7979吗哪暖心 幸亏有米，不然怎样过日子？"Thank God for This Rice Or Else I Don’t Know How?"

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80-year-old Grandma Loh (pseudonym) is Jessy’s neighbour, they live on the same street, and they usually chat for a while whenever they meet. One day, Jessy saw Grandma Lo at the bus stop at their flat.

Jessy learned that Grandma Loh was very worried about her grandaughter’s studies and other issues. So she shared with her about a place that provides free homework guidance, i.e. Companionship Class under Permata Baptist Community Centre’s 7979 Holistic Care Station (Hereinafter, written as ‘Care Station). Grandma Loh wanted her primary school granddaughter to attend the Companionship Class immediately after she heard that. Grandma Loh has walking difficulties, with her deteriorating health due to diabetes, every time after the 4 hours of dialysis, she would become so tired that she is walking wobbly. However, when she thinks about her granddaughter’s future career, she  braces herself and walks her granddaughter down to theCompanionship Class from their flat unit. After attending Companionship Class for some time, "She is much better behaved now.”, that was Grandma Loh’s comment for her granddaughter.  Besides her improved grades, she also became well-behaved, because she would organise her school bag whenever she returned from Companionship Class.   

Every month, Grandma Loh will receive RM1000 of dependant compensation from SOCSO, she uses this money largely for household expenses, such as 3 meals per day for her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend, her two granddaughters, her younger granddaughter’s school fees and her dialysis cost. In the past, when Grandma Loh was still healthy, she sold clothes as a side income to cover some household expenses. The person in charge at the centre advised her to stop working and focus on taking care of her health when she noticed that her health was deteriorating. Grandma Loh reluctantly let go of her work … 

Grandma Loh felt sorrowful and down as her income was inadequate to cover their household expenses, it was not sufficient to provide decent food for every meal. Her youngest granddaughter would take her free breakfast and lunch at school or the Companionship Class daily. As for dinner, she would either eat what her grandma prepared or simply take something to fill her stomach. On the other hand, Grandma would eat the packed lunch from the dialysis centre. Sometimes, co-workers from other NGOs saw her condition, they would give her some fruits. Her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend who live next door, together with her elder granddaughter would ask for money from time to time. Her daughter’s boyfriend is a drug addict. One day, police took away her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend. All these incidents had taken their toll on Grandma Loh, which drove her to call Permata Baptist Community Centre’s co-worker Yee Mee on one of her downhearted evenings. Upon receiving the call, Yee Mei quickly put down her work to listen attentively to her outpour and comfort her when necessary. After much care was administered, Yee Mee gradually gained Grandma Loh’s trust, she opened up to her and shared many things that she had been keeping it to herself.    

Yee Mee, the Care Station’s co-worker constantly shows her care towards Grandma Loh and her family. Therefore, she applied for 7979 Manna Food Bank’s aid on behalf of Grandma Loh. “Thank God for rice, or else I don’t know how?” Grandma Loh referred to the bag of rice in the Manna Bag, it could reduce her burden. “Milo! We have Milo!” Every time her granddaughter saw the Manna Bag, she would be overjoyed. Due to the inflation of goods, Milo is a beverage that they wish to drink but is unaffordable.                     
  

In March, after a college student named Yong Lun had the experience of following the church’s leader to deliver Manna Food Bags, he shared with heavy feelings: ​

Yong Lun, the College Student

“Initially I thought the Manna Food Bags were sent to every aid recipient by delivery services. I had never thought that the volunteers themselves were the ones who delivered it to their houses. This was a valuable experience compared to donating money, for I can have first-hand contact with the aid recipient and understand their condition and needs.”
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One of the distinctive features of 7979 Manna Food Bank is personal delivery to the house and provide holistic care. We can show our care towards them directly by personal delivery and only by understanding their needs, impactful assistance can be administered. Although the service recipient’s challenges were not all resolved, they are now not facing it alone. At the same time, we wanted to convey to them that there is a group of people in the community who care for them.       

