A story from 7979 Crisis Family Intervention Assistance Program

From Companionship Class to Family Care

Written by Aaron Yu

Mdm. Yap, an 80+ year old lady, had been staying for many years at a flat nearby our church, together with a divorced son, two granddaughters, and her youngest son who are still single. Thus, Mdm. Yap still needs to bear the responsibility of educating the two granddaughters who are 10 and 11 years old. As she herself was not highly-educated, so she is not able to help them on their homework. She also can’t afford to pay for their tuition fees. Hence, she has been worried about their education, yet she can’t do anything. She lives on her savings, money from her eldest son and remittance from her daughter, who works oversea. 

How our relationship began? It all began from Companionship Class. Last year, AOG Church Kepong which located nearby to Mdm. Yap’s house decided to start Companionship Class. One of our church’s elderly sister, a friend of Mdm. Yap, spoke to her regarding our Companion Class, as she always sees the two girls wondering around after school and not doing their homework. When Mdm. Yap found out that this is a free class, she enrolled both girls willingly. She felt so happy that she finally found a way to help them with their study and they had really improved. Not only that, she also send both of them to our Sunday School which falls on every Saturday.

Unfortunately, it only lasted for few months, the Companionship Class was forced to close down due to MCO. However, our PIC of Companionship Class, still cared and showed concern to all the children. She called them up one by one and tried to understand their situation. Only then, she found out that there is no internet facility at home, so the two girls were unable to attend their school’s online classes. She found out further that the family’s financial status was badly hit by MCO. Her eldest son had lost his job, her daughter’s job also affected, thus unable to remit money back regularly. They were in deep financial problem, until there is no food to place on the table. Mdm. Yap said, “I might not be very rich, but I also do charity works (e.g. donation) whenever I can. Who knows, now I need other people to help me.”

When the church came to know of Mdm. Yap’s situation, they immediately helped her to apply for 7979 Crisis Family Intervention Fund’s aid. It was so timely, it helped them to get over the most difficult time. Now MCO is over, her son returned to work and the daughter (mother of the two girls) was able to buy a mobile phone and internet facilities for her daughters’ online classes, also cover their education and meal cost. At the same time, the Companionship Class also resume operation.

Mdm. Yap is very grateful to the church, for helping her at the most needed time. Now she has stable income, no longer needs help. She is also very grateful for teachers of Companionship Class who show love and care to her two granddaughters’ lives and studies, teachers of Sunday School for their teaching on the Word of God that had shaped their character. As a result of these, the two girls who are growing in a family background of divorce parents and cross generation parenting, had experienced tremendous improvement in their studies and maturity in their character. Mdm. Yap always feel thankful and relief whenever she thought of this.