Outreach, Welfare

Lent: Amidst a raging pandemic, will you step out of the boat?

Lent - Amidst a raging pandemic will you step out of the boat

Natalie* was 11 years old when she lost her dad in 2014. Reeling from the pain of her loss, she fell into a dark place of grief and loneliness. “I was very close to my dad and when he passed away, I found myself all alone,” confided Natalie.

But the reality that he was no longer around began to sink in only when Natalie entered secondary school. She soon fell into bad company, played truant and lost interest in studying. Her relationship with her family also deteriorated. “We hardly spoke and I stayed away from home a lot. Eventually, when I was 15, I was referred to MWS Girls’ Residence,” Natalie recalled.

It took some time for Natalie to settle in and even then, she could not talk about her dad without breaking down. MWS social worker Subhashini Kunasagar patiently journeyed with Natalie and taught her to manage her emotions and grief.  “Over time, I learnt to regulate myself whenever I felt like I was experiencing anxiety. In the midst of this, I had to manage the stress of preparing for my N-Level examinations. But the staff at the Residence created a safe environment for me, listened to me and made me feel supported,” shared Natalie.

Besides working with Natalie, MWS also worked with her family on how they relate to her. Gradually, Natalie’s family began to better understand what was really going on within her and changed how they communicate with her. “I was pleasantly surprised when my family shared that they feel very proud of me. I also appreciate how they would, without fail, turn up each time for the joint meeting sessions at the Residence. We never used to talk in the past so all these made me really happy and accepted,” said Natalie.

These days, Natalie will spend time with her family whenever she goes on home-leave, a time of bonding she really cherishes.

With the guidance of MWS and her family’s unwavering support, Natalie’s perseverance finally paid off. Today, she is working as a healthcare professional and aspires to be a nurse one day. But there are many more individuals like Natalie who need our support as they soldier on to find light at the end of the tunnel. Will you step out of the boat to show someone that support?


*Not her real name

The Giving Methodist (TGM) takes place each year to galvanise Methodists to show acts of kindness and love to those in need. This year, amidst a raging pandemic, let us take courage, step out and uplift those who need help to ride out this storm.

You can get involved by Giving Time through volunteering with MWS or a Methodist Church’s social concerns ministry, Giving A Donation, or Giving Voice to the disadvantaged and distressed by spreading the word about this campaign. Find out more on thegivingmethodist.sg. For enquiries, please contact tgm@mws.sg.

TGM is spearheaded by The Methodist Church in Singapore and Methodist Welfare Services.

By the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Communications Team / Photos and visuals courtesy of MWS

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