2008 AND 2013

The picture of me with the 8 orphans were taken in 2008 at the Manabi'ul Ulum Religious Centre.  At that time the centre or Pondok only had a surau, the administration office, a house for the warden and two small buildings for the orphans.

The pictures below were taken during my latest visit to the Pondok on Saturday, 24 August 2013.  I was with my colleague, Puan Salasiah and three other students.  We had stopped at the Pondok enroute from Teluk Intan back to Manjung after completing our duty at the Vocational Colleges Roadshow.

Puan Salasiah told me that she had never visited the place and I said since we would pass the place, I'd make a stop.  Before that I made a call to Ustaz Syed who was still on duty at the Roadshow.  He called one of the wardens, Ustaz Mamu, to show us around.  Since it was Zohor at that time, my 4 companions performed their prayers at the surau.  While waiting for them to finish, a group of Pondok boys chatted with me.  They said that they were more than happy to show us around and one boy started to give an explanation about the place.  I asked him how long he had been studying at the Pondok and he said 3 years.  I told him that I had been visiting the place since Ustaz first started it in 2008.  Some of the older students told the new boys that Auntie needed no introduction to the Pondok.  I guessed they were stunned that this Chinese Auntie had been there longer than them.  Ha Ha Ha.

Anyway, a lot has changed since 2008 and there have been many additions.  This my friends is what we call growth and development.

 The surau has been extended.  Even the office has awnings installed and there is even a public phone.  There are also signages everywhere.

 This area used to be just land.  Now they are developing it into a recreational area.

 The dining hall which has been renovated and developed.

 The sign here says that the land was donated for the purpose of building a surau, hostel and relivious education.

 Landscaping work has also been done in front of the surau.

 This new building is for the Mu'alaf classes.  Mu'alaf means Muslim converts.

 At the back of the pondok, they are rearing ducks.

 This is the boys' hostel.  

 One of the warden's quarters.

 The dining hall.

 The new building for Mu'alaf students from another angle.