On December 17, 2004, the youth from the Singapore Stake prepared and delivered holiday packets for the children at the Jamiyah Children’s Home. As we arrived at the Bukit Timah Chapel and entered the cultural hall, Sister Woo collected packages of individually wrapped candy that each of us brought for the residents of the home. After everyone had arrived, Sister Woo called us to attention to tell the us how to organize each bag of candy. After instructions were given, we lined up with white plastic bags in hand. In assembly line fashion, we collected handfuls of each type of candy, which were set out across the stage. Everyone had to go back for 2nd and 3rd rounds before all the candy was gone. In the end we had assembled 80 bags of treats.

Next, two of the youth stood up in front of the group and demonstrated some games, which we were going to play with the kids at the Children’s home. As the leaders realized that we were going to be late, they quickly got everyone to grab a few bags of candy and rush out the door to the MRT station nearby. We were all to meet at the Jamiyah Children’s Home in half an hour. Everyone stayed in a group as we took the 20-minute MRT ride to the home. As we approached the home, we were asked to take our shoes off before we went inside. We were greeted by the warm and friendly smiles of kids of all ages. We all took our seats and found a buddy as the head master thanked us for coming to play with the children. Almost immediately after the thank you’s were said, the games began up on the small wooden stage at the front of the room. The same two youth that taught us the games at the chapel invited a few of the youth and their buddies up on stage for the first game. The children off stage laughed as they watched their friends on stage copying the silly noises that their buddies were making. The games continued for about an hour as different groups went up for more rounds of games. The winners of each round were of course awarded with the candy that we had brought.

After the games came the lunch, which was graciously, prepared for us by the ladies that worked at the home. Both the youth and the children were really hungry from all the games, so the food was gone in a flash. As the children ate lunch with their ‘buddies for the day’, they enjoyed teaching the youth some of their own games that they had apparently invented themselves. After lunch, we handed out the remaining bags of candy to the children as they said their heartfelt thank you’s for coming to play with them.

As we said goodbye to their little buddies, everyone could tell that the kids really enjoyed their time with us and that they would really miss playing games with us. We all received a handshake and a hug from the kids as we walked out the door to the MRT to head back to the chapel.