He's gifted, in his own way.

I smiled at him but he never smile back. I tried to have a chat with him but he never responded back. I tried to play with him but he always looked away. Have you ever experienced being rejected over and over again but still, you wanted to try, again and again to be noticeable in one's eyes? Well, I have. 

This is him. This handsome young man in this photo, his name is Zeno, or we called him Oyo. He is 26 years old and lives in Bukit Harapan Shelter Home, Kota Kinabalu, Saba

h. Oyo is a lot like us, just a little different - he has an extra chromosome. And that one extra actually affect his cognitive abilities which makes him harder to learn things. He is 'blessed' with a different gift of life - Down Syndrome. 

Oyo is a good eater. Food makes him happy. Put a KFC or his favourite Vitagen in front of him, he will dance happily! Whenever I eat lunch or dinner together with the kids, he is the one person who never waste the food. It would a weird thing if he left any food behind. 

Not many people can be his friend. I guess he's a bit choosy on that, but when he is familiar with people, he will be good to them. It's not hard to make him occupied. He likes to play with dangling objects - rope, balloon, anything that can dangle on a string. He is so addicted to this 'hobby', he can play it all day long. He also likes music. Everytime sis cyka and sis ernati played the guitar, or whenever the other kids are choir singing, he will position himself beside the speaker - his spot - listening to the sound of the music. 

Down syndrome is incurable and yes, he will be like this all his life. He doesn't know this so it cannot make him sad. But he also don't know that in spite of his lacking, he affect the lives of others as well - in a good strange way. 

Well, it turns out that I am not his favourite girl. I am not as good as his caretakers, sis Cyka Deasica and sis Shirley Silie. But I will try and try again to win his attention, because even a tiny respond from him will make me happy, it makes my heart swell. The day he smile at me will be one of the days that I will be waiting for in my life. God bless you, Oyo.

(The blogger used to volunteer in Bukit Harapan Shelter Home as a teacher)

Bukit Harapan can be reached at 6088-424567 or bukitharapan@hotmail.com. Cash donations can be made through HSBC Account 392-203030-001

"The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him his own" - Benjamin Disraeli