In the month and a half that we’ve been back helping GIFT Foundation, we have had so many people contributing to GIFT’s mission. Our family and friends in the United States, Singapore and Malaysia donated money and food. New friends we made in Klang where we found a rental house to stay within the vicinity of GIFT stepped up with rice donation. A store owner donated more rice when he found out the reason why we were in that area. A Grab Car driver gave us his unused motorcycle to use. The Muslims people we met were baffled and asked why we are helping Muslims….because we are Christians. Shane answered them perfectly in my opinion.
Shane asked, “If one of your brothers or sisters or family members were stranded in a foreign country and needed help, would you travel half way around the world and do everything you could to help them?”
When they said yes, Shane replied,
“They are my brothers and sisters. We are all family under one God.”
In the middle of November, UNHCR sent 5 Rohingya children to GIFT. They have been in the Immigration detention center for over 7 months. We believed human trafficking syndicate were involved and the 4 teenage girls were brought here for marriage. The boy of undetermined age (likely 12) said he was here to find work. UNHCR hopes we could take care of them while they find their blood relatives living in Malaysia. A Somali teenage girl has also been sent to live here a month prior.
The contribution we collected also helped to buy basic necessities for these children. Dr. Firdaus used her own fund for the children’s health screening until UNHCR could reimbursed her. The Champa community heard of the new arrival and they too pitched in bringing fresh fishes from their farm. One woman travelled 6 hours by bus to bring new clothes for them.
Rohingya children trying ‘Milo’ – a milk chocolate drink. They didn’t like the taste. 
Thanking a Champa from Johor for the new clothes. 
Vincent Lim and our tai-chi friends donated rice. 
My aunt and uncle from Singapore donated rice. 
Pak Halim and Ahmad, our Malay Champa community from Perak came with fishes.
Shane and I work with the refugee and local children 4 days a week. Below is a summary of our work:
- Provide counseling with Rohingya interpreter for the 5 children
- Special attention and school lessons for the Somali teenage girl
- Basic English language skill for the Rohingya children
- English and Mathematic classes for the local children
- Life skills for all children
- Goat herding and Shane’s special attention for the ADHD boy
- Counseling and health care for the adults
- Getting the community to help clean the compound
- Fun with the children. Everyone has a role to play.
- Fix the computers
Aside from our busy schedules at the GIFT Foundation, we met with the director and deputy director of Sungai Buloh Prison to discuss potential collaboration with GIFT Foundation and Choices Counseling. This is the largest prison facility in Malaysia with over 4,000 inmates. The only social service programs offered are religious education on weekends. Shane explained behavioral modification and skills training and they were very receptive.