Even though most items are spoilt, volunteers passed every item to Granny Zhou for examination before being discarded or recycled. Even Dr Chew rolled up his sleeves after the medical examination to help in the cleaning

Dr Chew carefully conducting a medical check on Granny Zhou

In the untidy kitchen, Dr Teng mindfully gets rid of items that are beyond their use-by dates.

Pharmacist Qiu checking the refrigerator for food items that has expired.

Overseeing the hustle and bustle of Chinatown is a longstanding fixture; a building that has long been part of the skyline that it induces reverence. An air of serenity envelops the building. And drawn into this quiet atmosphere is a group of ten, equipped with cleaning utensils, standing in front of a door on the 11th floor.

“You people are here again?”

A sigh of relief came upon us. That statement, from behind the door, broke the eternity of silence that surrounded us after we knocked. After all, Madam Zhou Ah He (Granny Zhou) has on many occasions passionately turned down our offer to help. Just the night before, she even made a personal appearance at Tzu Chi Free Clinic to plead us not to visit. To appease her fears, we assured Granny Zhou that we are there to help tidy her home and nothing will be discarded without her approval.

Granny Zhou lives alone. She has recently been plagued by rheumatism and her joints hurt. Her livelihood of picking scraps over the years has resulted in knee joint problems, which make walking a real struggle. Sister Seow Pei Fang of the Free Clinic, along with four others volunteers decided to pay her a visit. Once inside the flat, Brother Lin De Cheng coaxed Granny Zhou to sit down while volunteer doctor, Dr Chew Kong Aik performed a medical check-up.

“Auntie, is any part of your body feeling discomfort recently?”
“Auntie, are you taking your medication regularly?”
“Auntie, have you…”

The stream of questions from a concerned Dr Chew was answered clearly by the 91-year-old woman with an additional footnote to every answer, stating that she is fine.

Granny Zhou is a slim, gray haired woman. Although she is old, her dressing is clean and generally tidy.  However, in view of her age, living alone in a small flat can still be a chore. Items collected from the streets scattered around the flat, taking up half the living space of her home and give out a stale musty smell.

Armed with cleaning gloves, aprons and mouth masks, everyone including the medical volunteers get on with the task of cleaning the flat. Nurse Chen, with her trained eyes on cleanliness, made a quiet entry to the kitchen. In the small little kitchen, plastic containers and glassware crowded every corner. It was not clear whether they were picked up from the streets or they were stuff left behind by her former housemates. Granny Zhou told us that for many years, this place has been home to more than 10 women who arrived in Singapore from China to seek a living.

After a thorough cleaning of each item including the surface area and dishes, Nurse Chen discovered a leak in the pipes. This has created a pool of wastewater in the kitchen. The leak has got to be fixed to prevent mosquitoes breeding.

Back in the living room, the doctor and the volunteers were going through the mountains of scrap. Boxes were opened, items taken out for examination. From the boxes emerged a heap of cans, stationeries, utensils, all kinds of paper, and everything imaginable. Assorted bags were found which were infested by various kinds of pests and insects.

Though almost all items were beyond their use-by date, volunteers brought every item to Granny Chow to seek her permission before discarding it. Fearful that she may have valuables hidden within those piles of scrap, each item was thoroughly checked before being thrown away.

“Auntie, this suitcase is damaged. Shall we throw it away?”
“Auntie…Po Po, these biscuits cannot be eaten. May I throw it away for you?”
“Po Po…”

A transition has taken place. Dr Chew has started addressing Granny Zhou as “Po Po” and Granny Zhou was totally co-operative today. She clearly stated which items are to be kept or thrown. Pharmacist Qiu Cai Ling found a piece of red paper indicating Granny Zhou’s younger brother’s contact. She carefully placed it at the bedside, with specific reminders to all not to throw that away.

By the bed lies a whole pile of items; these are Granny Zhou’s untouchable treasures. Though the flat seems untidy and filled with junk, Granny Zhou is very clear about the locations of each item. When brother De Cheng gently reminded Granny Zhou to quickly sell off items as soon as she picked them up from the street, she quickly stated that she does not pick scraps anymore. The items were given to her by others. Hearing this, sister Pei Fang praised her for her good nature that made everyone likes her.

It’s true. Neighbour drop by every other day to check on Granny Zhou, and when she heard that Granny Zhou agreed to our visit, she was pleasantly relived.

The long-discarded piles of scrap have generated loads of dirt and other insects. Once the cleaning is done, the volunteers gathered to discuss on re-painting the walls and getting rid of the termites in future visits. The clean windows offer a brand new perspective to the flat, giving everyone a sense of satisfaction.

First time volunteer on home visits, Dr Chen claims this to be a satisfying experience. And for Dr Chew, he change shifts with other doctors even though he had only finished operating a patient at 3am, to take part in this activity. Before the volunteers left, Dr Chew gently reminded Granny Zhou to attend the weekend check-up at the Free Clinic.

The sun was blazing hot when they walked out of the building. Chinatown was quiet as residents and tourists only gather there during the cool evenings, except for a few elderly residents gathering around Kreta Ayer Square on a Chess game.

I recalled unfamiliar yet warm faces in the lift twice in the day, informing us which old lady recently fell or which uncle is suffering from a cold. Indeed, there is still love everywhere in this world, bringing warmth and happiness to people in need.