Stepping Stones Living Centre

It was back in 1998 when Pastor Johnson Rajahser and his wife Nina first felt that they had to do something to help a widowed mother who was jobless and having difficulties caring and providing for her three children.

Coming upon an abandoned house in Taman Seputih, Kuala Lumpur, Pastor Johnson decided to track down the owner and rent the place. It took a lot of cleaning, scrubbing and repairing, but soon Pastor Johnson and his wife had the house ready and the widow’s three children, together with three other children, became the first occupants of Stepping Stones Living Centre.

Today, 17 years down the road, Stepping Stones has expanded to five premises in Taman Seputih where more than 80 underprivileged children, distressed widows and mothers, and abandoned old folks are housed, given care and provided with basic necessities.

According to Pastor Johnson, he only brought in the widow’s three children, but soon people heard about Stepping Stones and started referring children who were neglected, rejected, abused or/and abandoned to him, particularly those from broken homes and dysfunctional families.

“Our initial objectives were to provide these children with a safe environment for their development, a strong moral foundation and moral direction, and proper education and tutoring so that they can have a better future,” said Pastor Johnson.

However, God had additional plans for him and soon, even women started coming in – widows, mothers, old ladies who have been abandoned. “Some of them were traumatised, despondent and distressed. Some wanted to commit suicide, others ran away from their homes due to family problems. I didn’t know how to counsel them, but God said I was not the healer, He is. My job was to take them in and pray for them, so I did just that,” Pastor Johnson related.

Education

Pastor Johnson places emphasis on the children’s education and makes sure that every child goes to school. In fact, his daily routine revolves around sending and fetching more than 60 children to and from school (morning and afternoon sessions) in their 44-seater school bus.

The children’s daily time-framed schedule includes study time where the older children help the younger children with their studies and homework. To prevent too many distractions, visitors are only allowed on Sunday afternoon, while additional events or activities are only allowed during school holidays.

Pastor Johnson is especially happy that they have even managed to squeeze some savings to provide higher education for a number of their children. Four girls are at Victoria International College/TMC College doing various courses, while five boys are in ATC Skill College, Shah Alam.

Said Pastor Johnson, “We do not have any single source of corporate finance or any form of regular income. From day one we have lived in the providence of God. We do not write to anyone of our needs. Not even the Social Welfare Department. We do not circulate any form of pledge notes or brochures or seek any kind of publicity. We pray for our needs. God has always provided. He has not failed us. Even in these times of scarcity we are provided miraculously.”

Such a great testimony to how one man can do so much for so many in need of help!

Note: If you have a child below 7 years of age, you can help raise funds for Stepping Stones Living Centre by taking part in Kiddy123.com’s Malaysia Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) survey. For every completed survey form, Kiddy123.com will donate RM5.00 to the Stepping Stones Living Centre.

Those who also wish to make a personal donation in cash or kind, can contact Pastor Johnson, hp: 013-380 5871 at Stepping Stones Living Centre, Lot 102 C, Jalan Sungei Dua, Taman Seputeh, 58000 Kuala Lumpur.