7979吗哪暖心 一次心跳停止，一次截肢，她没有放弃人生
19岁，一个刚踏出中学不久的年纪，本该是憧憬未来、享受青春的时光，雅思（化名）却只身踏上异国新加坡的打工旅程。在异国辗转奔波的五六年，她换过好几份工作。面对陌生的语言与环境，她必须一边适应，一边求生。生活从不允许她按下暂停键。
离开，是为了更好的生活
某一天，正在上班的雅思心脏突然停止跳动；倒下的那瞬间，时间仿佛停止，眼前顿时陷入一片黑暗。再次睁开眼睛，已是三天后。“呜……呜……”在朦胧的意识中，她看见妹妹在耳边哭泣，那声音几近崩溃。她忽然明白，自己曾走到生命的边缘——那是第一次感受真实地感受到死亡离自己如此之近。那一刻，她对死亡产生前所未有的恐惧。
医生告诉雅思，她的心律跳动比常人缓慢，不能承受过大的压力。像新加坡这样节奏急促、步调紧凑的城市，对她而言太过沉重。她担心心脏若再次停止跳动，或许会死在他乡。于是，她决定离开这座令她几分窒息的城市，回国，并在柔佛新山卖肉干，一待将近十年。
再次按下暂停键
当生活步伐渐渐迈上正轨，雅思以为自己终于可以安稳度日时，一场交通事故，迫使她按下暂停键。被送到医院时，医生担心细菌扩散至身体其它部位，建议她截去一只脚，以免伤势恶化。听见“截肢”的消息，她震惊且恐惧，明白自己没有选择，唯有顺从医生安排。手术完成后，紧接而来的，是她从未想象过的痛楚。“手术结束，麻药退了，我感到很痛，受不了。” 她回忆道。她甚至一度请求医生给她可以昏睡几天的药，只为逃避清洗伤口时带来的折磨。
失去一只脚之后，雅思的生活陷入无助，因为无法站立、翻身，日常行动需要靠轮椅和纸尿片的辅助。拆线的那一刻，她想要呐喊。“我没有感觉痛，可是我就是要喊！” 看着医护人员一针针地剪、拉，一股无形的压力涌上她的心头。就在那时，她在心里做了一个决定——重新出发。
只能靠自己，不能靠别人
一开始，雅思很挣扎——对身体的失能感到愤怒，对未来的路感到迷茫。她曾一度怀疑自己，也曾陷入深深的挣扎，自己是否还能再站起来。正当她犹豫不决的时候，妹妹的一句话如当头棒喝，让她猛然清醒。“妳要靠自己，不能依靠别人。”这番话大大激励了雅思。于是她听从妹妹的建议，到老人院安顿下来。
在老人院不愁衣、食和住的优良条件下，雅思进行自我康复训练。紧接而来的是雅思在例行体检时，被验出血糖、血压和胆固醇偏高，患有糖尿病。她心头一震，意识不能再忽视健康问题，便开始按时服药，控制饮食。与此同时，她在老人院看见一些年长者，虽然行动不便，仍努力地移动身体、照顾自己，这一幕深深触动她——她意识到，自己并不是最不幸的那一个；她知道自己不能放弃，必须紧紧把握恢复行动能力的机会。虽然她的身体不方便，但也愿意向院内年长者伸出援手。
当她发现自己能基本自理生活后，便回到居銮与母亲同住。她因糖尿病引发肾脏功能衰弱，被迫开始定期洗肾，生活再次面临考验。而这份考验，不仅落在她身上，也重重地压在母亲肩上。
“啊……”，雅思忽然大声喊叫，看着患有严重糖尿病与高血压的母亲，突然在她的眼前倒下，失去意识。雅思想要上前扶起母亲，却无能为力，只要一伸手，自己的身体也会失去平衡，到时便可能和母亲一同摔倒在地。正当她惊慌失措，不知如何是好时，前来探访的两名志工听到喊叫声，迅速冲进屋内，赶紧将母亲扶起，才让她稍稍松了一口气。其中一位志工是章厚诗牧师，来自居銮恩福基督浸信会7979全人关怀站。幸好志工们定期探访雅思母女，才能及时化解这场突发状况。
章厚诗牧师得知雅思因失去工作能力，与母亲仅靠每个月RM 600（两人合计）的社会福利金和其他人提供的经费维生，便为她们申请每两个月一次的“7979吗哪食物包”。雅思开心地表示，吗哪包可以为她们节省约RM 200至RM 300的开销，包括饮食和纸尿片。她特别感谢住在附近的志工余翠珍，时常上门关心，并提供其它帮助。“我每次问关怀站若有多余的物资，会与牧师协商后，送给她们。”
经历了种种坎坷，面对的困难或许不会减少，但雅思不会纠结往事，坚持走下去。她的坚韧与乐观，感动了许多人。“她的生命很激励人心，不仅积极正面，也愿意与有需要的人分享资源，例如将吗哪包物品送给邻舍。”章牧师如此说道。
“ 我只是少了一只脚，我还能做很多事。”
对雅思而言，生命并未因失去一只脚而停下——只是被迫暂停，然后重新启动。
She Did Not Give Up On Life Even Though She Had A Cardiac Arrest And An Amputation.
