Life without hope is difficult. Troubles, suffering, physical health, illness and eventually death, comes like a thief to rob a person’s life. Jesus Christ is our hope and our joy. He brings forgiveness and hope for the future. He changes our lives and He will give us a new heart with renewed strength. He will give you the strength to live a dynamic life of faith. The Great God who lives amongst us will bring hope through the Word, Sacraments and in all events.
When we look around us, there are many things that perhaps cause us to lose hope. But when we look at God and his promises, there is great hope for the future. As you keep your hopes high, St Paul says “do something each day that gets you closer to your goal of life.”(Ephesians 5:15-16). Make the best of the present time.
Hope changes our lives. The hope that we have through Christ transforms how we think and how we act. This living hope helps us to see the world with the eyes of Christ. As long as we have faith in Jesus Christ, we will always have hope. Other people see only a hopeless end, but we Christians rejoice in endless hope.
Our Parish Integral Human Development Ministry (PIHDM) will have a facelift. It is a ministry that identifies and locates the destitute and unfortunate within our community. Its brings hope and gives aid to the poor through its outreach - regardless of race, ethnic background, social status or faith. Under the umbrella of PIHDM, we have various ministries / desks - Migrant Ministry, Women’s Ministry, EduCare, Eagel’s Wings and Distribution of groceries to the poor.
From August 2019 onwards, the office for distribution of groceries to the needy will officially be known as the Ministry of the Poor (MOP) under the Supervision of Aloysius, George D’Cruz, Teresa Shaun, Jacquline and Dorothy. They will look into the needs of the poor and prepare aid kits containing essential rations such as rice, cooking oil, sugar, sardines, noodles, biscuits, etc. and distributing them to the poor every month.
The MOP will continue their annual school uniform project and Christmas Campaign. This year, the fundraising for these two projects will commence in August 2019. For the past 6 years, we have carried out these annual projects and campaigns successfully, and once again we have the opportunity to work together, bringing hope and joy to underprivileged children and their families at Christmas.
Annually, we target to distribute school uniforms to between 350-400 students, at an estimate cost of RM100-RM120 per child. The uniform sets comprise 2 sets of uniforms, a bag, shoes and socks, stationaries, etc., for each child. The total cost for this project will amount to approximately RM35,000-RM45,000.
We also will provide groceries to poor families, as a part of our Christmas campaign. We need your support and encouragement to make these projects a success, and we hope parishioners will not hesitate to volunteer their time and resources in assisting us with this fundraising projects. Our faith in Christ, who became poor, and was always close to the poor and the outcast, is the basis of our concern for the integral development of society’s most neglected members. (Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation The Joy of the Gospel, n. 186).
Jesus has special place in His heart for the poor, so much so that God Himself “became poor” and lived among us. He stood among the poor - comforting sorrows, healing their wounds and bringing the message of hope in their lives. It is a challenge for us today, as we seek to follow Jesus and to live as He lived, and not remain unmoved - but to reach out to them willingly and lovingly.
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