Last week, twenty-two of us from St Andrew’s travelled to Malaysia to partner with EPIC Homes in building a house for a family we had yet to meet. EPIC Homes exists to provide safe and sustainable housing for underprivileged communities, with a particular focus on the indigenous Orang Asli people.
We didn’t quite know what to expect, only that we would have one “Basic Builder Workshop” to learn safety and construction basics before heading to the site, to meet the family, Roni, Asiah, and their two children, and begin to build their home over the course of the next three days.
Divided into four teams, we started our work under the guidance of our master builder and a core team of skilled volunteers from EPIC. Beneath the Malaysian sun, far from the familiarity of our daily routines, we found ourselves pushed out of our comfort zones. Many of us had very limited building knowledge, which made our inexperience, weakness and vulnerabilities clear. For some, it was their first time handling power tools, but we quickly learned how to saw, drill, hammer, build and paint together.
It was humbling to see how God’s power was at work within each of us: ordinary people empowered by an extraordinary God, united by his gospel and strengthened by his Spirit. As we spent time together, we lived out the “one another” commands of Scripture, working side by side to serve, encourage, bear burdens, build up, love, and pray for one another. Between the sawdust and sweat, over shared meals and stories, God was quietly building a spiritual family among us. Many of us came not knowing each other well, yet we left with friendships strengthened by our shared purpose and faith.
ordinary people empowered by an extraordinary God
Though we came to serve, we were blessed in return. It was a privilege to work alongside Roni and his community, who welcomed us warmly and willingly worked hard alongside us with grateful hearts. Each evening, as we stepped back to admire the progress, we were amazed at what God had enabled us to accomplish. By the end of two and a half days, what began as a pile of wood and steel had been transformed into a new home.
When the house was finished, we made two lines in front of it. As Roni and his family walked through, the volunteers cheered and clapped. There was a real sense of shared joy and thankfulness. For Roni’s family, this house symbolised dignity, safety, and hope for the future. For us, it was a tangible reminder that we serve a God who provides and does immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.
We continue to pray for Roni and his family, that their new home would be a place filled with love and peace. As they settle in, may God give them a spirit of curiosity to discover who he is. May he awaken faith in their hearts so that their home becomes a place where the Living God is known, loved, and where the good news of the gospel is proclaimed.
