A story from 7979 Crisis Family Intervention Assistance Program

A Family of Four Strong 

Written by Aaron Yu

In a wooden house of a squatter area at North Jinjang, Kepong, stay a family of four. The mother Siew Hua (pseudonym) works as a temporary worker in a restaurant. Father is a construction worker with unstable income, he works only when his boss assigned job to him. Their 20 years old daughter Xiao Mei (pseudonym) inherited their family weak kidney illness, started dialysis since 15 years old, as she has to do dialysis on every Wednesday, therefore she can’t take up normal job. Their youngest son can’t work too, for he has an impaired sole, thus he can’t stays standing for too long. This family earn their living by taking up some petty jobs that can do at home. They barely survive by meager income.   

Year 2020, when COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world, our country is one of it. In March, in order to curb the widespread of COVID-19, our government declared MCO. As a result of this, Mdm. Siew Hua and her husband’s income are affected, they can’t work as usual, their life immediately in predicament. At the same time, the hospital that their daughter usually go for dialysis is no longer available, she had been transferred to another hospital which is further away from their house, the increase of transportation cost has worsens the already bad financial condition.       


​Before MCO, a neighbor introduced their daughter to a church nearby which is Abundant Grace Kepong AG. After the church loving care, repeated visitations and invitation to church, she became acquainted and close to some church members and the wife of the church’s pastor. During this period of time, the church discovered their predicament through caring telephone calls, thus the church helped them to apply for aid from 7979 Crisis Family Intervention Fund, which is a sum of RM300 a month that will be given for 4 months. This aid is like rain in the desert, lighten their heavy financial burden, it helped them to withstand the crisis of financial double blow.

On my way to visit this family, when I parked my car and walked to their house, I was a bit worried how should I encourage and comfort this people who are obviously in trouble, but when I saw the smiles on their faces while sharing the process of how the church cares and helped for them, which included applying for money aid from 7979 Crisis Family Intervention Assistance. Other than that, the church continue to supply food and sundry to this family. Although, their daughter had returned to the nearer hospital for dialysis treatment, and a relative had offered to help in transportation. the father’s work is still not stable. Moreover, Siew Hua’s leg is now suffering from water retention, thus she is unable to work, as she has to stay home to take care of her kidney failure daughter, and this had withheld her from receiving leg treatment. The future for this family is still very challenging and difficult, however they had choose to face it with an optimistic and thankful attitude. With the church continuous cares and encouragement, this strong
 family of four deeply felt the warm of their company.