JOSEPHIANS | LUMEN
19
“
... there are people who talk about
doing good , but I believe in going out there to do good itself .
“
Facing page : Mr Gerard Ee ( right ) with Mr Warren Fernandez at the dialogue session
This page : Mr Ee shares insights of his experience with some SJI students after the lecture example of a Catholic but as long as I want to consider myself one , I must try to live as best as I can . Like a Catholic or a Christian , and you do it by deeds . So there are people who talk about doing good , but I believe in going out there to do good itself .
I get impatient because I feel that there is just too much talk about it . People talk about it , wanting to do this and wanting to do that . Just get on with it and get started in a small way . Help your neighbour , don ’ t dream about starting up organizations when you don ’ t even care about what ’ s happening to your neighbor .
Though I ’ m not very religious and don ’ t know my bible , I do pick up the bible and read it occasionally . One parable influenced me from a very young age and this is the Parable of Talents .
The parable tells me that God did not create all of us equal , because among the three servants , one was given one talent , another five talents and the last 10 talents . Thus we are all given different gifts . But whatever we have , we are expected to make the fullest use of it and to double it to show our gratitude for these gifts that were given to us .
As such if I feel that I am not performing better than someone with an impediment , if I don ’ t outperform someone who is visually impaired , or physically impaired , then I don ’ t deserve to have my eyesight . I don ’ t deserve to have my physical ability , my health .
So just being aware that I am normal when I wake up is a reason to be happy . Then I look beside me and my wife is normal : two reasons to be happy . Then I walk out and see my two teenagers : as normal as can be , two more reasons to be happy .
WF : How than do you choose the younger generation which has many options to go into law and accountancy in a very materialistic society to go into public service where the hours are long , the pay is not so great , it ’ s not so glamorous with their peers earning big bucks and driving big fancy cars . What is the attraction for them in public service ?
GE : I ’ ll tackle this question first by saying that I have many friends who are keen golfers . And I tell them please don ’ t give up your golfing if that ’ s what you ’ re passionate about . But organize golf tournaments to raise funds for the rest of us who enjoy rolling up our sleeves and working as the front man as each one of us is made differently .
Organizing golf tournaments to raise funds is a way of helping the NGOs ; there is nothing in the world that says you have to go down there and wash the toilets and sweep the floor . Every one of us has a different inclination . Those of you who enjoy cooking , may want to take on the challenge of helping out with cooking at the voluntary organization where you are going to handle a frying pan four times the size of anything you have ever handled and it enhances your hobby .
But you are doing something that you ’ re still interested in so always approach it from a point of interest . But having said all that , I think the saddest thing in the world is when we get busy commuting from the east coast to the west coast to carry out some voluntary work , totally unaware that there is a poor neighbor next door that is crying for help .
If everyone of us takes care of our neighbor , that ’ s it . Everyone is taken care of . So start at home . Start with your siblings . You go out there rushing around to help everyone when your sibling is there waiting for ge ge to help me with my homework .
How can you be genuinely passionate about helping people when you don ’ t even care about your siblings ? So everything starts with yourself , with your home , with your parents , your grandparents and your community .
I think it ’ s absolute hypocrisy to go to the old folks ' home and try to be nice to them when you ’ re not even nice to your own grandparents .
So you start off by being nice to your own family members , to your parents first . And then when you ’ re filled with that love , it will blossom and grow from you . That ’ s true volunteerism .