| You would expect that one would like to take a break and relax after a hard day's work, especially if you are a foreigner working here in Singapore. But Arlene Casimiro finds pleasure in helping out with ACMI, assisting and caring for fellow migrant workers.
“Being a migrant worker myself, I know how it feels to have someone to share with,” said Arlene, a befriender at ACMI. “The burden of loneliness becomes lighter and the encounter does make one experience inner healing. It's like having a family member with you.”
Sometimes she sleeps over at the Good Shepherd Centre where ACMI sends their clients for temporary refuge. She enjoys the opportunity to interact with them, providing the feeling that someone remembers and cares, giving them hope to carry on with life despite being away from family and in a foreign land.
Arlene stressed that she has gained much from her volunteer work at ACMI. She remembers an incident when she visited a badly injured Filipina domestic worker involved in a car accident in ICU. Arlene put a Rosary in her hands which she squeezed tightly. When she next visited her, the domestic worker expressed her gratitude and told her that the Rosary gave her strength as she felt God was with her all the time.
“I'm truly blessed to be involved in this ministry. I have gained valuable insight and learned so much from listening to the joys and woes of my fellow migrants,” expressed a grateful Arlene. “This is the answer to my quest for a purpose in life.”
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