3rd Group Meeting

3rd Meeting of CareLink (EFSG)

We had our 3rd meeting at the home of Ninan and Regina Cherian on of August 12, 2009 at 8 p.m.

Present : Ps. Thomas Fang (Group Leader) and his wife, Ninan Cherian (Growth Champion), Regina Cherian (Women’s Champion), Steven Woo (Men’s Champion), Grace (Connect Champion).

Absent with apologies : Joslyn Foo, Fong Heng, Loh Seng Yak and May Seow.

Pastor Thomas talked about working as a team. He shared about how we did the mini teams to get started with things.

The meeting then deliberated on the issue at hand on whether to continue helping the George family. It has been brought to our attention from some pastors that the family had a history of seeking help and they felt that the family was not sincere.

However after much deliberation, it was decided to help a little further especially to help settle Mr. George in his job in Singapore. Ps. Thomas would accompany Mr. George to Singapore to disburse the cost of registration in Singapore. The Champions committed financially to a minimum of RM 700 and opened to the rest of the group to contribute as they felt comfortable.

We are of the hope that this family after having received our help would be a blessing to others as well. We felt we need to give them another opportunity despite negative reports (whether true or not true) of the past.

Ps. Thomas did an object lesson with us using cd cases. He stacked them to three levels and showed that the top (leadership) can go without the whole organization being destroyed. However if the people on the foundation went off, the structure can collapse.

We were also reminded of Richard Rajoo's exhortation that as we involve in the community and get hurt and offended by the very people we help, we need to forgive, forgive and forgive.

We closed with prayer and expressed support one for another.
The meeting ended about 10 pm.

Ninan Cherian

Follow-Up

3rd Visit To The George family.

The family made a trip to The Income Tax headquarters in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur early morning (Tuesday, the 11th August) to collect the income tax release letter and thence to Putra Jaya to collect the clearance letter to work in Singapore. By about 5 pm they arrived at the clinic to see specialist concerning their daughter’s psoriasis condition.

The doctor was sympathetic to their situation and supplied them to the required medication for 1 month's treatment on the strength of their promise to bank in the money on their return to Johor Bahru. Then the family traveled back to Johor Bahru arriving about 1 a.m.

In the evening I visited the family to verify that they the documents had been collected. I requested for photocopies and verified with the original. The following documents were given to me:

1. The Income tax release letter.
2. The Letter of Release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
3. Letter from Ting Skin Specialist Clinic regarding the daughter’s condition and treatment.
4. Bill for the medication taken.
5. Letter of Demand from lawyers of Landlord concerning requiring eviction from house by the 15th of August.

The next stage is for Mr. George to get the Singapore documents and start work as soon as possible. He already has a job in the security line and is anxious to get started.

Ninan Cherian, 12th August 2009

Follow-Up Visit on the George Family

10th August 2009.

Pastor Das Sinnappan (our Prayer Champion) and I did a follow up visitation to the family to get to know them better and to minister to them.

Pastor Das had previously helped this family when they first ran into difficulties. When their son, Peter, was sitting for his UPSR, Ps. Das had blessed him with stationery the night before the exam. Today they came with gratitude and showed the UPSR results - 5As.

We also discovered that in the midst of their problems, they were sharing their meagre provisions with another single mother and children. We were touched by their concern for others.

Mr. George is very eager to go to Kuala Lumpur tonight. Once the documents are collected, he can start work in Singapore by the end of this week. We were unable to help immediately but his needs are as follows:

Trip to KL to collect documents and see doctor RM 200.00

Documentation fees in Singapore plus transport to work SGD 120.00

Daughter's medical treament RM 160.00

2 months rental in arrears RM 1000.00

Utilities bill RM 120.00

Provision and food RM 400.00

If anyone feels burdened to give, please contact me at 012-7878 707 or Ps. Thomas Fang at 016-722 0510.

Before we took leave, Pastor Das prayed for the family that God will restore their financial situation as he blessed Job double fold. He also prayed for healing for the daughter's psoriasis condition.

Ninan Cherian, Growth Champion

Next Meeting (3rd)

There will be meeting of our JB-Carelink group at the home of our Growth Champion, Ninan Cherian on Wednesday 12th of August at 8 pm. For address and direction, please contact Ninan on +6012-7878 707. We hope that all members are able to make it.

9th August 2009

Getting started...

Mini Team Visitations:

In the face of challenges to meet together as a whole group and do visitation, Ps. Thomas, our Group Leader, felt that we should at least go on some visitation projects as mini teams within the Small Group.

July 2009

Ps. Thomas Fang and I had the opportunity to visit, encourage and pray for Ps. Dawa, the Nepali pastor who is in our team. Ps. Dawa was recovering from a bad bout of flu.

The second visit was to a couple in Taman Perling. The husband a recent believer had just recovered from a motor cycle accident which caused a fracture of his left leg. The visit was to encourage them in their faith and to pray for their physical health. Ps. Thomas showed a portion of a movie to inspire them to greater faith and works.

August 8, 2009

There was a call for help from Mr. George in Taman Daya. Mr George in seeking help happened to meet a church member of Ps. Thomas Fang.

Ps. Thomas called me to take some of the team members to visit the family and investigate their needs. After a number of calls, the only member who was available was Bro. Fong Heng from Skudai. Most of the others had ministry being a Saturday afternoon.

When we met up with the family we realized that there was a genuine need and the story they told us was backed up with all the documents concerned. Due to some mix-up with another person, Mr. George was barred from leaving Johor Bahru to do his work in Singapore. This happened in Dec 2008 and as a result, he lost two jobs in Singapore. He is currently working in Johor Bahru as a night security guard on a temporary basis earning about RM 25 a day. But now, the documents of release are ready for collection in Putra Jaya and Kuala Lumpur.

They seem to be a sincere Christian family (Mr & Mrs George with a daughter and son) without having any church support. In addition to their job problem, the daughter who will be sitting for SPM this year is suffering from psoriasis. We were able to bless them with some finances immediately to take care of urgent provisions. However they need some more financial aid for Mr. George to start work in Singapore and to cover their rental which is two months in arrears. We saw the letter of notice of eviction - they have to vacate their house by the 15th of August. Mr. George has offered to repay any financial help they receive when his job is restored in Singapore. If he can get hold of the documents and about SGD 120 he should be able to start work by next Tuesday.

We prayed for the family. When leaving, we assured them that we would get back to our small group to see ways we can help further.

Ninan Cherian, 9th August 2009.