“I’ve been helping out at MLH for almost 2 years. MLH stands for ‘Morning, Light and Hope’, and we work to empower and educate children and young people through creative mindfulness-based workshops like theatre and dance classes. I take care of the operations and assist with the events and activities. My background was in the corporate world and I never planned to work for an NGO, but I always knew that I had a great connection with kids. I think it’s so important to connect with children with compassion; and to do that you need to think like a kid again to understand what they need and feel. Being compassionate requires one to detach from any hierarchical or status barriers and fully be with the other without comparison. Back in the corporate environment it was a lot about comparing with others – flashy brands, glamour and materialistic things, but I now realise that those things don’t bring happiness – human connection and kindness do.” 「我喺晨曦呢度做咗義工差唔多兩年了。『晨曦』有清晨、陽光同埋希望嘅意思，我哋希望透過創意靜心活動，好似戲劇同舞蹈班咁，去鼓勵同教育小朋友同埋年青人。我會幫手處理機構嘅日常運作同埋搞活動。我以前喺商界大機構工作，從來冇諗過加入慈善機構，但係我一直知道自己同小朋友好有緣。同小朋友相處，我覺得最緊要係用同理心同佢哋溝通。要明白佢哋需要啲咩同埋有咩感受，自己都要變返個細路先。用同理心去關懷一個人，首先要放低自己任何嘅階級或者身份地位，唔作任何比較，完全代入對方嘅處境。以前喺商業世界，好多嘢都會攞嚟同人比較，用咩名牌呀、奢侈品同埋物質嘢，但係而家我發現呢啲嘢並唔會令我快樂，反而，人與人之間嘅連繫同埋慈善嘅心會令我開心啲。」

“I live alone and I live simply. For a period of my life I was so helpless, lost and depressed. My husband passed away 10 years ago and I felt so completely lonely. I didn’t have a faith back then but remembered my husband telling me that he really resonated with Buddhist teachings. So after he had gone, I was searching for answers and started to explore this faith myself. Through this journey, I made a lot of friends and also learned the importance of compassion and letting go; I learned that things cannot be forced and that if they are meant to be, they will be. I am also learning to think more from the perspective of others, which is something that I can practise often at MLH. I found happiness through living simply. I also find happiness through interacting with kids and youngsters as they have such simple, pure hearts and are so authentic. I love their positive energy. Despite being in my sixties with no children of my own, I can relate to kids so easily. The teenagers teach me the latest trends and slang around town, that way I stay young too!”

「我自己一個住，生活好簡單。曾經有一段時間我好無助、迷惘同埋唔開心。我先生10年前過咗身，當時我真係好孤單。我嗰陣冇信仰，但係我記得我先生講過佢好認同佛教嘅理念，所以當佢離開咗之後，我就開始去認識呢個宗教，喺入面搵答案。喺過程中，我識咗好多朋友，明白到心存慈悲同埋懂得放低係幾咁重要。我明白到好多嘢係冇得勉強，如果係緣份注定嘅話，佢哋終有一日會出現。另外我都學緊從人哋嘅角度諗多啲，喺晨曦呢度我就可以成日練習呢樣嘢。簡單嘅生活令我快樂。同小朋友同埋年青人互動都會令我開心，因為佢哋諗嘢好簡單，個心好純真同埋直接，我鍾意佢哋嘅正能量。雖然我已經六十幾歲，而且冇生小朋友，但我好容易同小朋友玩得埋。啲後生仔會話我知而家興啲咩，教我講啲潮語，所以我都保持青春！」

“Prior to retiring a couple of years ago, I worked for 3 decades at a big corporation doing administrative work. I was lucky to have had great colleagues and they were like family to me, but I still think that being around kids is a lot more fun and exciting than being around adults! Young people in Hong Kong are subject to so much pressure and stress from all fronts – family, school and the environment. What they need most at this time is mental and emotional support, and to have a safe haven to rest and recalibrate. Through our mindfulness activities, we hope to provide them with a space to feel calm, relax and reflect – away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The most satisfying part of my work now is seeing young people grow and flourish. When I’m off work, I love to go walking in nature with a group of friends. I also love to play video games and watch cartoons – just like a kid!”

「我退咗休好幾年，之前喺一間大公司做行政工作做咗30年。好幸運我有一班好嘅同事，大家好似一家人咁。但我始終覺得同小朋友一齊，係比起同大人一齊有趣好多！香港年青人嘅成長環境有好多唔同種類嘅壓力，嚟自家庭啦、學業同埋社會。佢哋喺呢個階段最需要嘅係心靈同埋情緒上嘅支援，同埋一個舒服安全嘅地方俾佢哋休息同埋調整心情。透過靜心活動，我哋希望可以俾到年青人一個空間去平靜心情、放鬆同埋反思，遠離忙碌嘅日常生活。喺度做嘢最大嘅滿足感就係見到啲年青朋友有成長同埋變得更好。放假嗰陣，我鍾意同朋友去郊外行吓。我都鍾意打機同埋睇卡通片，真係好似個細路咁！」

Want to know more about MLH Youth Cultural and Educational Centre? Click HERE