At 19, one has just left secondary school not too long ago; it should be a time when one looks forward to the future and enjoys their youth. However, it was a different story for Ya Shi (pseudonym), who left her homeland to work in Singapore. She moved from one job to another for approximately six years. The foreign environment was difficult for her, yet she had to learn to cope and survive. The hectic life does not allow her to press the pause button.
Leaving for the Better
On one tragic day, Ya Shi had a cardiac arrest at work. At that moment when she collapsed, the time seemed to stop for a moment before darkness came over her. It was three days later when she reopened her eyes and came to her senses. She heard her younger sister crying before she was fully awake; her voice sounded so desperate and lost. Only then, she realised she was almost gone, it was a close call, for the first time in her life, she felt that she was at the edge of life and death. At that instant, a dreadful feeling towards death and fear came over her like never before.
The doctor told Ya Shi that her heart beat is slower than others; therefore, she cannot take in too much pressure. Cities like Singapore, which are constantly high-strung and fast-paced, are considered too stressful for her. She was worried she would die in a foreign land from another cardiac attack. Hence, she decided to leave the city that almost suffocated her. She worked at a pork jerky shop for close to 10 years after settling down in Johore Bahru, Malaysia.
Pressing the Pause Button Again
Ya Shi thought that she could go on living a normal life when her life was back on track and slowly gaining momentum. However, a tragic accident which cost her greatly forced her to press the pause button again. When she reached the hospital, the doctor suggested that one leg be amputated to prevent bacteria from spreading to her whole body. She was utterly shocked and shaken when she heard the word “Amputation”; fear came over her, yet she was not given a choice but to give in to the doctor’s suggestion. After the operation, she experienced an unimaginable excruciating pain, hitting her over and over again. “After the surgery, when the morphine effect ended, I felt unbearable pain.” She recalled that she had requested to be put on drugs that made her drowsy for three days so that she wouldn’t have to go through the pain of wound dressing.
Ya Shi fell into a deep pit of helplessness after losing one leg, as she couldn’t stand or turn her body, she resorted to a wheelchair and disposable diapers as part of her daily life. When the time came for her to remove her stitches, she wanted to scream. “I did not feel any pain, but I still wanted to scream.” As she watched the nurse cutting and pulling the stitches, an unexplainable urge came to her. At that moment, she decided in her heart — Make a Fresh Start.
Rely Not on Others but Oneself
Initially, Ya Shi was struggling; she was frustrated with her disability and felt lost about her future. She doubted herself and struggling with whether she could rise again. Amidst her ambivalent thoughts, her sister said to her, “You cannot depend on others, but yourself.” It served as a wake-up call that made her mind clear and motivated her. Later, she heeded her younger sister’s advice and moved into an elderly home.
In the elderly home, she didn’t need to worry about the necessities, so she concentrated on her physiotherapy. Following that, she discovered her health was quite alarming, as the health screening result showed that she had high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and was diagnosed with diabetes. She was stunned for a moment, then realised that she could no longer ignore her health condition; thus, she started to take medication and follow a proper diet. Simultaneously, she saw the elderly living at the home, trying to move around, turn their bodies and take care of themselves, although it was not convenient for them. This sight moved her deeply, and she realised that she was not the most unfortunate; she couldn’t give up, and must grab the opportunity to recover mobility. Although she has some inconveniences of her own, she is still willing to extend a helping hand to the elderly.
“Ah……”, Ya Shi shouted when her mother, who was also a diabetes patient with high Blood Pressure, lost consciousness and fell before her. Ya Shi couldn’t help her mother as she would fall out of her wheelchair once she extended her hand out to her mother. She was utterly helpless and lost, and didn’t know what to do next. Coincidentally, two volunteers who came to visit her heard her scream, they rushed into the house and helped her mother onto a chair. Only then, she feels a sense of relief. One of the volunteers was Rev. Simon Chang from the 7979 Holistic Care Station of Kluang Baptist Church. Thank God for the volunteers who had visited Ya Shi and her mother regularly; without them, the sudden incident could not have been overcome.
Rev. Chang applied for the bi-monthly Manna Food Bag from 7979 Manna Food Bank on behalf of them, when he realised that after Ya Shi lost her ability to work, she and her mother were living on RM600 (both combined) from SOCSO and some money given to them occasionally by others. Ya Shi happily told us that Manna Food Bags had helped them save approximately RM200 to RM300 in expenses each month, which included food and disposable diapers. She specifically expressed gratitude towards our volunteer, Yee Chooi Chin, who stays nearby. She visited them regularly to care and offered help. “I always ask whether there are any extra resources available to give to them after seeking our pastor’s permission.”
After enduring all kinds of harsh and difficult challenges in life, the difficulties that lie before her may not be fewer; however, Ya Shi chooses not to dwell on the past, but to move forward with determination. Her perseverance and optimism have moved the hearts of many. “Her life motivates many, not only because it is positive, but her willingness to help others by sharing resources from Manna Food Bags she received with her neighbours.” Rev. Chang shared.
“I only lost a leg, but I still can do many things.”
To Ya Shi, life doesn’t stop when she lost her leg – it was only a forced pause, which could be restarted.