Society comprises two classes:  those who have more food than appetite, and those who have more appetite than food.

Sébastien-Roch Nicholas de Chamfort, Maximes

A few Sundays ago, my cell kids and I took part in an activity that I felt was particularly meaningful, at least to myself. We went to the HDB blocks not far from our church to give small tokens of food, or ‘blessings’ to the residents there.

Sadly to say, these residents were what most would consider to be living in poverty. That was the first time I had ever seen anyone who resided in a mere box – their flat a shell, empty, void of evidences of their existence or items that would serve to define who they are. In other words, they had close to no material possessions.

Even more saddening was the sight of what would appear to a single father, charged with raising two young daughters while in what would appear to be a pitiful economic condition. His face was like the cracks in parched earth, deep craters which served no purpose other than to highlight the immense strains he probably faced. His daughters’ lunch was a miserable bowl of instant noodles. Their forlorn expressions showed their cries for a better life. His tired eyes also showed the cries for a better life.

There was nothing we could do, other than to ‘bless’ them with what we had prepared for them – a mere pack of Milo powder, a tin of tuna, a bottle of pickled vegetables and a box of crackers. All that served to do was to alleviate their immediate plight or need – filling their stomachs, nothing else.

I certainly hope they felt blessed, but larger than that was the deep sense of helplessness and sadness I felt. I was blessed, yet I knew not how to appreciate it. They were lacking, and something was far better than nothing to them.

Oh woe to this accursed world

One of injustice and inequality.

Can not fairness or equality reign free

Not a captive to a brutal world?

Heavenly Father, help them.

Society, help them.

Help thyself.