Recycled (vol 40:2, April-May 2008, page 18-20) PDF Print E-mail
We arrive at David Chong’s house, bearing gifts of plastic, glass, cardboard and the like. Quite an unconventional buah tangan, but this “junk” was like gold to David and his family. Among other enterprises, his wife, Grace, runs a recycling business. The narrow stairway and living room are lined with boxes of recyclables. David knows a thing or two about recycling. He, for one, is grateful that God is in the recycling business - picking up broken lives and making them new and useful again.

Criminal Activities

He calls himself a “Malaysian Care boy”, for he has journeyed with this Christian organisation from dark desperate days in a prison cell to Rumah Petros, Malaysian Care’s halfway house, where he is now a senior staff worker. “I was given away as a baby and brought up by my aunt,” says David. Growing up in notorious Kampung Medan in Kuala Lumpur, in a family with gambling as a way of life, the odds were heavily stacked against David. “No one disciplined me. I dropped out of school in Form Two. Inevitably, I got involved in gangs and fights.” Soon, he got arrested. Thus began his aimless days in and out of prisons, exiles to Pulau Jerejak and Kuantan, and more criminal activities.

Somehow, through all these, God was reaching out to him. “In 1980, I was sent to Pudu jail for 4½ years for armed robbery,” David says. “It was there that I met Kojak, a prison convert, who did not give up trying to bring me to Christ.”

Turning to God

At his lowest point in prison, David finally turned to God. “It was a miserable time. I had asthma and little medicine. Also, hanging over my head were a court trial and two impending charges.”

At Kojak’s insistence, he went to chapel for the first time. There, David saw a hundred-odd happy people with “shining faces” worshipping and singing. On hindsight, he says, “the glory of God was in that place.” At the next visit, overwhelmed by his troubles, he went up for prayer. He “tested God” and asked for healing and for leniency in his coming court trial. Surprisingly, the Christian judge sitting that day ordered time for David’s two charges to run concurrently. Two months later, his asthma was gone! Amazed by the reality of God, David decided to give his life to him. Of the experience, he says, “I felt so light, as if all my burdens had been lifted.”

Chapel

Days flew by as David spent time reading through the whole Bible, learning the guitar and singing in the chapel. He was always early for chapel. He had a burning zeal to share Christ. Wonderfully, his enemies got converted too, so he gained freedom from his fear of them. Pastor Richard Thong, who was serving in Malaysian Care’s prison ministry, remembers that David was “very active in prison”.

Release

David’s release in 1982 saw the beginning of more challenging days.  As a new Christian, temptations abounded which he found difficult to handle. Mercifully, God sent Kojak, now known as “Israel”, to visit him and persuade him to join Rumah Keadilan, the forerunner of the present Rumah Petros. There he was discipled for a year before joining Malaysian Care. Getting back into mainstream life was tough, but God sent ministering angels who invested in his transformation.

Angels

One of these angels was Malaysian Care’s staff worker, Koh Soo Choon, who became his English coach. Impressed by his sincerity and hardworking nature, she recommended him to a family who courageously decided to foster him. Yau Chin Chong and his wife, Loke Che Ching opened their home to David for two years even though they both worked and had a young son. Were they nervous about having David in their home? Says Chin Chong, “I was okay as I grew up in that kind of environment.” Che Ching confesses, “We took him in on Choon’s high recommendation. But I was initially nervous about his tattoos! He had a place to call home and we treated him as one of the family with house rules to observe. He was a good help around the house.”

Mentors

Their care and trust steadied David. He strongly advocates, “Such fostering is essential for the rehabilitation of ex-convicts, but it is difficult to find families who will do this.” Many on the road to recovery have passed through David’s own home. For him and his wife, it is now payback time. David is grateful to James Nayagam of Shelter Home who mentored him for five years. He also remembers being “spoilt rotten” by Rev Peter Young of Malaysian Care. “It was a case of triumph over evil,” says Rev Peter, commenting on David’s successful rehabilitation. “He was wonderfully converted, but life continues to be tough for their family.” Meanwhile, Elisabeth Alfred helped David get a scholarship to do three months’ Bible study in New Zealand.

Family

As God put David back on his feet down the straight and narrow path, he also provided him with a life partner. They have three boys—Dominic, Geoffrey and Dawson. The couple remember with fondness the late Pastor Yim who encouraged them to get married. They had a “no money” wedding, in which everything from the cake to their honeymoon suite was God-sent.  In 1984, David began work with the administration in Malaysian Care. How could a Form Two dropout do the job? David believes that God had prepared him in prison for service. With all the time to kill, he had learned to read and speak English.

Ministry

David then heard God’s call through Chuck Colson at a Prison Fellowship International seminar in Singapore. Colson shared on 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, about “passing on the comfort received from the Lord” and stressed that Christians are saved to serve. Thus, David asked to be transferred to Malaysian Care’s Prison Ministry.
Today, at Rumah Petros, David engages in counselling, teaching, Bible studies and group therapy with clients. His ministry is difficult and sometimes dangerous. The high failure rates at most rehabilitation centres bear testimony to this stiff challenge. David believes that only Christ can bring real transformation. Even then, a Christian ex-criminal needs much support to return to society. He has to dwell on the Word of God and abide in Christ. David has served with Malaysian Care for 24 years now, a testimony of his tenacity and loyalty.

Accountability

David stresses the importance of the Christian community in helping ex-criminals. The love and grace of God through his people are crucial to successful rehabilitation and re-entry into mainstream society. Accountability to fellow Christians has kept David from falling back to his old ways. There is a need for more “yellow ribbon” churches to befriend and embrace ex-criminals, to employ them and give clear signals that they are welcome there.

David’s transformation is a testament to God’s grace. Stories like David’s should raise awareness of the roles that God’s people can and must play. We can all be God’s partners in the business of recycling lives for His glory.
 

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