There is an old song called “Drizzle in March” that depicts the hardships of people in the rain. This year, in March 2023, the heavy rain in Johor caught everyone off guard. No one expected such a massive flood in March, not even the relevant government agencies.

Disasters can strike anytime and anywhere, but in almost every disaster response, we experience the mighty power of our Heavenly Father: seeing His faithfulness and the provision of resources we need, confirming that He is our “ever-present help”.

In this Johor great flood, I was busy with various relief efforts, from the beginning stage of disaster, to communicating with various groups of people and lastly relief preparations, I saw God’s grace. In the midst of human caused disaster, His will always is the best, He can turn the impossible into possible, accomplishing what humans cannot.

When we were looking for core volunteers that can work well with us, then someone stepped forward, as if responding to a heavenly calling: “Since you want it, then I do it for you!” 
Then, due to the unpredictable rainfall and weather conditions, our planned deployment was severely affected – we had to delay our operations. Unsure of what to do and how long to wait, several Christian disaster relief teams instinctively gathered in one place. We fellowshipped, shared information and resources, and prayed for the progress of the relief work. These were to enable every party could make their best preparations with adequate information available, and by faith that everyone may chose the most suitable timing for their next move. When I heard this report from my co-workers of what they had witnessed, I responded in my heart: “Yes, indeed. This should be the way among brothers and sisters, ‘You want it, then I do it for you!’”  

Flood-stricken Chaah which had captured national attention, had also brought various churches and organizations together, all wanted to help the flood victims to the best of their abilities. In order to avoid resource duplication and waste, effective communication and coordination were utmost important. I’m really grateful that whenever information or SOS calls shared in our chat group, volunteers would respond quickly, with a unanimous mind set of “You need it, so I do it for you!”

At the beginning of the disaster response, an elder called to inquire whether we could lend some tools and equipment to their team. I responded immediately and acted according to his request, later when we met, he exclaimed, “Wow! That was fast!” I responded spontaneously, “You need it, so I give it to you!”

During the relief operations, many flood victims had large electrical appliances that had submerged in water. They were unsure if the appliances still usable and was afraid to switch it on, but they felt that it was a waste if dispose it as garbage. Therefore, someone thought of organizing a team of volunteers to inspect and repair these electrical appliances, but there were not many people with the necessary expertise and even fewer willing to go to the disaster-stricken area. However, God’s love is so great, and He called a group of volunteers to join the inspecting and repairing electrical appliances support team. Initially, we planned to let the flood victims to bring their appliances to a temporary centre to increase the efficiency of repairing process. However, due to the shortage of vehicles, not many flood victims could bring their appliances to the centre. So, we switch to door-to-door service, indirectly magnifying the spirit of “You want it, so I do it for you!”.

Throughout almost the entire month of March, I travelled back and forth between Chaah and its surrounding areas in Johor. By the end of March, I wanted to bring this disaster response to a close and thus ended by hosting a carnival for the children who were severely affected by the disaster, aiming to bring joy back to their lives. From borrowing the school’s venue to recruiting volunteers and support teams, within a short one week, each successful invitation was a manifestation of God’s overflowing grace. Working together with like-minded brothers and sisters, we had no worries because we knew that each one would say, “You want it, I’ll do it for you!”

Thank you, Heavenly Father, all glory to the Lord!