it is now providing care to 15 retired nuns.

The second round of donations was held at Lim’s residence whereby Kampung Senibung Singai headman Morris John Siren came to collect the contributions from Lim on behalf of the recipients in his village while Pertubuhan Wanita Daerah Bau chairwoman Ator Nadeng collected on behalf of the families from Padang Pan, Wind Caves and Opar.

Morris would then distribute the contributions comprising rice, cooking oil and other food items to the respective families upon returning to Bau.

“We are happy to be able to assist the recipients.

“We never let the differences in religion and race to stop us from pursuing this charity act,” said Lim, a retired marine police personnel who is now devoted to doing charity work.

He thanked Fook Lai Construction in MJC Batu Kawa, a Mr Law and family from Foochow Road No. 2, a Mr Lee and family from Tabuan Desa, and several others for contributing in this latest charity act.

According to Lim, he has now performed more than 800 charity acts over the last 10 years and is aiming to reach the 1,000-mark within the next three to four years.

On a related matter, Lim said he can be contacted at 082248153 or 016-8070388 to assist poor families who require coffins for the funeral of a departed family member.

He said cash donations from many Good Samaritans are ‘parked’ at a coffin shop here to be used whenever a genuine request is received.

So far, such assistance had been rendered even to families in the rural areas including Bau, Serian, Simunjan and even Ulu Skrang in Betong where a coffin was sent recently to a poor family there following the death of an elderly member.

“The donors may have done this out of an old Chinese belief that this could reverse their bad fortune, such as to revive or boost their business.

“Nonetheless, buying coffins for others is also a commendable act especially in the charity and welfare aspect,” he said.