7979急难故事 他有家了 He Finally Has a Home

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The employer looking at Yong Fa’s (pseudonym) Identification Card said: “Sorry, wa tak boleh pakai you. Usia sudah tinggi.” A feeling of despondency quickly came over him, and he uttered, "Now, I’m a gone case.”  

I don't have a home 
the Security Guard Post is My Sleeping Place 

Yong Fa is in his seventies. He has never been to school and has no idea what the inside of one looks like. He was born in Rawang, Selangor. He had many siblings, but their youngest sister was the only one who received a proper education until Standard 6. In his younger days, he worked in many states around Malaysia. Over recent years, he finally settled down in Butterworth, Penang, and worked as a security guard.   
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Yong Fa said, “I don’t have a home; the security guard post is my sleeping place.” During the day, he would hang out with his friends at nearby coffee shops. At 6 p.m., he would rush for a bath and get himself ready to start his night security duty. He would rest and sleep late at night if everything were in order. Yong Fa is content that he has a roof on top of his head for resting, a meagre income to fill his stomach and occasionally some extra money to buy cigarettes.          

No Place for resting
Ended Up Wandering Around

Day by day passed, Yong Fa’s age caught up with him and his body was no longer like before. Foreign workers gradually took over securities work at his community. They are taller, larger, younger and stronger. Their bigger stature and efficiency provide better assurance to the residents within the community. Yong Fa began to have difficulties in getting a job, even with references from his friends. He would be turned down whenever the prospect employer saw his identification card and became aware of his age. 

Yong Fa was forced to wander and sleep in the streets after he lost his resting place. His condition worsened, when he had an accident and hurt his eyes. He would sleep at the little temple by the roadside, and eat the offerings at the altar whenever hungry. It was difficult to sleep during rainy days with all the mosquitoes around. He lived this lonely and broken life for two years. Later, he moved to rock benches at a flat and slept there. Nearby were elevators that people used daily. After a while, some residents got to know him and knew that he was a homeless elderly.

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Why do you sleep
 at the Benches?

Anna was one of those people who were aware of it. She shared with Pr. Lim Lang Huang of 7979 Holistic Care Station at Butterworth Life Baptist Church of Yong Fa’s predicaments. Pr. Lim then arranged for a visit. She shared, “When I first saw him, I asked him why he slept at those rock benches.” Yong Fa did not conceal anything, he truthfully answered all questions thrown to him by Pr. Lim. She tried to apply for an elderly allowance from Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat, however it was rejected due to no housing address.         

When all the doors shut, God opens a window. Living nearby at the flat was a 7979 Manna Food Bank’s aid recipient, Ah Chen (pseudonym). Under the recommendation of Pr. Lim, Ah Chen rented a room out to Yong Fa with a low price. Yong Fa finally has a house address, so when he applied again for the elderly allowance, he got it this time. 
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“Only after I met Pr. Lim, I can live this good life, in the past … ” Yong Fa was choking with sobs, unable to speak, he tried to hold himself together for a moment, then continued: “If not for Pr. Lim, I am lost and helpless.” When Yong Fa shared his feelings and thoughts, he couldn’t help but be emotional like a little boy, who finally has a home to return to, even though he is already in his seventies. Pr. Lim recalled in those early days when she approached Yong Fa, he always showed a sorrowful face and bad temper. Today, his smile begins to show on his face again after he received the aid from 7979 Family Crisis Intervention Fund, managed to rent a room as a home, and lastly got the allowance from the Welfare Department.            

Rock bences that Yong Fa slept for some time

He finally has a place to settle

雇主看着永发（化名）的身份证号码，然后说了句：“Sorry, wa tak boleh pakai you. Usia sudah tinggi. （译：我无法再聘你，因你年事已高。）” 永发心想，“这次真的完蛋了！”

我没有家
保安亭就是睡觉的地方

七十几岁的永发，从未读过书，不曾踏进校园，也不知道学校里面是什么样子。他出生于雪兰莪州的万挠（Rawang）小城镇。家中有许多兄弟姐妹，唯独小妹上过学，读到小学六年级。年轻时，永发到处去闯，曾在马来西亚多个州属打拼，最后几年便选择在槟城北海落脚，当上一名保安。
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永发说：“我没有家，保安亭就是我晚上睡觉的地方。”白天，他到附近的社区跟朋友喝茶聊天。下午六点，他就赶去冲凉准备，并开始在某组屋的保安亭上夜班。夜深时，如果没什么大动静，他便休息睡觉。对永发而言，有“瓦遮头”可以歇息，有一些收入可以让自己吃顿饱饭，偶尔还有零钱买包香烟，已是足矣。

没有落脚地
只能流浪生活

然而，日子一天天地过去，永发的年纪和身体已不如以往。社区里的保安工作，渐渐由外籍劳工取代。虽然语言不通，但他们个个人高马大、年轻力壮。干起事来，能让社区的居民们多了一份安心。永发开始有了就业问题，即便朋友帮忙介绍工作，雇主一看到他的身份证号码，了解到他的年纪后都不愿聘他。
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失去落脚地的永发，被迫开启了流浪生活。他曾遭遇车祸，导致眼睛受伤，让他的困境雪上加霜。他在路边的小庙里留宿，肚子饿时就伸手拿了庙里的祭品来吃。下雨的时候，周围有很多蚊子，他难以入睡。这样孤苦伶仃的日子，永发熬过了整整两年。后来，他移居到某个组屋的石凳处落脚。在那里，每天都有人乘搭电梯。日子久了，有些街坊也认识了永发，并知道他是一个无家可归的老人。

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你为什么自己一个人
睡在石凳上？

安娜就是其中之一。她将永发的情况转告北海生命浸信教会7979全人关怀站的林兰芳传道，林传道便安排时间前去关心永发。她说：“我第一次见他就问他为什么自己一个人睡在石凳上。”永发没有隐瞒自己，对林传道的提问都如实相告。她尝试帮永发到当地社会福利局（Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat, JKM）申请乐龄人士援助金。但碍于永发没有个人住址，申请便遭驳回。

山穷水尽疑无路，柳暗花明又一村。有位7979吗哪食物包受惠者阿珍（化名），刚好住在同一栋组屋。林传道从中穿针引线，阿珍便以低价租房给永发。永发终于有了个人住址，再次申请乐龄人士援助金时，便很快获批。
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“直到，遇到林传道，我才有今天的好日子 ……” 永发哽咽难言，他停顿了一会儿，然后继续说：“如果不是传道，我真的不知道要怎么办。”虽然永发已经是一个七十多岁的老人，但当他情不自禁地说出他心中的感叹时，仿佛是一个终于找到回家的路的孩子。林传道想起，刚接触永发时，他满脸愁容，脾气也不好。而今，他因先前获得7979急难救助金的援助，租了自己的家，然后又获得福利部的援助，脸上终于露出久违的笑容。

永发曾睡在石凳上一段日子

他终于有个安定的居所

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目录
7979急难故事 尽头其实是转机
7979急难故事 他有家了
7979急难故事 失去依靠，重获新生
7979大家庭 7979志管人区域性大会（沙巴） 
7979动起来 （2024年9月至2025年1月）
福气临门  发现新资源
7979资讯台
大家一起7979  在变局中，行真爱