Spreading Love in critical time

SPREADING LOVE IN
​CRITICAL TIME

If life is like a vast sea and we are wandering on it; then love is like a bright light in the sea that brings us hope. Just like how the Lighthouse Community Centre had shined families in the community with hope.

​Lighthouse in the Community

Lighthouse Community Centre A/G is a church located in Penang. The church serves the families in need actively in providing care services and accompanies them to face their life’s challenges together. Pastor Michael has been engaging in social concern ministry for many years, where he is committed in taking care of the elderly people, people with disabilities and children. The church often visits the families in need and assists them in applying 7979 Crisis Intervention Program and Manna Food Bank aid when the families are having financial emergencies to help lessen their life burdens. The church sets up a “Refrigerator of Kindness” which allows the elderly people who are living alone to take foods they need. At the same time, the church also sets up a companion class to assist children in completing their home works and cultivate good characters in them.

As the COVID-19 pandemic strikes, the church is unable to operate as usual. To avoid crowd gathering, the church had stop providing food through the “Refrigerator of Kindness”. Even though there are limitations due to the Movement Control Order, but it didn’t stop the church from showing love to the community in the midst of pandemic. The church often keeps in touch with the students from companion class through phone calls and social media, and provides masks to the students and their family to make sure they are all well.


The Driving Force behind Kindness

Since church gathering is not allowed, Pastor Michael records a five-minute devotion video every day and shares it to the church members to ensure they receive care and Words of God during the period of quarantine. “It takes me 3-4 hours of video recording, editing, and sending even though the video is just five minutes short,” says Pastor Michael. He was stressed as he is busier than usual, but he sees the opportunity to show love to people around him during the period of Movement Control Order.

“It gave me deep thoughts when seeing how the pandemic had changed the pace of human life; how it breaks our living habits which lead people to have deeper reflection on the meaning of life. Therefore, our action of showing care and concern allows people to realize that Jesus is the One that we can depend and lean on. It is the genuine help which does not require to be paid back that touches the hearts of people. At the same time, we regain strength and feel blessed too!” Hence, Pastor Michael and his fellow co-workers send love gifts to church members and bless them with prayers as the movement control started to deregulate. 

​He indicates that providing practical and effective help in caring for the community is needed, but the most important thing is to let people feel the love in desperation. Last but not least, he thanked 7979 for responding the need of people in time and provides suitable program and resources to support the church in reaching and helping the families in need, which motivates the church to serve the community boldly and enthusiastically.

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Story from Lighthouse Community Centre A/G, 7979 Holistic Care Station

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