'It is more blessed to give than to receive' – Uncle Ping (alias) shows us this idea perfectly through his action. A street-sleeper in his 70s, Uncle Ping also is a hardcore volunteer team member that helps hoarders organising their homes. He joined the team under The Salvation Army service titled 'Healthy Action "Level - Up" - Outreaching Health Support Scheme for Deprived Communities with Hidden Health Needs', and for years he is committed in volunteering simply because serving people brings happiness to him and those being served.

A change of heart
A decade ago, when Uncle Ping was about to enjoy retirement life, he suffered huge losses in his finance due to the outbreak of SARS. Desperate to have a rebound and win things back, he decided to gamble with the little savings that he left, but only got himself addicted to gambling and ended up losing all his savings, his living place, and the relationship with his family. It was when he started sleeping rough.

‘Now I'm homeless and usually sleep on streets in Yau Tsim Mong or Shamshuipo districts. I've gone through a long period of difficult time in my life, and I started to change only when I found God and with the help o f The Salvation Army,' said Uncle Ping.

'Back then when I had nothing to eat, The Salvation Army social worker Ms Choi was the first person who helped me. She helped me to get food every week, gave me clothes when I didn't have any, and referred me to join volunteering, which has made my life more fulfilling,' Uncle Ping is grateful for The Salvation Army's help. Apart from helping him to meet his basic needs such as food and daily supplies, the Army also brought him the opportunity to participate in volunteer work which has changed his life.

Volunteering – A mission not as simple as it sounds
Very often, volunteers of the home organising service for hoarders are faced with poor hygiene conditions that not many people can stand. Bedbug sand cockroaches are commonplace. On every mission the volunteers need to wear heavy protective clothing, which are particularly stuffy in summer.  Moreover, in the cleaning process, volunteers have to be extra careful about their language and word use, so as to make themselves clear that they are only here to help organise the homes rather than throwing things away. This mission is not simple at all, and Uncle Ping has witnessed many volunteers giving up.

Scheme social worker Heng said, 'Now there will be about 4 to 5 members in the volunteer team on each mission, which mainly involves organising and cleaning. Before joining the ser vice, all volunteers must receive training and take part in volunteer practice. When we help organizing the homes, we also need to pay attention to the hoarders' emotions. Avoid using words such as "throw away" and "abandon", and use "declutter", "clean up" and "tidy up" instead. We don't want them to get us wrong, thinking we're here to throw away their things, so we have to be very careful every time when we provide service.' As for Uncle Ping's performance, Heng praises it so highly, saying Uncle Ping always shows up and is very professional. That is why Heng will include Uncle Ping in most of the services.

Poor but rich in heart
Apart from helping in decluttering homes for hoarders, Uncle Ping also helps in different organisations to deliver hot meals and other supplies to street sleepers. Probably because he has seen a lot and has gone through so much. He admits that money just comes and goes, and good health matters most. 'I tell all those I meet that the most important thing of life is good health. All these possessions – we can't keep them forever. Piling up all these things will only result in hygiene problem. To me, it's good to have just enough for everything. It gives you a headache when you have more than enough.'

Uncle Ping keeps on volunteering even today. He does not ask for any rewards but simply wants to  bring happiness to others through serving them.

'I used to only think about how to spend my money and I would never do volunteering work like this. Ever since I have converted to God and started taking part in volunteering, I have a change of heart. When I help someone, I'm also helping myself, and both of us will be happy. When they thank me for my help, I'm contented too. That's why whenever I'm needed, I'll be there!'

Care and Support Services for Hoarders

As a vital part of The Salvation Army Healthy Action "Level-Up" Scheme, this Service focuses on the needs of hoarders. With the participation from various sectors, professions, organisations and individuals, the Scheme provides support to the homeless and marginalised, at the same time promotes volunteering opportunities. Upon being informed of cases of hoarding from different channels (for instance, general public or social workers from different organisations), our service team first conducts a home visit to learn about the situation and gradually builds trusted relationships with the hoarders. The first house cleaning will only be conducted when they are ready to accept it.