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Flooded houses were gravely in need of repairs. Stained wall due to inundation, submerged electrical items, furnitures and fittings, transportation vehicles that could not be removed in time, replacement of internal and external power sockets, all these involved substantial cost. However, we must understand not every disaster hit families have the financial means to rebuild their houses. Especially the extreme poverty group or under privilege group, this reparing cost was a huge burden to them. If after they had exhausted all their resources, and they still weren’t able to come up with any sum of money for repairing work, then they could only choose to live carefully in a hazardous surrounding of short circuited wire, sharp points or loose parts while avoiding themselves from getting injured. Due to the facts that these families will need more external resources, therefore, the local churches become a good channel for resource circulation.
The Peninsular Great Flood in Dec. 2021, had caused estimated loss of RM2 billion. The pandemic was not totally over yet, and Peninsular was hit with a great flood, it was a calamity followed by another. The first two weeks after the flood, our first phase of disaster response focused mainly on cleaning, aiming to assist the flood victim to resume their normal routine as soon as possible. 7979 worked together with local churches at 6 disaster zones, mobilised 918 volunteers, cleaned 187 civilian houses, 5 schools and a kindergarten, 19 shops, 3 church buildings and 1 old folks home. Immediately after that, 7979 launched a Flood Assistance Aid for churches to help families that were in critical needs. Through 8 local churches, 7979 had assisted 290 families, these monetary aid had enabled the disaster victims to buy the necessity. Besides this, a few churches in Klang had also come together to apply for Manna Food Bags to be given to 156 indigemous households. Flood Assistance Aid became a timely support to the local churches to enable them to show concern to their disaster victims. - Home is Refuge for Everyone -
7979 Home Rebuilding Plan and Flood Assistance Aid were launched together. The churches would evaluate the need of home rebuilding for under privilege families such as low income households, single parent families or families with disables bodies. Assistance provided such as purchasing of needed materials for rebuilding, repair and repaint of walls, roof or the house structure, purchase of electrical items and furniture. Up untill April, through Grace Charismatic Fellowship, Full Gospel Mission Centre Jelebu, Bentong Gospel Hall, Gospel to the Poor and FaithWorks, there were 42 households benefited from this effort.
- Rainbow that Appears after the Rain -
Children who experienced major disaster also suffered losses as great as the adult. Their much loved school bags, books, stationaries, toys and etc. went missing or broken due to the flood. Actually a child is more vulnerable compare to adult, because they do not know how to express themselves or manage their emotion, therefore they fall under our major concern group as well.
SRJK(C) Khe Beng which located in the vicinity of Taman Sri Muda also had 195 students from disaster hit families. Through the Parents and Teachers Society, other than Popular Book Store’s voucher that allowed them to buy anything that they want, 7979 also gave a quality hygiene pack to each child to educate them on the knowledge of Risk Reduction and Prevention.
- For Me, the Flood is a Blessing in Disguise -
This flood had led Bentong Gospel Hall to Mdm. Jin. Half a year before the flood, Mdm. Jin had lost her spouse, her son returned to the city to work after the funerral, she was left alone in their old house.
