On a sunny Saturday morning, 14 June 2025, the peaceful Jalan Besar neighbourhood was greeted by robust zeal from the Wesley community, set out to help those in need—not through grand gestures, but by scrubbing, sweeping, decluttering and dusting.
A group of more than 190 volunteers came together for a Home Cleaning Project aimed at supporting senior citizens living in Jalan Besar rental homes. The project, organised by Wesley Christian Outreach & Social Concerns (COSC), brought together Wesleyans from all walks of life (including students, working professionals and retirees) to clean the homes of senior residents who struggle with mobility, financial hardship or health issues that make basic chores overwhelming.
For Mdm L, who is in her 80s and has mobility issues, the visit from the volunteers was more than welcome—expressing appreciation for their assistance in Mandarin: “They (the volunteers) are very good and clean properly.” She also shared that she has been a resident of the area for more than 20 years and lost her income many years ago due to medical conditions that prevented her from being able to continue with her previous job. There are many seniors in society who are in great need and Mdm L is just one of the seniors our volunteers were called to be a blessing to that morning.
Volunteers fanned out across 36 homes in the area, armed with mops, sponges, buckets, various cleaning products and even roller paint brushes and paint! The mission was simple: to not only restore comfort and dignity to the living spaces of seniors who could no longer manage the work themselves but also to build meaningful connections and relationships with them.
Emily Chan, a young adult volunteer from TSS service, shared that: “Our Small Group saw an announcement on this Home Cleaning Project during Wesley Highlights and decided to sign up for it together” as they were looking for opportunities to start volunteering together and were assigned to assist Mr T with cleaning his flat.
The initiative was launched earlier this year as part of Wesley Methodist Church’s theme for this season, Looking Up. Reaching Out. Many seniors live in conditions that would be unthinkable for most: cluttered rooms, dusty air and grime that quietly accumulates where hands and knees can no longer reach. But more often than not, these seniors’ needs extend further into other areas of their lives. “Remember, we are not just here to clean, but to connect and build relationships with the seniors,” said Rev Adrian Ng during the morning briefing before volunteers set out to clean. “It is important to spend time with them, get to know the seniors and communicate with them.”
At the home of Mdm K, volunteers had to quickly assist with major decluttering and cleaning due to a serious pest situation that was discovered when they entered the flat. Daniel Lee from The Saturday Service shared his takeaways as a volunteer: “This is really a humbling experience. I have not done this before and I think it is very important that we come together to do this as part of our mission work and to understand how the marginalised in our society are living… We are so blessed by the Lord… and I really encourage more people to come forward and get involved.”
Joanne Lo, a fellow volunteer from 9.30am P&P service also shared her thoughts: “As a Small Group, we prayed for a suitable household with no pets, as some of our members have sensitivities. In His great sense of humour, God answered our prayer by leading us to a household with pests instead! We have no complaints as this is a God-given opportunity for us to serve and give back together as a Small Group.”
The homes selected for this round of cleaning were chosen based on need, referred by St Andrew’s Active Ageing Centre (PEACE-Connect@8), COSC’s collaboration partner in this Home Cleaning project. In some cases, social isolation and poverty worsened seniors’ living conditions. We hope that for them, this cleanup will be both a health and morale booster.
Looking ahead, there are plans to expand the project, possibly including future visitations and follow-ups from volunteers to provide ongoing support and foster a deeper sense of belonging among seniors.
Scripture reminds us in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
May we be obedient to God’s call, believing that our faith will guide our actions to be a real light (and not just a mere lampstand) that shines forth in the space(s) that we are called to serve in.
Note: The names of the seniors mentioned above have been anonymised to protect their identities.
(Photos by Julian Wee)
View and download more Home Cleaning Project photos here
We would like to thank Amos Sng and the team at St Andrew’s Active Ageing Centre (PEACE-Connect@8) for their partnership in this Home Cleaning Project.
If you would like to find out more about Christian Outreach & Social Concerns and how you can serve in similar projects, please visit: Wesley Methodist Church COSC.
Read also: Enlarge Wesley’s Tent: A Family Carnival for the Jalan Besar Community
