It was with great excitement and anticipation that 13 students from Pioneer Junior College (PJC) made their way to Bintan, Indonesia, for a 5-day overseas service learning programme. Panti Asuhan Hidayatullah Orphanage, which is home to 25 children aged between 5 to 17-years-old.

Led by Tham Wen Jie and Atiqah binte Afandi, the Pioneers arrived in Bintan fully prepared to shoulder the responsibilities generated by the trip. The Pioneers were accompanied by two teachers who, apart from providing support and supervision to the students when needed, were largely content at remaining quiet observers.

Close Encounters

What the Pioneers encountered was vastly different from what they expected. A low comprehension of English struck out many activities they had planned such as English lessons with comprehension and close passages -- common exercises in the Singapore school syllabus -- while the poor living conditions at the orphanage was a sobering sight to many.

Pioneers became fast friends with the children

“In Singapore, we’re so fortunate. (I wanted to) know what kids overseas would be like,” Overall In-Charge Pioneer Wen Jie explained what prompted him to apply for the programme. After all, he added, it was curiosity and a desire to help communities that had inspired most of these young volunteers to enlist in the Overseas Community Involvement Programme. This project was funded by the Metro for Children charity fund-raising drive conducted in December 2009.

And after a few days of living and working together, Wen Jie noticed bonds of friendship had already begun to form between the children and the visiting Pioneers.

A group cheer before each meal indicated their high spirits

A Time to Appreciate

After seeing the livelihood of children in Bintan, the Pioneers undoubtedly return to Singapore with a newfound sense of appreciation for the ease and convenience enjoyed by students here. For Atiqah, the visit has taught her how “to be appreciative of what I have back home”.

“When running the 2.4km run, I already can’t take it,” she said, citing the annual physical fitness test taken by Singaporean students as an example. “But these kids walk 2km (to school) every day; I’m now really appreciative of what I have.”

Working with the Pioneers was Life Smith, a sister company of Singapore Inline Skating Training Centre that specialises in adventure programmes for students. Life Smith member Priscilla Cheang, 20, was shocked to see vans ferrying hoards of school children along narrow dirt roads.

“I can’t imagine Singaporean kids living like this,” she said. “It made me realise how pampered Singapore is. We are blessed…I really feel for them.”

For more photos, visit our the Singapore Kopitiam photo gallery on Facebook.

Their Silver Lining

While not all children who reside in the orphanage are orphans -- a majority come from single-parent families while a few others have been abandoned -- none of them come from what can be described as “an ideal family environment”. Some parents do drop by Panti Asuhan Hidayatullah Orphanage every month to visit their children but most of these young ones have never seen their parents.

Despite the hardships many of the children have experienced in their tender years, the Pioneers gained a new perspective from interacting with the friendly Bintanese and the co-operation and enthusiasm of the children.

Indeed, looking at how the little things affect the lives of the local people represented an awakening of sorts for the young Singaporean visitors. Receiving a gift as small as a sweet was enough to bring joy to these kids. “They were very appreciative,” Wen Jie recounted, “and they enjoyed themselves a lot.”

A Door Towards More

With their Bintan sojourn nearing its end, the Pioneers are looking forward to more overseas experiences such as these in the future. And they hope that their friends in Singapore will one day experience the benefits of partaking in such an enriching journey.

Wen Jie’s advice is simple. “Don’t be afraid,” he assures his peers in Singapore. Atiqah, too, wants to urge more youths to venture towards the unknown. “This experience (is one you) cannot get in Singapore. Come out here and experience it!”

With opened eyes and warmed hearts, the Pioneers have collectively learnt that the age-old words are indeed true: to give is to receive.