This old wooden house was very spacious, to a lonely senior citizen the house seems to be bigger. When the flood hit, the gushing 5 feet flood water had destroyed the house’s wooden floor, walls and furniture, it also swept away small electrical items. Bentong Gospel Hall assisted Mdm. Jin to apply for Flood Assistance Aid for immediate relief. Seeing her neighbours already started to rebuild their homes, she however had to live very cautiously, because her house’s wooden flooring has protruded from its surface which became hazardrous, matters bacame worse when mold started to grow on wooden wall and flooring, door frame also became deformed, structure starting to pose threat. Due to this big scale of house damage, the subsidies she received from political party was not suffice to do all the required repair work, her son’s meager income was also not able to cover much, therefore she had to put all the repair work on hold. Thankfully, Bentong Gospel Hall extended their hand to Mdm. Jin through 7979 Home Rebuilding Plan, her problem of insufficient fund for house repairing was solved. Now, she has a renovated house with cement floor and walls, and new white ceiling, which is clean and safe to live. It will be able to withstand another big flood in future. Her neighbours also admired and praised for the major overhaul of her house. Mdm. Jin shared with Deacon Abel of Bentong Gospel Hall, she said: “For me, the flood is a blessing in disguise”, she continued on to say: “I want to use this big kichen wisely, I welcome you all come here to organise your cell group meetings. If you are willing, welcome to use this house for meal gatherings as often as you want.” Although Mdm. Jin’s son is seldom by her side, although her house had gone through a great flood, but from this flood of blessing in disguise, she gained a “new house”, joy and frienship. 2021年12月半岛大水灾,经济损失估计高达马币20亿。疫情还未完全结束,半岛却遇上水灾,真是一波未平一波又起。灾后首两周,第一阶段的应灾工作着重在清洗灾区,旨在支援灾区尽快回到原有的生活起居。7979与当地教会携手在6个地点,动员918志工人次,清洗187户民宅、5间学校和幼儿园、19间商店、3间教堂、1间老人院。 紧接着,7979开放水灾援助金供教会帮助有紧急需要的家庭。7979透过8间地方教会,一共援助了290个家庭,这笔钱帮助灾民各自添购所需物资。此外,居銮众教会也为当地156户原住民申请食物包。水灾援助金及时支援地方教会,向受灾居民献上关怀。 灾后的屋子需要多方修缮。斑驳的墙、被水浸的家电、家具和寝具、还有无法及时抢救的交通工具、更换房子内外的插座等都是一大笔的开销。但,并非每个灾民的家庭经济基础有办法重建家园,对特贫受灾户或弱势家庭而言,这笔修缮费是一笔沉重的费用。实在拿不出来的话,只好将就并小心翼翼地避免触电、被尖锐处、松脱处弄伤。由于这些家庭需要获得更多额外的资源,故此,地方教会成为资源流通的管道之一。 - 家,每个人的避难所 - 7979家园重建计划与水灾援助金同时启动。教会经过评估,介入经济弱势的低收入户、单亲或有身心障碍病患的家庭家园重建的需要。其援助项目包括购买重建所需材料、修缮与粉刷墙壁和屋顶或房子架构、采购家电和家具。截至4月,透过Grace Charismatic Fellowship、日叻务全备福音布道中心Full Gospel Mission Centre Jelebu、文冬福音堂Bentong Gospel Hall、Gospel to the Poor、FaithWorks,已经有42户弱势家庭受惠。 - 雨后,彩虹将要绽放 - 经历重灾的孩童,跟大人一样损失惨重。心爱的书包、课本、文具、玩具等等,不知所踪或损坏。其实孩子比大人更脆弱,因为他们不晓得表达和管理自己的情绪,是关怀重点对象之一。 - 这场水灾,我因祸得福 - 因这场水灾,文冬福音堂结识了淦姐。水灾发生前半年,淦姐失去了她的老伴,丧礼后儿子又回到常年打拼的城市,留下淦姐独守老祖屋。 这木质祖屋空间很大,对寂寞孤单的淦姐更显为大。水灾那天,五尺的水来势汹汹,掀开木地板、损坏墙身和家具、冲走小型家电。文冬福音堂为淦姐申请了水灾援助金,以解她燃眉之急。 眼看邻居们陆陆续续为自己的家园重建之际,淦姐在自己家里需要步步为营,因为掀开的地板不但危险,而且地板和墙身因水气而开始发霉、门框变形等架构性的问题。大面积的损坏导致政党津贴不足维修所有损坏处,但是儿子的微薄薪水远远不足,只好继续搁置它。 文冬福音堂再次向淦姐伸出援手。透过7979 家园重建计划,补上淦姐不足的重建经费。崭新的水泥地、石灰墙和天花板是那么干净、安全和安心。即使未来大水再袭,也经得起冲击。邻居们赞叹淦姐的家焕然一新。 淦姐对文冬福音堂延凯执事说“这场水灾,我因祸得福”,她还说“我要好好利用我这大厨房,来来来,我欢迎教会用来做小组聚会,如果你们愿意,欢迎你们常常来我家聚餐。” 虽然儿子不常在身边,虽然屋子经历大水灾。不过因祸得福的淦姐收获了“新房子”、喜乐和友谊。 Comments are closed.
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