JOHOR BAHRU: There are too many families that cannot afford a Christmas tree. Christmas can be one of the happiest times of the year, but can also be one of the saddest if there is no way to afford Christmas, which for so many, includes having a Christmas tree.

Rotary Club of Tebrau’s (RCT) mission is to give away fully decorated Christmas trees to families in need.

The focus and heart of this project remains the thousands of families who cannot afford a tree, want a good Christmas and are thrilled and touched when they receive a Christmas tree as a gift.

Christians will readily avow that festive generosity is among the marks of the Christmas spirit.

RCT president Dr Leenah Devi Retna Rajah – though a veteran of several charitable campaigns in the past – was still moved to witness the joy that lit up two families, one each in Permas Jaya and Masai, who were chosen as recipients of RCT’s Christmas charity drive.

Dr Leenah and officials from RCT all contributed to the purchase of items that the delegation brought to the homes of end-stage renal failure and on dialysis and a single mother with severe cataract.

While the RCT team chatted with the families their dining rooms-cum-kitchens were festooned with packets of noodles, rice, oil, Milo and other food rations, all courtesy of the club.

The two, Komathi and Melanie are among scores of penurious who live below the poverty line in the state, and they as breadwinners eke out a meagre living.

Recently, both homes were handed a Christmas tree with lights brightening their gloomy halls, courtesy of the RCT team; while their dining rooms-cum-kitchens were draped with packets of noodles, rice, oil, Milo and other food rations.
Christians will readily avow that festive generosity is among the marks of the Christmas spirit.

Melanie Mariappan, 32, is on dialysis and is single. She looks after both her parents. Her mother just suffered a heart attack while her dad is having kidney failure and is in stage three.

Melanie works as a Lalamove e-hailing driver and only earns meagre salary.

She is grateful to RCT for visiting her family and providing all the rations and Christmas tree.

Teary-eyed Melanie said she is very excited to finally have a Christmas tree in the house as she had been hoping to get one.

Melanie was buoyed with hope on receiving the goods and rations from the RCT team.

Meanwhile Komathi Shanmugam, 45, a single mother lives with her two children in Permas Jaya.

Komathy suffers from severe cataract in her bilateral eyes and is unable to work anywhere.

She is finding it hard to make ends meet and depends very much on relatives and friends for rations.

“There is no money to celebrate Christmas, but now with what we have received from some good-hearted people, we can experience the joy of the occasion,” said Komathi, her eyes glistening with emotion.

Komathi said her children are very excited to finally have a Christmas tree in the house as she had been hoping to get one.

“Today is not just about the twinkling lights and festive spirit – it’s about giving back to the community and this year, RCT proudly wants to show that it cares by serving the needy,” stressed Dr Leenah.

She said as we light the tree, together, we can spread hope, kindness, create lasting memories, and bring a little extra light into the lives of these incredible children.

She went on to say that Christmas is a time of connecting, sharing and giving to those who are less fortunate. Any experience that makes you think of others and appreciate what you have is noteworthy.

“Every time someone makes a donation to a needy cause, or volunteers at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen, or visits a nursing home, that’s the spirit of giving and sharing that defines Christmas. He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree,” she asserted.

Not mincing her words, she said Christmas is not about good food, nice decorations, new clothes or merry-making. Its about giving and helping the needy.

That is what Christmas should be about — reaching out to those who are in need of compassion and friendship and spreading the love of Christ to them.

She urged everyone that if they know of someone who is suffering or lonely, reach out to that person so that they too can experience the true spirit of Christmas.

There are so many people in society who need some love and care, she expounded.

“Touch their hearts this Christmas by spending some time with them and in the process, we too will experience the true meaning of Christmas,” said the well-known private practitioner.

There is a particular kind of challenge to being poor this time of year, she pointed out.

So, she said if we really want to make this the “most wonderful time of the year,” something’s got to give: Christmas is a time to show we care for the underprivileged families who can’t even afford a Christmas tree or even a proper meal for the family.

She added that the Rotary Club of Tebrau want to share this Christmas joy with the poor families around. We want to bring this joy to them. We also wish to partake in their meal so as to show that we are one and that we care for them.

For RCT they continue to see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in their communities, and within themselves.