Grace Of Sprouting Shoot

Manna’s Warmth · Written by CSG​

Late at night, Zhang Wei (pseudonym) just off from work, he was walking on the dark hilly bushy trail head home.  Crescent moon in the sky illuminate the road before him like a street light.

Finally reached home, it was a little wooden shack with 2 rooms. The house was given by a relative to Zhang Wei and his family of seven members. When he reached home, his wife and all his children were sitting down at the dining table having their dinner. Zhang Wei took a quick bath, change and sat down together with them for dinner.  

Zhang Wei was a lorry driver, he fed his family with this income. However, an accident broken the simple happiness they enjoyed. Due to his hand injury, he can no longer drive lorry, thus he lost his job.

Life was never easy.  This untoward accident had made their lives turn worse. Despite all these, he still would not give up on earning some income to support the family livelihood. Therefore, they resorted to selling herbal tea. Every morning, they’ll prepare 30 units of herbal tea to sell at nearby factories. If they managed to sell all their herbal tea, then they’ll be able to earn a sale of RM60 for the day.   


One day, someone visited their home, the visitor claimed that he is the pastor of Abba Love Revival Centre, one of 7979 Holistic Care Station. In their conversation, the church began to understand Zhang Wei’s family situation, they later helped him to apply for 7979 Manna Food Bank food aid. Never in Zhang Wei’s thought, one visitation can turn things around for his family, it was like a tiny shoot, sprout from the soil, brought hope to the family.   


Zhang Wei recalled the first visitation, pastor suddenly expressed that he wanted to pray for his injured hand, he didn’t decline his offer. Amazingly, after pastor prayer, his long injured painful hand no longer in pain, he can even raise up his hand, his family was overjoyed with this outcome.


In March 2020, COVID-19 became widespread, MCO had to be implemented. Zhang Wei’s family livelihood again is under threat. Fortunately, the church timely delivery of Manna Food Bag, the big bag of non-perishable food in Zhang Wei’s eyes is like a gift from Heaven.      


Time flies, by these time, Zhang Wei had received 2 to 3 bags of Manna Food Bag. On every visitation, the church volunteers will chat and pray for them without fail.


Although Manna Food Bags can somehow provide their family with some extra food, however it is still not sufficient for a family of 7 members, therefore they often resorted to having plain rice with soya sauce, an imbalance diet to sustain their hunger.  On one of the house visitation, the volunteers discovered their dire state. The church responded by providing them with some pack food on and off, it comes with meat and vegetable, finally the children are able to enjoy healthy and balance meal.  


Zhang Wei and his family felt the love and care of the church towards them, they give thanks to God for the support and company of the church.

Manna Food Bag delivery per family only lasts for 1 year, but the church helped Zhang Wei to apply for another year extension.  In this difficult period of time, the church chose to continue to hold Zhang Wei’s hands to weather through all difficulties ahead together.  After the pandemic, when Zhang Wei and his family embark onto another journey, they’ll surely discover new opportunity. 

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This is a real life story of an aid recipient of Manna Food Bank from Abba Love Revival Centre.

Within this year itself, the aid recipient had experienced a lot. Under the care and company of the church and pastor, they managed to stay strong. On one incident, it was a matter of life and death of the aid recipient’s wife, he desperately prayed to Jesus: “Jesus, I don’t know who you are, but I beg you to safe my wife.” Jesus responded to his prayer, and healed his wife.  He experienced God’s miracle personally, thus he accepted Jesus and led his whole family to Christ.  


​“The children learned how to pray from church, they prayed whenever their parents went out to sell herbal tea, they’ll prayed prayers as simple and innocent like: ‘Jesus, please help us quickly sell off all the herbal tea.’ These prayers had led our aid recipient to experience God’s grace and blessing.”  Pastor shared that on one occasion, a kind soul had paid RM50 for 5 cups of herbal tea, whereas on another occasion, a customer paid RM200 and bought all the remaining 10 cups of herbal tea so that they may go home early. 


​Whenever the aid recipient arrived the industrial area where the church located to sell their herbal tea, they’ll definitely take the effort to enter the church and greet pastor. Aid recipient’s house does not have wifi facility, during MCO they can’t attend church service, thus whenever they see pastor they’ll surely asked when can they attend their church physical service. Their desire to learn and grow really moves and comforted the pastor.