Sharing Love

保良局家舍「家煮食」計劃提供機會讓家舍兒童親自入廚，藉此訓練他們溝通技巧及自理能力，並從入廚中明白食物製作並不容易，學會珍惜。適逢農曆新年，一群家舍兒童親自煮出一頓色香味俱全的團年飯，與家舍家長慶賀新春。     親力親為 選購食材 一清早，5位家舍兒童便與家舍家長葉姑娘在銅鑼灣街市採購食材。有些兒童負責挑選材料，有些則負責付款結帳；而葉姑娘一邊拿著購物清單點算食材，一邊從旁指導。葉姑娘指，為了讓家舍兒童學習生活技能和與人溝通的技巧，她會讓他們商討菜單，買菜時亦會讓他們負責。   自學成「大廚」  事實上，他們並非首次入廚，今年就讀中五的黃惠霖指，自小看到別人入廚，便感到十分有趣，於是慢慢開始接觸烹飪，不時在家舍烹調不同菜式。   她現在已成為姑娘口中的「大廚」，間中更會設計菜式，而最擅長的菜式有西蘭花炒雞柳、檸檬雞翼等。她指，平日家舍家長會教他們如何分辨及挑選食材，例如辨別生菜和椰菜，亦會指導下廚，令她廚藝不斷提升。   分工炮製新春茶式 為節日倍添氣氛 為了迎接農曆新年，除了有炒年糕外，更準備了罐頭鮑魚、時菜炒臘味和素翅，更有蘿蔔糕和馬蹄糕等應節食品。由於團年飯菜式較多，家舍兒童分工合作，家舍家長從旁協助。較年長、下廚經驗較豐富的負責炒菜、煎糕，年紀較小的則負責洗菜、切芥蘭等工序。     從入廚學習獨立與珍惜 從買菜到所有菜式上桌，一群家舍兒童只花了兩個小時，便煮出五餸一湯的家常小菜。兒童組主任梁潔儀指，「家煮食」活動已持續超過二十多年，主要是想讓家舍兒童變得獨立，透過親身到街市選購食材，與檔主溝通，能訓練他們的溝通技巧及膽量，同時親自入廚能讓他們明白食物得來不易，要珍惜食物。

Yu Tin Ching (Ching) has resided in Po Leung Kuk’s dormitory (also known as “the House”) since 2 years-old. The shy little boy would only sit quietly aside in the beginning, even the in-house staff could hardly notice him. Fortunately, he got his chance to shine on stage. Whenever Ching danced, the invisible boy stole the limelight and became the “dancing king” among the children in the House.     Ching loves dancing since he was small. He originally taught himself by watching online dance tutorials. However, it is difficult to master the basic skills or make further progress through self-study. Luckily, Ching met with another dancing enthusiast, Ms. Cheung, in Primary 4. Ms. Cheung discovered the talents of Ching, she initiated him into dance trainings and practices, as well as arranged him to participate in various stage performances of the Kuk, such as the Child Sponsors’ Day, so as to build up his self-confidence gradually.     Ching dreams of becoming a professional dancer. He hopes to learn more dancing techniques from dance schools, but stepping out from the comfort zone of the House and the expensive tuition fee made him feel confused about his future. “Do you really want to be a Dancer?” Ms. Cheung reassured Ching and let him finally made up his mind.    Later with the help of Ms. Cheung and social workers, Ching received financial assistance from “Angels for Orphans” programme of Po Leung Kuk, and started learning jazz dance and street dance at professional dance schools. At the last Child’s Sponsor Day of this 18-year-old boy, Ching decided to express his gratitude to the Sponsors by delivering his best dancing performance before leaving the House.    After DSE, Ching targets to enter The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts to further develop in dance studies and achieve his dream as a dancer, “I wish that one day, I can come back to the House as dance tutor, and contribute to the Child Sponsor’s Day.”