吗哪食物银行见证 manna food bank testimony
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（For English please scroll down） 喘气的空间 |
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Perseverance in the Face of Adversity
TRANSLATED BY DAWN LIM
People in general always complain when they face adversity and blame the circumstances, they are in for all their problems. But this is not always true. This apparently disadvantaged family, however, would never give up a learning opportunity to be self-reliant...
A year ago, an Indian single mother, Nara (not her real name), came to the Gospel Chapel Community Center to look for a job. She has lost her job as a cleaner at a local hospital as the hospital has closed down. Due to the Covid-19 outbreak at that time, she struggled to make ends meet. Feeling helpless, she had no choice but to seek food aid from the Church. Volunteers from the Church immediately paid a visit to her house and provided some food aid for her family. There are seven members in the family, two are disabled and four are young children. To satisfy the need of such a big family, the Church applied for the 7979 Manna Food Bag on their behalf.
Since the pandemic situation in Negeri Sembilan is getting worse, Nara has yet to be employed. As she lives in a remote area, no one would notice even if the white flag is raised. Fortunately, the volunteers from the Church have been visiting her regularly and following up with her. They noticed a clearing beside Nara's house and came up with an idea to rear chickens and grow vegetables. The volunteers always bring along some teenagers to build chicken coops every time they visit Nara. The "small farm" is now almost completed and Nara is grateful to the Church for everything they have done for them. Since no one can predict when the pandemic will end, they hope this "small farm" can produce as much as possible. The chicken manure can be sold as fertilizer while the chickens, fruits and vegetables may either be reserved for own consumption or for sale.
A year ago, an Indian single mother, Nara (not her real name), came to the Gospel Chapel Community Center to look for a job. She has lost her job as a cleaner at a local hospital as the hospital has closed down. Due to the Covid-19 outbreak at that time, she struggled to make ends meet. Feeling helpless, she had no choice but to seek food aid from the Church. Volunteers from the Church immediately paid a visit to her house and provided some food aid for her family. There are seven members in the family, two are disabled and four are young children. To satisfy the need of such a big family, the Church applied for the 7979 Manna Food Bag on their behalf.
Since the pandemic situation in Negeri Sembilan is getting worse, Nara has yet to be employed. As she lives in a remote area, no one would notice even if the white flag is raised. Fortunately, the volunteers from the Church have been visiting her regularly and following up with her. They noticed a clearing beside Nara's house and came up with an idea to rear chickens and grow vegetables. The volunteers always bring along some teenagers to build chicken coops every time they visit Nara. The "small farm" is now almost completed and Nara is grateful to the Church for everything they have done for them. Since no one can predict when the pandemic will end, they hope this "small farm" can produce as much as possible. The chicken manure can be sold as fertilizer while the chickens, fruits and vegetables may either be reserved for own consumption or for sale.
（For English please scroll down）
不离。不弃
文/7979同工
这是一个非常贫困的家庭，家里连冰箱沙发也没有。7979吗哪食物银行派发这天，马来西亚浸信会生命堂7979全人关怀站的志工一如既往的带着食物包到他们家，不料却连家门也进不去……
“当我们到达那个花园时，看到入口处已经被高高的铁丝网圈和重重铁链围着。”志工说到。于是志工立即致电案主，才知道该区已列为加强行管令(EMCO)区，被封锁了。无奈之际，志工只好静观其变，先到别家派送吗哪包。
事后，志工心系这家庭，想到每拖延一天，案家就多煎熬一天。于是志工按捺不住，赶在太阳下山前再度到访该区。志工请案主派两个孩子来到封锁边界领取物资。隔着铁丝网圈，志工把物资一样一样从空隙中传递进去，孩子们再把物资装箱搬回家中。隔着网圈看着孩子们感激的表情与坚强的背影，志工感到无比心酸，却也带着满满的感动离开。
志工随后在电话跟进中得知，案主全家8位家庭成员都确诊，最小的孩子仅有7岁。但在这急难中，值得感恩的是，早在2020年尾，教会已经开始带着吗哪包援助这个家庭，即使是突如其来的疫情封锁，教会依然对他们不离不弃。
“当我们到达那个花园时，看到入口处已经被高高的铁丝网圈和重重铁链围着。”志工说到。于是志工立即致电案主，才知道该区已列为加强行管令(EMCO)区，被封锁了。无奈之际，志工只好静观其变，先到别家派送吗哪包。
事后，志工心系这家庭，想到每拖延一天，案家就多煎熬一天。于是志工按捺不住，赶在太阳下山前再度到访该区。志工请案主派两个孩子来到封锁边界领取物资。隔着铁丝网圈，志工把物资一样一样从空隙中传递进去，孩子们再把物资装箱搬回家中。隔着网圈看着孩子们感激的表情与坚强的背影，志工感到无比心酸，却也带着满满的感动离开。
志工随后在电话跟进中得知，案主全家8位家庭成员都确诊，最小的孩子仅有7岁。但在这急难中，值得感恩的是，早在2020年尾，教会已经开始带着吗哪包援助这个家庭，即使是突如其来的疫情封锁，教会依然对他们不离不弃。
Not abandoned
Translated by Dawn Lim
This is a very poor family that doesn’t even own a refrigerator or sofa. On the day the 7979 Manna Food Bank volunteers from the Malaysia Life Baptist Church went to their home to distribute the Manna food bag as usual, they found out that they could not even get near their house ...
"When we reached the Taman, we saw that the entrance was surrounded by high barbed wire fences and heavy chains," a volunteer said. The volunteer immediately called the Manna food bag recipient, only to learn that that area has been placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO). Feeling powerless, the volunteers decided to play it by ear and proceed with distributing the Manna food bag to other families.
However, thinking that the delay would exacerbate the suffering of the Manna food bag recipient, the volunteers decided to make another trip to the Taman again before sunset. They asked the family to send two of their children to a designated spot at the barricaded perimeter to pick up the Manna food bag. The volunteers then handed the items one at a time to the children through the barbed wire. The children then packed the food items into a box and carried them home. Looking at the children’s grateful expression and their back view that displayed courage across the barbed wire fence, the volunteers were overwhelmed with sadness. Nevertheless, they were deeply moved by the whole incident as they left.
With a follow-up phone call, the volunteers learned that this family of eight were all infected by Covid-19. The youngest child was only 7 years old. Thankfully, as early as the end of 2020, the Church has begun to despatch Manna Food Bag to the family. Even during the pandemic, the Church will never abandon them.
"When we reached the Taman, we saw that the entrance was surrounded by high barbed wire fences and heavy chains," a volunteer said. The volunteer immediately called the Manna food bag recipient, only to learn that that area has been placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO). Feeling powerless, the volunteers decided to play it by ear and proceed with distributing the Manna food bag to other families.
However, thinking that the delay would exacerbate the suffering of the Manna food bag recipient, the volunteers decided to make another trip to the Taman again before sunset. They asked the family to send two of their children to a designated spot at the barricaded perimeter to pick up the Manna food bag. The volunteers then handed the items one at a time to the children through the barbed wire. The children then packed the food items into a box and carried them home. Looking at the children’s grateful expression and their back view that displayed courage across the barbed wire fence, the volunteers were overwhelmed with sadness. Nevertheless, they were deeply moved by the whole incident as they left.
With a follow-up phone call, the volunteers learned that this family of eight were all infected by Covid-19. The youngest child was only 7 years old. Thankfully, as early as the end of 2020, the Church has begun to despatch Manna Food Bag to the family. Even during the pandemic, the Church will never abandon them.