Saving children from broken homes
Pastor aims to provide young ones a proper childhood
GEORGE TOWN: For David Barnabas, Christmas is a time to reflect on 2018 and the number of children he has saved from the streets or broken homes.
Having once been out on the streets 30 years ago, it is David’s lifetime endeavour to get children off the streets and give them food, shelter and education.
“At first I would bring vagabonds, single mothers and children from dysfunctional families into my home, letting them share space with my wife Esther and our two children. We would provide them with food and shelter.
“Now, both of our children are married and have left the family home.
“So, for the last 15 years my wife and I have been providing warm meals and offering tender loving care to children from broken homes,” the 63-year-old said in an interview.
For the past 11 years, David has been operating the Crystal Family Home in Reservoir Garden, Ayer Itam, which houses 13 children aged between five and 10.
He also runs the Faithful City Church in Bandar Baru Ayer Itam. He has been its pastor for 23 years.
“There are children in this group who can’t read or write. We ensure they attend public school until they are 18,” he said, adding that they were aided in their daily tasks by six volunteers.
“It is heartening that good Samaritans out there have contributed in cash and kind to the home,” he said.
David and his wife Esther, 62, make it a point that every child gets to at least complete the SPM examination.
Among the children, he said one finished a diploma course but had since returned to assist him while another had graduated from a local university and was now a lecturer.
“Ours is not an institutionalised home but we show love and kindness to these children that they may not get at their own homes,” he added.
The children, said David, returned to their respective homes for a week for Christmas but before that, they would attend an annual Christmas gathering for underprivileged children with seven other churches at the Caring Society Complex.
He planned to move to a bigger
place in Happy Valley, Paya Terubong, after Christmas, which could accommodate more than 20 children.
“We can’t afford two homes,
although there are many children out there who need our help.
“But our aim remains – to help as many as we can and give them a decent childhood,” he said.