Heng Zheng Kai

Project Luminaire 11 was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that gave me a new perspective on community service. While I initially signed up because of my desire to help the less fortunate and offer aid to them, I soon realised that I was learning and benefitting from the community as much as I was serving them.

The best parts of the project by far were the quiet moments that I spent with the kids, watching them play, seeing them smile without a care in the world. With just the bare minimum, they were able to experience pure, unadulterated happiness. These were the moments that allowed me to reflect on my own life and realise just how much I took for granted.

From the kids barely being able to pronounce my name when we first met to them begging for us to come back next year when we parted, it is remarkable to think just how much we have grown just by being together for a mere 10 days. It definitely speaks of the transformative experience that Project Luminaire brought about. Although I thought that the friendships would end after I leave Philippines, I still continue to keep in touch with one of the school teachers.

While the impact I brought about may have been small, this project has taught me to appreciate the little things in life, to find joy in things as simple as playing blowing bubbles with a girl I could hardly communicate with, and to understand that every lesson we conduct, every light we install, and every moment that we spend with the community, no matter how simple it is, does make a difference.