A Home Established by the Heart

19 April 2013  by James Hoh – CM

 

Good Samaritan Home, which now has 35 children, is one of the more established homes in Klang. It was a dramatic if not tragic incident that opened the hearts of Rev Albert Ong and his wife, YM Ong and that which led to the establishment of the centre in 1999.

 

 

It was in 1982, in an incident involving a troubled family; the mother flew into a rage and poured kerosene on her eldest son. She threatened to torch him because he refused to go to school. Added to that, the boy’s father was a drunkard.

Rev Albert Ong intercepted in time to stop the torching and was told that the reason the elder son didn’t want to go to school was because he realized that his mother didn’t had enough money for the family and so he was trying to help out by working instead of going to school.

“I’d tried to find a home for the family but during the 1980’s, there was none that met their needs in Klang. So the desire to set up a home came to me but I didn’t know how,” he said.

“At that time, I was in charge of the Royal Rangers and I requested the 20 commanders to give me RM5 every month. With that I was able to help the eldest son for three years until he took his SRP exam.

“I also got him to stay with me and I helped him with his studies too.”

 

 

Then Rev Ong urged the church he was working in to start a home in Klang. He waited for 10 years but nothing happened.

In 1990 he had an opportunity to be trained in the United States for six months. He took the golden opportunity to do some research in the university library on social works. He even met up with and received some ideas from a couple who specialized in social work.

In 1991 the opportunity finally came, he started Rumah K.I.D.S. under the covering of the church. He was trying to implement some of the ideas and values he learnt but they failed flat due to the rigid management structure of the home. He resigned.

 

 

“But thank God I met up with Mr Wong Kin Heng. He seemed to be a god-send. He was a Christian and was a Welfare Officer. He was convinced after hearing that the model incorporates the unique elements of family values and relationships.

“The model also encourages of boys and girls to live together at an early age, so that they could grow up understanding and accepting each other. They are taken in at a very young age and live together like siblings,” explained Rev Ong.

“Mr Wong said he would do everything to help me, so I gave myself three years. If I can sustain, I will continue. If not, I will close it down,” he said.

 

 

So he set up the home with one boy in 1998. His wife running a daycare center then, agree to help financially for two years. When five to six boys were taken in, Good Samaritan Home was formally set up in 1999.

“The first two to three years were the most difficult,” Rev Ong recalled, “There was not enough money and we were struggling financially.

“One day the Lord prompted my wife to pray for the storeroom which was always   empty. She took the boys there and laid hands and prayed,” said Rev Ong.

 

 

“The week after that, a lorry came and unloaded foodstuff that filled the storeroom! Then a religious group came and gave us more food stuff because the sprit told them so. They even gave us more than $2000 cash and this was the first donation we received.”

He said everyone seemed to have faith like never before. They prayed for a van and a van came. They prayed for a piece of land and they got a half an acre of land.

“We give the glory to God!” Rev Ong said, his voice still ringing with excitement.

The Lord also prompted members of the public and other religious groups to bless them. In fact, Good Samaritan Home only receives a mere 2% of the total donation and food stuff from a church in Terengganu and donation from some well wishes Christian individual.                 

”Many Christians discouraged us from taking anything from non-Christian religious groups because they think it would displease God. But how are we going to survive if we don’t take from them? How will the wealth of the nation come if you shut your door? (Isaiah 60:11)  We just pray, and “whoever” God sends we will take!” he said.

 

 

Today, Samaritan Home has 28 children. Another seven are in college under scholarships and working.

 

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