Last month, my church celebrating Mid-autumn festival. It's not a typical kind of celebration whereby every church member gather together and celebrate together. This time, we are heading towards the disable people at
Beautiful Gate center, who we have left behind while chasing after our dreams, goals, money, status and etc...
I was wondering that night whether to go or not , asking "God, should I go?" as i have lots of things to do such as preparing for the tutorials, a promise to a student whom I'll go for his performance at a cafe..and many more... in fact I was sleeping from 3pm till 7:30pm...and God wakes me up at 7:30pm. The first thing that came into my mind was going to the disable center or not..and not my tutorial preparation nor my student's performance..struggling ...struggling .. ..praying...and...finally, I was touched by God's spirit, so firm that He wants me to go there.
So, I drove all the way myself to batu berendam...the center located at Taman Merdeka which once has been badly flooded last year in December. I was there helping up the center in cleaning ... thank God that i still remember how to get there.
When I reached the center, my other friends (MMU and UTeM students from my church) are all gathered and singing and praising God, I was a bit nervous as more disabled people this time compared to the 1st time i came to this place. After seeing my friend's faces, I was a bit calm and get to know what's happening around... Just after finish the talking, everyone has been busying themselves with the buffet provided. Food was nice...and I really happy as I can eat the mooncake which I have been long for and thanking God that i manage to eat such nice moon cakes.. .....(erm.. incorrect intention)
After the buffet dinner, everyone gathered and started to light up the lantern one by one... known as "passing-the-light". It's meaningful as one will pass the light to another by lighting up the candle of each lantern that was hold by the disable people. It means a lot as if we are telling them that this world has light with God and not their world are dim at all.. It's touched.
(While they are lighting up, I was busy with photo taking...through that, I get a clearer view on the disables...some are disabled since young while some lost their leg due to accident...i'm so sad that each of them can't really walk but can only sit on the wheel chair. Some of their body are in different shape as they are sitting for too long. When you look at them, you'll really truly thank God that you are a perfect man.)
After lighting up every lantern, we start to have some sort of parade at the Taman Merdeka.
We took the shortest route as some disables are not sitting on wheel chairs but walking with crutch. I was pushing one of the sister who are disable ... that's my 1st time in my life that i pushing a wheel chair... many things to learn...hard to explain, you gonna try yourself.
During the walking, I heard some voice by the disables.... "..
it has been 20 years I have not go for lantern festival parade..." , 'ya ya..me too...since young...i didn't have the chance to go for parade..." " I hope every year can celebrate such festival"Honestly, when you heard this, you'll cry...
After back from the parade, there's a small lucky draw (whereby every disable people actually get one) and after that, speech was given by a lady whose also disable. One thing that I never forget on what she say is that, "all of us may become disable one day...we'll never know...."
She stated that the facilities provided are not meant for them only, whereby sometimes we might use it , eg: when you get accident or when you old whereby you can't walk and you gonna sit for wheel chair temporary, then you gonna use the facilities.. so, she urged that the government can provide more such facilities for them so that they can be more independent such as going out to work or shopping like the normal people without depending on others....
Sometimes, study and work will make us a dull person, we need to go out and do something that is meaningful...I can say that this is the most meaningful mid-autumn celebration since I was borned....If you are touched, you may visit them or make donation to this center. Currently, it's subsidized by Melaka Methodist Church. If you are touched and wanna contribute something, you can contact Mr Zhen (or Zhen chuang dao ) at 012-6257675.
Prayer: “Heavenly Father, thank you for letting me to have a chance to join these needy people, to let me see that there are many people who needs our cares and help. Lord, I pray that you'll bless them that more people will care for them and not forgetting that they are also part of our community. I pray that more touched souls will help these people so that they can have a better life and feel the existence of love in this world...Let them feel your love thru us. Pray in Jesus name, Amen"
