10 Aug 2014 by Adeline Lum CM-
Pr Happy Yang has been called by God to love all people, particularly one not of her own race and color. But like Jesus, whose love was extended to tax collectors, Samaritans, and Romans —people from all walks of life— Pr Happy knew that every person is welcomed and has a place in God’s Kingdom.
At 30 years old during her morning prayer, Pr Happy received a vision from God of children screaming for help behind bars. The Lord said, “If you don’t reach them, Satan will.” With that revelation from God, the Lord opened doors for her to minister to children, particularly from the Indian community.
“God has given me the heart for Indian children. I feel God’s heart for them. For me, it doesn’t matter what race they may be, the Kingdom of God welcomes them and they need to hear the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” said Pr Happy whose church congregation is mostly from the Indian community, though not all have accepted Christ.
“We don’t know who will receive the Word but to us, it is all about sowing the Word of God into their lives with every opportunity we have,” said Pr Happy.
In 2005, Pr Happy and her late husband, Pr Alex Yang, pioneered their church, OASIS, The Peoples Church, at their home. As the congregation grew, they moved to Ara Damansara two years later. In Ara Damansara, doors were opened for them to minister to underprivileged children and families living at the low cost flats in Lembah Subang. They began visiting these families, who are mainly from the Indian community. As a result of these visitations, many children and their families came to church. Again, as the numbers grew, they moved to a bigger location nearby in year 2010.
Although the church went through a difficult period, the Lord began to work through their difficulties. Seeing how the church began to cater for the Indian community, the worship leaders and singers in the music ministry learned to sing Tamil and Indonesian worship songs. The church also started conducting the church service in English, with interpretation in Tamil and sometimes, Bahasa Malaysia.
On a weekly basis, Pr Happy and her church members visit the homes of the Indian families to build a better relationship with them. “We spend time getting to know them and their living condition. It also provided valuable insight into their home environment, and their needs,” said Pr Happy. This led Pr Happy and her late husband to begin a ministry that provided some of these families with monthly provisions, especially those who are single mothers. “As the Bible points out in James 2:15-16, if we realize someone has needs, we will try to meet the needs instead of instructing the person to pray about his or her situation. Hence, in this matter, we want to be relevant and practical,” she said.
As Pr Happy and her late husband continued to faithfully serve the community, in year 2011, the Lord gave them a vision to start a baking and tailoring center. By the end of 2011, a lady from Indonesia, with an expertise in tailoring walked into church. She was an answer to their prayers and a confirmation of the vision given. God eventually sent various groups of people from the expatriate community to other believers-in-Christ to sponsor and provide the sewing machines, ovens, and other miscellaneous things needed.
“When God spoke and gave us the vision for the center, we told God that if he wanted us to start the center, He would have to provide. And, true enough, God is faithful and a provider. We are blessed as we didn’t have to raise funds for the center and we will only raise funds if necessary. We want to practice bringing everything in prayer and look to God, not men for provision. And, God has never failed us,” said Pr Happy.
Both baking and sewing classes are held mainly for children and teenagers from the underprivileged community. “We are not into setting up a business to generate income. Our aim is to provide the children and teenagers with skills, which they can use to be self-sufficient in future, should they not be academically inclined.” Apart from these baking and sewing classes, free tuition classes is also offered to these children and teenagers to help them excel in their studies.
Besides that, her late husband, Pr Alex started the OASIS Football Club to help instill discipline into the lives of young boys from the community. Currently, her son-in-law, Daniel Foong, has taken charge of the club and jerseys have been made for the boys with their respective names and numbers. They recently organized two friendly matches with outsiders.
“Ultimately, from all these projects, we want to show them that there is hope for them. Many of them think that life would be like their fathers or mothers. That’s why we want to tell them that in Jesus Christ, they have a hope and a future, and that they don’t have to remain in this vicious cycle of a lifestyle that leads to drugs, alcoholism and gangster-ism. We are excited of the change we have seen in them and the desire for something better for themselves,” said Pr Happy.
Since 2010, the church has been implementing a coupon exchange program, which runs twice a year. Every good action performed by the children is rewarded by a coupon, such as attending church, bringing a friend, helping out, and memorizing bible verses. These coupons that are collected for six months will then be exchanged for daily household items ranging from food, toiletries, stationaries, school bags, and accessories on a specific day in church. Items are donated by church member and generous individuals. The coupon exchange program teaches the children the value of things.
Pr Happy and her church want to show the community that God is not against them but He loves them very much. “We want them to know that God wants a relationship with them. Sometimes it is difficult because most of them grew up without much attention and appreciation, and they have been told that they are of no worth. But in church, we continually tell and show them that we love them and we find practical ways to express our love for them,” said Pr Happy.
Reflecting on the past, Pr Happy is grateful and thankful for her church leaders and members in OASIS The Peoples Church for their support and dedication; she is appreciative of the contribution, provision, and support from friends and other fellow believers in the ministry. “There are times when we feel tired and weary, alone, and lack encouragement. But God has always brought people of the same heart and mind to support us, just like how God provided Moses with two other individuals to lift his hands. So I really appreciate the people around me and how hard they have labored. I also believe that God will always refresh us as we continue to draw closer to him each day,” said Pr Happy with joy and contentment.
Because of God’s overflowing provision for OASIS The Peoples Church, it has given the church the opportunity to support literacy programs for the children in the slums of Delhi, led by Pr Solomon Kings. “We recognize that our calling as a church is to the poor and needy, especially among the children, here in Malaysia and overseas. That’s where my heart is because I believe children are the next generation. It is through the children, we can reach the adults – their families. We see our church as a family-oriented church,” said Pr Happy.
Lastly, Pr happy is thankful that God has kept OASIS The Peoples Church by His power and they continue to place their faith in Jesus Christ (1Peter 1:5). She recognises that it is the Grace of God that has enabled and empowered them to do this ministry among the poor, needy and underprivileged children and their families in the community of Lembah Subang until now. She also believes that God will continue to be faithful as they keep on sowing into these lives because as it is written in 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV), which says, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
“Thank you, Jesus, for the privilege to serve You. To you be all the glory, honor, power and praise,” exclaimed Pr Happy.
Through Pr Happy and her church’s example, we can learn that Christ knows no difference in race or colour; that all is equal in God’s eye.
Love beyond color.
Love like Jesus.
ABOUT Pr Happy: Pr Happy Yang is a housewife who was called into ministry alongside her late husband, Pr Alex Yang. Over the many years of being involved in ministry, she has led cell groups, was a youth pastor, has led children ministries for 20 some years, and is very active in missions work in India and The Philippines. Now, she is the Senior Pastor of Oasis, The Peoples Church. She has four beautiful and wonderful daughters, Charity, Cassiemarie, Charis and Carmen, and two sons-in laws, Allen and Daniel, who are all serving the Lord faithfully. She is also a grandmother of two grandchildren, Telsia and Christopher.
Visit OASIS The Peoples Church
Website | https://www.facebook.com/OASISTPC | http://www.twitter.com/OasisTPC
Address | B-1-05 & B-2-05, Block B, Jalan PJU 1A/41B, Pusat Dagangan NZX, Ara Jaya, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Tel | 03-7804-1735 | 012-388-3875
Email | oasistpc@gmail.com | alexyangcp@yahoo.com
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