Testimony - Nathalie

Nathalie has just been in the Residential Home for less than 3 months, yet her faith in Jesus encourages much. This is her testimony of her growth in Christ that she requested that it be posted into the internet to encourage more people and to glorify God.

Nathalie is in her early twenties now. She has had a bad childhood experience where prejudice and violence was evident in her life in her tender years. She comes from a broken family where her parents are divorced and she lived with her baby sitter who ill treats her and each time she told her dad, he did not believe her and instead she got beaten for assumingly telling lies. She resorted to just keep quiet and suffer the pain silently after some time, whilst her younger sister got all the love and advantages.

When she grew up, her life was in a mess. She had always wanted to win her dad’s love and proof to him that she can excel. By being a singer in a pub, she was earning substantially well, but her life was miserable. She resorted to alcohol and drugs.
She came to the Home on her own free will because she knew that she cannot go on in life like this. Moreover, her health was at stake and she was suffering from pains due to the effects of the drugs.

In the beginning when she read testimonies of how Jesus has impacted the lives of others, she was sceptical. Nevertheless, as day goes by, and with bible teachings and volunteers coming to share their personal testimonies, she began to want to know who this Jesus was. She accepted the Lord and opened her heart.

We were teaching on Sin, Repentance, Fear of God for the past weeks and this week was on Water Baptism. She came to me with a sincere question, if she were to go for water baptism, does it mean that she can no longer live-in with her boyfriend when she graduates from this Home. With God’s wisdom, I shared two of my own testimonies of God’s faithfulness when we commit things into His hands, as I know her to be a mature person and wise. We shared much during my almost 3 hours of chat about God, our lives, marriage and such.

After which, she told me she had made up her mind. She will commit her relationship to God and trusts that God loves her more than herself and will give her the best. If God wants to take away her relationship, she knows that he is not the best for her, but yet, if God were to unite them in the future, that is her current boyfriend will have to be a believer, she knows that only then will it be a greater blessing.

Her faith and trust in God just amazes me. Someone who doesn’t even know what Christmas or Easter means just the same morning, can trust God to this extent, can only mean one thing, that is His Spirit has touched her spirit directly.

She also shared that she has felt the presence of God twice. Once, was before she came into the Home, she had a dream and saw a cross, big and bright and she saw Jesus, though she didn’t see his face, but she knew it was Jesus. And the second encounter was after she came to the Home and when she was worshipping, she felt that He placed His hands upon her heart and gave her such a warm feeling that she is loved.

She had many partners before this current boyfriend. This current man that she lives with is different from the rest and loves her very much, nevertheless, he is poor. She admitted that she has refused to ride on his motorbike whenever he comes to fetch her because of pride. But now God has changed her heart. She even realized that she does not need to proof to her dad in terms of material capabilities to earn his love. Because she said she has realized that all these does not matter that much to her anymore ever since she has found Jesus.
What matters more to her now is that she wants to be in the centre of His will and in her own words, she does not want to leave the ‘throne’ of His grace.

My heart just leaps so fast for her and so happy for God. My prayer is that this seed that was sowed on good grounds will continue to grow and germinate a hundred fold. May God be the glory!

S.A.F.E. Awareness - Sunday 13 July 08

Thanks to David Lim for all the pictures that speak a thousand words. And most of all thank you for everyone's joint effort, prayers and presence. May His sovereign will be accomplished.

http://picasaweb.google.com/charischristiancenter/SAFEAwareness7thJuly08

Students

Pray for:

• hunger and thirst for God's words
• humility and unity amongst the students, volunteers and staff
• renew minds
• protection and shield against every work of the enemy

Residential Home

We currently have 5 students staying in and going through the course and programme. Their age ranges from early twenties to late forties.


"Bake & Bless" session (one of the occupational/work therapy) every Wednesday afternoons, where the students and volunteers learn baking. Thus far, we've learnt to bake Butter Cake, Cup Cakes, Choc & Walnut Brownies, Chicken Pie and Carrot Cake.

It is a warm time of fellowship over hot pastries right out from the oven. This is where we share testimonies and chats, to edify one another, students, volunteers and staff alike.


The 'dedication' of our residential home by Rev. Lawrence Yap on 11th April 2007.

Drop-In Centre - A glance of Life

This is the familiar Jalan Bukit Bintang, the hub of activities and where tourists and locals alike, frequent the street and the malls along it for shopping and eating, or simply catching up with friends over a cup of coffee at the stretch of cafe terrace.


Little did I know over the familiarity of passing this street, most of the time being caught up with personal agendas; right in the heart of it, there is this centre, a 2-floor lot, that feeds the street people, the homeless and destitute.

This is where they will open up the tables for its over 50 patrons every Wednesday night and Saturday afternoons. There have been more than a thousand people who have walked through their doors, where their names are registered.


Every Wednesday, after meeting their hunger for physical food, some 30 of them, on their own freewill, will stay back to join a worship service over at the other section of the hall; the spiritual food.


Prayer and collection of the offering. You'd be surprised that even with the little that these people have, we are able to collect more than a hundred ringgit each time. Reminds me of the story of the poor woman who offered up her 2 penny.


Jalan Bukit Bintang. There are more to what that meets the eye.