Being the Bread Winner of the family is never easy; it is more challenging when you think things were getting better, seeing your first child married off and wishing her well to establish a good home, only to realise 7 years later everything went topsy-turvy and you and your wife were left with 5 young grandchildren to feed, with you almost reaching retirement age, and ended up to fight a restraining order from the abusive father of the children so that they can grow up in a more peaceful environment.
This is the life of Alex, a strong hearted father with a missing daughter yet to be found, lost of financial due to the court fights, and now working as a Grab driver just to keep the family fed.
He had seen his fair share of storms to the point he was infected with shingles due to long hours sitting and driving around while lack of fluids, lack of rest and weakening immune system. But we are so grateful that he weathered through the storm with his loving family, staying in a small flat barely able to keep up with rent; and ever since we knew of his struggles losing almost everything to protect their grandchildren we have been supporting this family at the sidelines with weekly food supply for almost 3 years now ever while they continue to battle through financial situation, living weekly wage to weekly wage.
One of our most heart warming journey with this man who loves his family and God and a hard worker are the growth of these children. They have weathered through the storms together with their grandfather, and they grew into a much stronger and more responsible children along the way.
Transforming from just recipients to volunteers F.I.N (Friend in Need) family.
Whenever the kids have time and they have finished their homework and chores, they will follow their grandmother to come to the Food Bank to help repack whatever items from bulk shipment and would clean up the place when they see it is untidy. Most of the time, they join the monthly volunteers to come to pack up food bags for distribution to the outreach teams the following day.
Hard work is not a nuisance for the kids. Willing to pick up the pen and help whenever needed is what we noticed the kids have started to adopt.
Not to mention a lifetime experience that not every kid will ever walk through.
This is something money cannot buy, and not to mention the pride of the grandparents seeing them grow; including all of us.
We truly wish these kids will grow up to be strong adults of virtue through this journey, and we are so happy that they, one of the many recipient families that are under our list, will one day out grow this challenge of life into strong young movers and shakers that this world sorely needs.
Angie Ng
Daily Bread Food Bank Director
Disclosure: Daily Bread Food Bank is a non-profit channel, collaborating with other NGOs including the latest Fresh Food Bank Initiative movement.
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A wonderful story. Unfortunately, there are not that many people with a big heart.