Chen-Li Presbyterian Church JB in JB, Johor, has been promoting community care ministry for many years. Therefore, they know 7979 Holistic Care Relief Network (" 7979 "for short) does provide holistic care assistance and community services to the community. In order to provide more opportunities for members to get involved in community care, Chen-Li Presbyterian Church JB set up HISTEAM 7979 Care Station, hoping to reach out to the residents of the community and help those in need through the 7979 Family Crisis Assistance Program. The church also gets to know and befriend the parents of the students in the Companionship Class through the 7979 Companionship Class Programme for under privilege children.
 
7979 services programmes not only serve as a bridge between Chen-Li Presbyterian Church JB and the community, but also brings timely rain and relief to families in crisis. Lillian (pseudonym) is a beneficiary of this timely rain and relief. Lillian is a single mother who had single-handedly raised her son, Xiao Zhang (pseudonym). Later, because of an accident, Xiao Zhang became paralyzed and bedridden. From then on, Lilian fell deep into pit of poverty due to their huge living expenses.
 
During the day, Lillian would ride her motorcycle to work at the factory near her house, and take care of her son after work. The days went by very quickly, she swallowed down all the bitterness of life. Xiao Zhang was aware of his mother's difficulties, but there was nothing he could do. The interaction between mother and son was paradoxical and they often quarrelled. When Lillian toiled all day to make a living, one day she heard the news that the factory was about to move. The news which came out of the blue made her panicked -- she couldn't afford to lose her sole source of income. She desperately needed to find work that was flexible, close to home and accessible only by motorbike. Her neighbour, who is in contact with Chen-Li Presbyterian Church JB, knew that the church might be able to help with the crisis and suggested that Lillian sought help from the church. When the church learned of the family's plight, they appointed Xiao Ting, a volunteer, to care for them.
 
The church initially provided a relief aid for Lillian's family, knowing that she would lose her job soon, they helped her to apply for 7979 Crisis Intervention Fund. Initially, Lillian who being an understanding person refused to accept the fund for the said reason she told the church, "I am still working and the company has not move yet. So, you don't have to apply for me." She said there may be others who need the money more than she does. Later on, with the continuous help of the church, she became depended on the Crisis Intervention Fund to ease the "pressing needs" in her life and her life indeed became more relaxed.
 
In fact, Lillian never applied for assistance from other organizations or seek help from other channels, including her own family; She accepted only the Crisis Intervention Fund which the church had applied for her, because she didn't know how to apply for aid, and her busy life had kept her from looking for other resources. She said that in the process of the church assisting her, she felt respected. Besides, the situation was complicated because her son was chronically ill, and there were very few agencies around which were willing to help them.
 
The church's little act of applying Crisis Intervention Fund for Lillian became a contact point for both parties. The church would visit Lillian every week or two and also looked out for suitable jobs for Lillian. The relationship between mother and son has improved with the intervention of the church. Xiao Zhang was led by the church to believe in Jesus Christ and he in turn encouraged his mother to believe in Jesus too. Now, Xiao Ting and Lillian have become good friends.
 
Perhaps a rain, cannot moisten every earth;
But a rain, can put out a fire in time;
This is the vision of a timely rain and relief, Crisis Intervention Fund.
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As we enter into post pandemic era, many are trying to return to pre pandemic normalcy, trying to seize every opportunity to catch up with what they had lost. Hence, vehicles on the road are getting more, malls are crowded with people, more plans for overseas travels or some are back from overseas to visit their families and relatives, the flows of people seem never ending.

Everyone has different goals to pursue in a new year. The most precious thing of all is we did not miss any opportunity to serve with love and care during the pandemic, no one we assisted was forgotten. In this era where nothing stays unchanged, we did not strive forward alone, but chose to support and accompany the needy.    
     
The recent flood that caused by the Monsoon rain, has become a regular annual incident, people are getting used to it. Disaster came in second, nobody managed to secure their own premises. No matter natural disaster or human cause disaster, disaster in this world would never cease to exist; nevertheless, in these dark hopeless moments, we still able to see many heart-warming event taking places. When we are in good times, we seldom give thanks, we take things for granted and are not aware of what transpired or what we had enjoyed all these while? But when things turn bad, many will ask, why does God allow these things to happen to me? Our humanity is being tested in times of ups and downs.  How should we exert our influence in mutual support and keeping a heart of compassion? 

A pastor told me that after the pandemic, there was only 40% of his congregation return to their church service. He kept thinking of ways to encourage them to return to their church service. One day, it dawned upon him that the number of people who received Manna Food bags were almost the same as those who absent from their church service. He felt relieved immediately, and realised that this is the reason why the church need to care for and serve their community.       

In the book of Hebrews in the Bible, Chpt. 10:25 “not forsaking our own assembling together, … “is commonly use to encourage Christians to return to church’s service. However, I prefer verse 24 over verse 25, which stated “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” Because, not everyone can accommodate church services schedule, but everyone can do good works with love!
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After the pandemic, we should be more appreciative of our lives and grab the opportunities, from individual crisis, poor families’ needs or major disaster of a community, we should be able to see our responsibilities in others need.
In post pandemic era, You and I have our own responsibilities to observe.  
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