GOD’s AGENT OF CHANGE THEN & NOW

Rev Wong Kim Kong
Founding Chairman (1979 – 1989) & Executive Director (1991 – 1997)

We, the founding members were young in age then, yet our simple faith convinced us that evangelism and social concern could not be two separate components of our mission. We believed that the love of God must be demonstrated in a tangible way through our actions.

The inception of Malaysian Care was not easy. When we shared the vision and tried to solicit support, the common responses from church leaders were: “Are you intending to bring social gospel into our evangelical practices?”; “It is too costly to engage in social work!”; “You all are too young in your faith to know what you are doing!” The negative attitudes and passive responses were very discouraging. Praise God that the conviction and determination shared among us, the pioneering members impelled us to persevere to face the enormous challenges ahead. ‘Rumah Care’ the home for children whose parents suffered from leprosy was the first residential home we established.

The late Rev. Peter Young was our adviser in setting-up Malaysian Care, and subsequently became its first Executive Director. He made a tremendous impact in the growth and expansion of Malaysian Care. His extended vision and passion had undoubtedly propelled the ministry and influenced the mind-set of many Christians.

Malaysian Care began its ministry by establishing homes to care for the needy and the marginalized. It was intended to provide the basic necessities of life and a reasonable home environment for them to live in. Our objective was not in using Care alone as a conduit to provide a means to an end, but to infect the larger Christian community and the church to be responsible for the well-being of the people of our society. Our homes eventually became models of conceivable endeavor of love and care for churches or organizations to emulate.

The ministry evolved gradually from direct caring to advocacy and training. The social responsibility was too immense for a single organization to bear. The popular saying; “It is better to give them fishing rods than giving them fishes” and a biblical quote; “Two are better than one” were wise words of the ancient great man, and the Scripture. They convinced us to work towards the empowerment of the needy and the equipping of the churches and Christians for social services. Malaysian Care undertook the task and challenges of motivating and mobilizing the Malaysian Church to embrace this holistic mission of WORD, WORK and WONDER. In reminiscence, Malaysian Care has made an impact to influence the Malaysian Church at large to be a witnessing Church in love and deed.

Malaysian Care was and is God’s agent for change in the life of individual. In the past, our ministry communities were the poor and needy. We ministered into their personal life. Today, Malaysian Care is being God’s agent for community development and nation building. We should continue to evolve in this changing environment and challenges.

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GOD’s AGENT OF CHANGE THEN & NOW