年迈八十岁的罗婆婆（化名）是谢茜的邻居，大家住在同一个街坊，平时见面会聊上几句。有一天，谢茜在公寓下面的巴士候车亭巧遇婆婆。
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谢茜得知婆婆很担心小孙女的课业，以及需要其它帮助。她告诉婆婆，有一个为孩子提供免费陪读的地方——宝石 浸 信 会 社 区 中 心 7 9 7 9 全 人 关 怀 站（以 下 简 称“ 关 怀 站 ”）的“ 7 9 7 9 陪读班”。婆婆听了之后，想要带就读小学的小孙女来陪读班。其实，婆婆行动不便，加上多年需要到洗肾中心洗肾，每次洗肾四小时后，她愈加疲倦，累得连走路都显得摇摇摆摆。为了小孙女长大后能找到一份稳定的工作，婆婆不畏身体软弱，从高楼林立的公寓走下去，亲自带她来到陪读班。“有乖很多” ，孙女加入陪读班之后，婆婆发现她不只课业进步很多，人变得乖巧。因为从陪读班回来，她会自己整理书包。
每 个 月 ，婆 婆 靠 社 会 保 险 机 构（SOSCO）提供一笔RM1000遗属抚恤金，用以支付家里基本庞大的开销：女儿/女儿男友、大孙女和小孙女三餐、小孙女的教育费和自己的洗肾费用。以前，婆婆的身体健朗，能买卖一些衣服来赚点钱，贴补家用。后来，婆婆的身体每况愈下，中心负责人很心疼，就劝她放下工作，专心照顾身体。婆婆不得已放下工作......

入不敷出的生活，令婆婆苦不堪言，她感叹无法让同个屋檐下的家人餐餐吃得饱。每日，小孙女享用学校和陪读班提供的免费早餐和午餐，晚餐由婆婆准备或者自己随意解决。婆婆则从洗肾中心带回一包午餐。有时其他机构同工见到婆婆的情况，会送一些蔬果给她。女儿和她住在隔壁的男友，還有大孙女更时不时向婆婆要钱。女儿的男友是一位瘾君子，有一天，警方突然上门带走男友和女儿。也许，家里种种的问题，压得婆婆喘不过气。有一天晚上，她联系宝石浸信会社区中心的同工陈奕媚；奕媚接到电话后，马上放下手边的事，静静地听婆婆诉说内心之苦，然后给予适当的安慰。关怀久了，婆婆渐渐信任奕媚，并向她敞开心扉，诉说许多心事。

在关怀站负责社会关怀的陈奕媚，常常关心婆婆一家的处境。于是，她为婆婆向7979申请吗哪食物包。“幸亏有米，不然怎样过？”婆婆说吗哪包里面的米，能减轻她的负担。“有Milo了，有Milo。”她的小孙女每次看到吗哪包，特别快乐。随着物价飙涨，Milo饮料，是他们想喝但买不起的食物。

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3月，一位学院生永伦在跟着大队派发吗哪食物包后感叹分享：

永伦学院生

“我起初以为食物银行只是把吗哪包寄去个案的家。我没想到，是志工亲自送到他们家。我觉得这是很好的体验，因为相比捐钱，我们可以透过派送食物包，接触和了解个案真正的情况和需要。”
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7979吗哪食物银行的特点之一：亲送到府，全人关怀。藉着亲送服务，再关心个案的需要，才能真正地帮助到他们。即便个案所面对的生活挑战并不能马上解决，但他们不再是自己一个人或一个家庭去面对。同时，也想要藉着服务告诉他们：社区中还有人在关心他们。
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目录
7979吗哪暖心  一步步，建立信任的关系。
7979吗哪暖心  探访，是接触和关系他们最好的方式
7979吗哪暖心  “幸亏有米，不然日子怎样过？”
7979大家庭   7979师资培训营
7979大家庭  7979志管人区域性大会（北马）
7979动起来  新动态（2024年4月至7月）
福气临门  知足就不缺
7979资讯台
7979救助挑战营海报
大会一起7979 看见邻居，负起责任！