“I am only one, but I am one. I can’t do everything, but I can do something.”
–Edward Everett Hale
Christmas and New Year festivities are joyful times for many of us but for some, celebrations and cheer are far from their minds. Faced with poverty, physical disabilities, family conflicts, illness, and unemployment, it is hard to be thankful and hopeful when they see that other people seem to have better lives.
At Methodist Welfare Services (MWS), we reach out to more than 13,500 of them. They are our reasons to come in to work every day. Each reason has a name – a disadvantaged child, a hardworking family who just cannot make ends meet, a couple torn apart by marital strife, violence or substance abuse, a troubled girl who took the wrong path, an elderly person who is frail and sick, a homeless person, or someone forgotten and alone.
The gift of walking again
Mr Koh Gim Hock, 61, wondered whether he could ever walk again after suffering a stroke. An electrician for more than 40 years, he had to stop work after his stroke. He had also lost contact with his family, and could not afford the medical treatment. When Mr Koh was admitted to MWS’ Bethany Methodist Nursing Home, the staff helped him to apply for financial assistance to cover the hefty medical bills. This gave him the peace of mind to get better.
Mr Koh was motivated to improve his physical functions. Through intensive rehabilitation, he is now able to walk with the help of a broad-based quad stick. “I go for my gym sessions regularly because I want to get well and walk on my own one day. I have made some good friends and we encourage and motivate each other,” said Mr Koh with a smile.
Give $1 a day towards creating change
This Christmas, do something to change lives. If you can bless someone with a dollar a day, you can make a difference.
Mrs Jenny Bong, MWS Group Executive Director, said: “A regular gift is important because it enables us to sustain critical services for people in need. As a charity, we rely heavily on donations. It is our responsibility to ensure that our critical services are in full swing even when the economic outlook is not that promising. We hope Methodists will consider setting aside just $1 a day for people who need our services.”
By faith, MWS has committed to doubling its eldercare services from five to 10 by mid-2017, including a new MWS Nursing Home in Yew Tee. We need your help to execute the plan with boldness and conviction.
Visit mws.sg today to find out more. To commit to giving $1 a day, contact ce@mws.sg
May the Lord’s blessings be upon you and your loved ones abundantly this Christmas.
By the Methodist Welfare Services Communications Team
Image courtesy of the Methodist Welfare Services