His large ,melancholic eyes lit up at the sight of the toys, multi-colour cars and trucks, all in minature sizes. He laughed softly, grateful for my little gift. As he sat on the bed, playing with them, pale and sunken, his complexion almost white and transclucent against the pastel covers. when he moved, his skinny body racked with pain making it almost unbearable for me to watch.

Two years ago, I walked into this hospital, an ungraduate student at a London university, struggling to pay up my tuition fees and living expenses. with a couple of friends I was fortunate enough to be accepted as a counsellor at the children's ward in the hospital. I remember walking along the spotlessly clean corridors for the first time. Since then...... I had never looked back.

"Nina,why are you crying? Please... don't cry," his soft voice startled me. It was filled with concern and worry. "No, sweetheart. I'm just ... so happy to see you," I lied to him, hurriedly wiping away the tears. Soon, I heard little voices, chattering excitedly. Timmy's friends had come to play with him. They gasped at the toys and were soon lost in thier own secret games with him.

As students, we were financially tight. the job helped us survive the obstacles and challenges being in a foreign land. Most of all, it taught us lessons in life which we could not learn in the university, lessons about compassion and humanity, about sharing and giving, most of all, about how fragile life can be. Hence, each cent we could spare, we bought toys and presents for the children at the hospital. being with them was like an escapism, a sanctuary from the ruthless and heartless world outside. It was a home for us, "far away from home", where innocence still exists, in the midst of so much violence and corruption.

"come on kids! Want to hear stories?" I suggested, carrying Timmy and putting him on my lap. The others crowded around expectantly. I told them stories about places , far, far away, where the skies were always blue and the sun, a golden ball of fire. I told them about paddy field and coconut trees, children jumping from the tree tops into rivers filled with cool, clear waters. I told them about my homeland, thousands of miles away.

"Nina, if I die, will you put me in a box and take me home to your kampung, with little wooden houses?" Timmy once asked me. I was overwhelmed with deep sorrow and I had reached out and held him tightly against me, wishing that I could give him my life. The children were exceptional human beings, brave and exuberant, in spite of thier condition. it was not a normal children's ward, the children were AIDS patients, most of them in thier late stages, awaiting death at thier doorsteps......abandoned by thier prostitue and drug addict parents, many had died of AIDS themselves.

I remeber them, lively and always positive, though they knew, they had not much time on thier side. Every passing moment, was well-spent, like other children everywhere, with creative games and child like fantasies, oblivious of thier surroundings and the burden they carried in thier young life. people would often come with gifts but none stayed too long, perhaps unable to withstand the torture of watching beautiful little children, in long, white hospital gowns, golden haired and blue eyes, waving at them from glass windows.

My last night with Timmy was a heartbreaking one. I sat by his bed side, watching him fight for his last breath, his final moments before he made his ultimate journey to a place, only God knows where, He held my hands tightly, smiled at me with amazing courage and strength. "take me home, Nina, " he said, slowly pointing at my head and my heart, "Give my toys to the one who will sleep on my bed," he had said to me that day.

For the last time, I turned and looked at the long, white corridors. I was returning home to my own country, finally a successful law graduate. I shut my eyes tightly and heard Timmy's laughter echoing down the corridors. My future was uncertain but his ... was definite. I walked confidently out of the building, carrying "Timmy" safely in my mind and in my heart, to a far away place, he always dreamt of visiting.

** When I was reading it, I start weeping, Ashley as well..I felt Im so fortunate and still living healthy. This is a real experience from my teacher! So touching..

APPRECIATE LIFE!!