Month: February 2021

Zimei, the ex-resident of Children’s Home Care, had been a “street kid”. She rode her bike daily, without a life direction and would go home only when exhausted. She was grateful for staying at Evangel Children’s Home (ECH) where she learned about rules, procedures, responsibility, and life planning.

Zimei’s parents passed away one after another, worse still, she faced the aging out from children home at the age of 18 that she had to live on her own. She did not dwell on self-pity. Though she has to earn a living and support herself for studies, she will work hard to live up to those who love her as there are still many kind-hearted supporters around. With an optimistic personality, she boosts positive energy to set off for a new life.

Ho Man grows up from a dysfunctional family. Because of knowing God, his life is changed. Because he is loved, he learns to care for others. Adversity tempers and equips him to the career path of outreaching social work.

Re-adaptation

Ho Man’s father is an addict; his mother is also unable to take care of him because of illness. He was arranged to live in different children homes and foster families. Since year 3 in primary school, he moved to live in Evangel Children’s Home (ECH).  He had been getting along with people from different backgrounds since he was a child.  Ho Man understood that everyone would protect oneself in different ways. At the early stage, he was not good at interpersonal skills but gradually he understood others’ needs.

Ho Man said that he was very uncomfortable with the move at the early stage. At that time, the children in primary and secondary school levels in a large age gap had to live together. When he was just a little child, he found it difficult to get along with others, and his emotional behavior had been poor. He especially thanked “Sheung”, the house parent, for her patience and tolerance. She patiently taught him how to get along in a group. He began to care about the feelings of others, learn to understand emotional management, and with the help from his religion that he found love, he had the peace of mind spiritually.

Transition to live independently

Due to the lack of family support, Ho Man had to plan for his own living when he was at his young stage preparing for DSE in 2020. He was really helpless. Thanks to the assistance from social workers, he applied for accommodation in youth home. With transitional stay arrangement, he was relieved that he could advance his studies.

At youth home, he is required to manage his own finances: such as tuition and living expenses; every day after school, he has to buy food, cook, take homework and housework, and is exhausted. But Ho Man does not complain about his background. Grateful for the youth home’s offering of different workshops such as interview skills, grooming, social interaction training and personality test or else, he can understand better himself, learn about the requirements and career direction in the workplace. The life coaches give him personal guidance based on “Life Path” to explore for life.  These help add value for his transition to live independently.

Setting a Goal

As a slow-type person, Ho Man pinpointed that he is not good at interacting with people. But because of knowing God, his life is changed.  Getting out of the shadow of a negative past, and believing that God will open up the way for him, he has a different level of self-confidence. He also keeps on being grateful. He has been cared for and encouraged by social workers and house parents since he was a child. With them as role models, he has set a goal to be an outreach social worker that he could take advantage of his own experience to help others.

Jacky, the resident of Youth Home, is always cheerful and polite. He comes from a single-parent family and is unable to find his roots. Growing up feeling loved help build his cheerful character.  

Love Helps his Growth

School principal found his mother mentally unstable during a home visit at his primary year 3 at primary school. Referred by social worker from school, he moved to live in Evangel Children’s Home (ECH). At that time, Jacky felt that his mother’s care is of no difference from that of ordinary family, he thought only orphans would live in the children’s home, and queried why the move. It was not until Form 3 that he understood about his mother’s mental condition and her limitations.

Jacky always has a good impression of her mother and describes her as a “supper mum” with unconditional love.  Even though he is naughty sometimes, she never beats or scolds.

Love Extends

He was still young when he first moved to children home. He often missed his mother. Due to the age difference among kids, he found it difficult to communicate with them. Besides, he had to adapt to the house rules. He became emotional and often lost his temper. With a smile, Jacky pinpointed that Paul, the house parent Paul and Joe, the social worker knew his troubles well. He thanked them for their patience and tolerance.

Love can Build

Jacky planned ahead at secondary school stage the future living as he knew that he had to leave the children home at the age of 18. Fortunately, with a chance to advance his study, he took transitional stay at the youth home from ECH.  It provides him a stable residence, and he could then concentrate on studying. The youth home conducts various workshops, such as financial management courses, career guidance; the pairing up of life coach to help him broaden his horizons, change his “hard-necked” personality. He learns also problem-solving skills and multi-angle thinking. Although his family member could not guide him, with the help of his tutor at youth home, his confidence was built up gradually. Jacky joins the workforce now as a clerk in a real estate development company. He is grateful to his colleagues for their willingness to teach him. Gradually, he has adapted to start up at work.

Jacky is a well-prepared youngster with future planning. He sincerely thanks the mentors and social workers who help him.  Though he is from a broken family, his life is filled with love, which help build up to be a sunshine boy.