STUDENT Crystal Ho stands between an adult's preoccupation with bills, and a girlish trepidation over what her friends think of her shoes.
At 16, she is old enough to realise that her mother's monthly pay of $1,500 can barely cover the family's electricity and phone bills, as well as food and pocket money for three children.
At 16, she is also attending a polytechnic next year - and so is worried about her shoes.
'At poly, we don't wear white shoes any more, unlike at secondary school. I don't want to be the odd one out,' she said.
This is why, when Tampines Central Community Centre began putting together a wish list for children living in the ward, she wrote 'Converse Sports Shoes' as her wish.
Mr Sin Boon Ann, in his third term as Tampines Central's MP, had set up the festive wish programme, allowing 100 needy children to each make a wish.
'We are getting other Tampines residents to match each wish, so that there is truly a sense of a community helping itself,' he told The New Paper on Sunday.
Mr Sin, a lawyer, said the making a wish come true concept was not new - but that the idea of getting residents within a ward to help each other was.
It has now been adopted by the four other MPs within Tampines GRC: National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, Miss Irene Ng, Mr Ong Kian Min, and Senior Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Education Masagos Zulkifli.
So, altogether, some 500 wishes will be granted over the next few months.
AFFORDABLE WISHES
Mr Sin said: 'We have suggested the items on the wish list be capped at $60 each to keep things affordable.
'I also know that the children of many of these families are so used to hand-me-downs, to buying only necessities, that I wanted to give them a chance to get something new, something they really wanted.'
The needy families were identified by grassroots leaders such as Mr William Tan, 67. As chairman of a Residents' Committee, he has come across many heart-wrenching stories.
There was a family with seven children, the last a baby born two months premature.
At one point, recalled Mr Tan, 'I was really worried... especially since their electricity was going to be cut off and the baby needed to be on a ventilator.'
That child is now 2. But when Mr Tan brought Mr Sin to see the family, their plight still moved the MP to pen an open letter to all residents. (see other report).
KNOCKING ON DOORS
Each week, for the past few months, he and a few others have been knocking on doors, telling their neighbours of the hardship of fellow residents and asking for donations.
Mr Tan used to run a business importing fruits and has been a grassroots leader for over 10 years.
'So, I know the ones who can afford to give some money away and approached them first,' he said.
Most of the residents donate money - one gave $300 - but a few buy the toys requested. 80 of the 100 wishes in Mr Sin's ward have been granted.
He himself gave money, but would not say how much: 'It is not worth mentioning and I am just so happy to be able to give the children something new, something they will enjoy.'
Most of the younger children wanted toys, such as dolls and soccer balls. The older ones asked for sports bags and shoes.
'One little girl asked for some crockery for her mother so the family can eat out of proper plates,' said Mr Tan.
As for Crystal and her two younger sisters, aged 10 and 15, they are looking forward to the thrill of getting new things.
The two younger girls wished for school bags.
Their mother, who only wants to be known as Madam Yee, says that when her husband was alive, he used to shower the girls with presents: 'The girls are still using the bags he bought them but they are starting to fall apart.'
Her husband, a taxi driver, died of cancer two years ago. His insurance policy paid for the loan the family took out to buy their four-room Housing Board flat.
But it left little cash for the 50-year-old receptionist.
As for Crystal, getting a new pair of shoes would be nice, but her current preoccupation is with getting a holiday job. She wants to become a dentist or optometrist, and hopes to land an internship.
'She does well enough in her studies, so she stands a chance,' said Madam Yee.
'But I don't know why this girl is so keen on those two professions,' she added with a laugh.
Crystal looked down at the two fraying holes in her right shoe and repeats the question: 'Why?'
Then she looked up, her eyes twinkling at her mother, and asked: 'Why not?'
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STORY TOUCHED MP
TAMPINES Central MP Sin Boon Ann was so moved by one family's plight, he penned the Festive Wish leaflet himself.
With the names changed to protect their privacy, he wrote: 'Chew Li Wen is four years old. She lives in a four-room flat with her parents and six other siblings, aged between two and 15 years...
'Her mother is a housewife while her father is an odd-job worker. He was a taxi driver who lost his licence because of demerit points.
'Since then, life has been a struggle. Li Wen has forgotten the number of times when water and electricity to her flat was about to be cut.
'Li Wen has never had anything new. She has learnt to be happy with hand-me-downs - clothes, school books, school shoes and toys.
'What the other children take for granted - holidays abroad, and treats at restaurant - Li Wen and her siblings can only dream about,' he wrote.
He ended the message by saying that corporate sponsors could pay for the gifts, but that would not do justice to the community spirit of Tampines.
'How meaningful it would be if the gift could come from another Tampines resident,' he wrote.
The MP will present gifts already received to the residents at a party at the community centre today. The grassroots leaders plan to find more donors till all wishes have been fulfilled.
Source
ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS ARE NEW SHOES 
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