Visit to Pengasih Malaysia

We paid a visit to Rumah Pengasih - the rehabilitation centre that we are collaborating with for Project WATTS. Our team was indeed surprised  when we arrived at the centre - it did not look like a rehab at all. Instead, we felt as if we've just stepped foot into a calm and serene holiday spot. The area was filled with trees, dotted with little houses on stilts all around(which we later learned that it was where the patients lived).

We were greeted warmly by Sarah, one of the recovering addicts, who ushered us to hall where a talk  and a quick Q & A session was held. We were later introduced to Zulkifli, who was an ex-drug abuser who successfully battled addiction many years ago. Zulkifli had such a  good command of English, no one would have thought he was once a high school drop-out, let alone a victim of substance abuse. Sarah, on the other hand, not only has an excellent command of both Bahasa Malaysia and English, but also a college degree in Hotel Management. Our team learnt from both of them that substance abuse can happen to anyone at any age at all. The scariest part is you wouldn't know it until it's too late.

The team from Pengasih Malaysia explained that they did not want their recovering addicts to felt  as if they were in a rehab - Pengasih wanted them to feel as if this is the place where they recuperate and rid of their addiction in peace without feeling like they have done something  so wrong that there is no turning back for them, more importantly, they wanted the victims to feel at home, to feel loved. Hence, the name Pengasih.

They were thoughtful enough to provide us with tea time, making us feel loved too! We had tea (homemade by people from Pengasih!) at Anjung Norma, which Sarah explains is where everyone has lunch and dinner together everyday, making them one big family. We at Project WATTS are truly touched by the little gestures Pengasih Malaysia adds in to make the addicts feel accepted into society. All of us left the rehabilitation centre feeling a little more determined to help them in any way we can. Do help us help them. :)

我们到与我们合作WATTS计划的关怀之家进行了探访。当我们抵达那里时，这所戒毒中心给了我们前所未有的惊喜。 这里一点也看起来不像是个戒毒中心，换句话说更像是个度假村。四周被树林围绕着，四周还有着一间间的小屋，如此的诗情画意。
（在我们事后的询问之下，才知道那些小屋是病人们的住所。）

我们的到前的紧张达在被也曾是一名瘾君子——莎拉女士的热情下渐渐融化了。 莎拉女士领着我们到了大厅，一路上给我们做了简单的介绍与耐心的回答我们的提问。在那之后，她将我们交给另一个负责人，朱利飞先生。朱利飞先生也是名成功的戒毒者。让我们惊讶的是朱利飞先生的英文会话能力令我们无法相信他是名中辍生。而莎拉女士不止在马来文以及英文上拥有卓越的会话能力，她也是拥有酒店管理学士学位的学生。我们从中意识到滥用物品能发生在任何人，任何年龄上。最让人发指的是，人们总是到了无法悬崖勒马的地步才来后悔。

关怀之家的负责人解释说他们不希望让瘾君子们是住在戒毒所的感觉，他希望他们能在一个平静且公平的环境下好好的调养原理毒品。最重要的是，他希望能带给他们希望与爱，让他们知道没有什么是太晚或来不及。因此，在这身负重任的地方被取名为———关怀之家。因为在这里，没有有色眼光，有的只是大方的给所有需要爱与鼓励的人最大的关怀与包容。

关怀之家也用他们的方式给我们了爱，他们贴心的为我们准备了茶点，让我们体会到了他们满满的爱心。我们在这充满爱的茶点中坐在他们成为Anjung Norma的食堂里享受这份特别的礼物。这个食堂是他们大家每天一同吃饭交流的地方，让他们有了如同家人的牵绊。 我们在WATTS计划中所体会到的非笔墨所能形容。当我们离开关怀之家时，大家的动力也无形中提升了。欢迎你与我们一起帮助他们。

Written by: Emily Su Mei