Impact

Maximising Opportunities to Serve

Written by Phoebe Leong • Jan 28, 2022

“Though that sum of money meant everything to me, at that moment, it meant nothing. That was when I understood what it means to have joy in giving.” – Max Loh, Cell Leader in PJ North 6.

When tasked to create an outreach programme in line with the church’s IMPACT Now Initiative, Max Loh and his cell group knew that they wanted to seize this opportunity to expand their ministry and be a beacon of hope and light to those who needed it. “IMPACT is meant to be a catalyst to grow us to be an outward-looking church that loves God, serves people, and makes disciples.”

As Covid-19 swept across Malaysia, many were left jobless with their livelihoods whittled away by the effects of the pandemic. Desperation and anxiety became the heartcry of many. This led the cell members to start an initiative to stand in the gap by providing urgent relief and aid to those who needed it most. After discussion and prayer, they mobilised their IMPACT team and began planning. Contact with Malaysian Care was established and they were directed to a community in Setapak named Flat Danau Kota, whose inhabitants have been extensively impacted by Covid-19. A fundraiser commenced to put together basic provisions for the people in need, accompanied with face masks and a personalised note from the cell group. “We saw God’s provision for us from the get-go, even in things like convicting the hearts of our members and seeing them step up to take ownership of this initiative. God provided people, united us in our skills and mission, and did it all in His perfect timing too,” said Max.

The fundraiser lasted only nine days,an unusually short timeframe, relying only on word-of-mouth. There was no bake sale, charity event or incentives of any sort. Members simply forwarded a message through social media platforms to their friends, and people were welcomed to donate how ever much they pleased, no obligations. The cell group managed to raise a total of more than RM21,800 in donations, far surpassing their target of RM10,000, allowing them to help a total of 780 individuals in the community! “The goal was never about how much money we could raise or how much in our target we could hit. We were clear that our initiative was going to place the community and people first, not our fundraiser,” explained Max.

Something that the CG’s IMPACT team practised throughout the planning and execution process was intentionality in all they did. This shone through even in the purchasing of groceries for their packages. Instead of getting what they needed at wholesale stores, the team decided to patronise small local sundry shops (kedai runcit) instead as another form of support. A small, simple, yet impactful way to look out for even those within our bounds. Truly, kita jaga kita. “We even got the opportunity to interact with the shop owners about how they were doing at this time” said one off the members.

Despite taking all measures to prepare and execute their IMPACT plans well, nothing braced the cell members for the obstacle that was about to come — the abrupt enforcement of the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO). In this matter, the team was quick to adapt and pivot. Understanding the urgency of the recipients’ need for the packages, deliveries were made in batches instead, so that help could still quickly go to those who needed it at the time. “We didn’t want the EMCO to be a reason to not follow through with the initiative.” This led to 160 packages delivered in the first batch, and subsequently, 35 packages in the second batch, 195 households in all.

The team even had such a surplus in funds that after packing sufficient care packages for Flat Danau Kota, they had enough to support one more individual under the Kita Jaga Kita Platform! As Senior Pastor Chris says: “Aim for something so big that unless God is in it, it is impossible”. The team truly saw that come into fruition in this IMPACT initiative. In wrapping up, Max and Eugene Lee, a cell member, recall the story of Gideon from the Bible – how God used someone lowly, unappealing, and ordinary for a task as colossal as defeating the army of Israel’s enemies. All Gideon needed to do was to obey, trust, and surrender to God as he served.

A warm smile brushed across their faces as they remembered together how God remained present and sovereign at every step and turn of this initiative. “There was not one moment since we started this project that God wasn’t there.” As an encouragement, Eugene reminds us that when we serve, to not fear the obstacles that may arise. Try, take the first step out of faith, and commit the rest to God. That is our responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ, that in loving Him, we too go out and love others in the boundless and relentless way that Jesus did for us.

Written by Phoebe Leong for PJ North 6