Mormon Helping Hands Give Community Service To Pure Life Society

Local volunteers from Puchong, Malaysia donned Mormon Helping Hands vests and tackled a mountain of debris, out of control banana trees, weeds in the herb garden, and baskets of laundry and ironing as a way of giving acts of service to Pure Life Society on November 15, 2014.

Nearly fifty volunteers from the Puchong congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joined forces on Saturday morning at Pure Life Society to provide community service. In their trademark vests, Church volunteers often partner with government and nonprofit organizations to support and improve communities where they live. They also provide assistance to people whose lives have been affected by natural disasters and other emergencies.

Speaking at the end of the event, Datin Paduka Mother A. Mangalam (88), life president of The Pure Life Society, thanked the volunteers for their efforts and 200 hours of service. "You have done above excellent work.  I am so glad to meet many Latter-day Saints, even students from many years ago.  I am surprised to see so many young people here.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your work. I trust this sharing will not be the first or last time for we need more of your presence here. We especially respect and admire the disciplined way you run your lives, which you don't see much these days. I would like to infuse your dedication into our children."

A recent expansion of the facility left an area filled with broken bricks and debris which needed to be cleared in order to start the next phase of construction. Many hands tackled this project and moved over four tons of debris and bricks in three hours.

Others assisted gardener Vellaiyan Palaniandy to thin, prune and transplant 18 banana trees from an overgrown area to a hillside garden. Volunteer Chee Sun Lim worked with others to move the small trees. "We are saving baby banana plants they same way Pure Life Society saves young children. We move them from a tangled mess to a place they can be nourished and cared for." he said.

Volunteers assisted with laundry, as well as ironing uniforms worn by schoolchildren and residents of Pure Life Society. Some worked in the herb garden trimming and cutting weeds, while others worked with the kitchen staff to prepare a noon meal shared by the volunteers and Pure Life Society children and staff.

Koh Kok Kiong, Chief Administrator, gave a brief overview of the 64 year old retreat and its President, Mother Mangalam. The Pure Life Society, founded in 1949 by Swami Satyanandaji, runs an orphanage which houses among others, abandoned children and those from broken homes. Mother Mangalam, who has often been compared to the legendary Mother Theresa, started teaching in 1948 until she retired from teaching in 1977 to devote full time work at the Pure Life Society’s orphanage.

One of the Saturday volunteers,  Chee Meng Siew attended school from 1964-1974 where Mother Mangalam was the principal. "My humble beginnings under Mother prepared me to live a quiet, and simple life. She taught me values that prepared me for life. It is wonderful to be here today giving back to this great woman and Pure Life Society."  During the closing event Mother Mangalam remembered Chee Meng ,"He is one of my sons, Chee Ming where are you? I don't remember Siew but I do remember Chee Meng!" 

Augustine Adaikalam , who assisted in organizing the event remarked,  "We express our appreciation to all those who joyfully gave your time to serve and help our community become a better place."