Welfare Services ¢ By the Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) Communications Team
Leaving a positive on lives this season
mark
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6, NIV
D
uring the Christmas season, Christians remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, when God gave us His only Son. During His life on earth, Jesus Christ gave us the ultimate gift of eternal life and left an indelible mark on lives. As Christians, let us encourage one another to give freely and leave a positive mark on the lives of others, especially those who are struggling, marginalised and distressed.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Heb 10:24, NIV
Finding hope in hard times In the midst of a struggling economy and a worldwide pandemic, Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) hopes that you will remember those in need more than ever during this Christmas season. Hard times remain ahead as vulnerable groups use up whatever little savings they have, or face unemployment or lower income. Many are experiencing greater distress which affects their mental and physical health, and family relationships. Take MWS beneficiary Mdm G, for example. She is a mother of four who was thrust into financial hardship when she was diagnosed with cancer and became stressed with having to deal with the burden of mounting medical bills. This affected her relationships with her husband and children. She said: “People think we are poor because we make bad choices. The truth is, my family has limited ones. MWS supported my family through this ordeal. They provided us with casework and counselling, and enabled us to clear our debts and build our emergency savings. With financial aid, we managed to save over $10,000, which gives us hope.
“We are getting over our hardship. I can worry less about our finances and focus more on my health. Most of all, I now feel better as a mother and wife.”
Give glory to God through good deeds Helping someone like Mdm G would not have been possible without faithful Methodist donors such as Chestmed Pte.Ltd, who have been donating to MWS in various capacities. This helps tide our beneficiaries, both individuals and families, over the difficult situations they may be facing at the time. Our donors’ funds greatly support the work that MWS does in serving our 8,400 distressed and disadvantaged beneficiaries through an integrated and holistic suite of care offered by a team of professional staff across an island-wide network of 20 centres and programmes. Explaining the reason for supporting MWS through the years, Chestmed said: “Followers of Christ emulate their Master when they desire to glorify God by supporting a good cause, just as Christ seeks to glorify the Father (John 14:13). But we all know how difficult it is to help others holistically without adding to their troubles. That is why believers may prefer to donate their God-given resources to MWS, knowing that their professional helpers are able to assist others well. At the same time, we know that MWS will give glory to God on behalf of the donors, by letting their light shine before others (Matthew 5:16).” We would like to thank all our donors for their generous gifts to help those we serve, and appeal to you once again to reach into your hearts to bring them love, hope and joy this Christmas. To donate, please visit
https://mws.sg/product/christmas/ or scan the QR code.
METHODIST MESSAGE DECEMBER 2020
| 21
