Kenosis Sarawak out to help rebuild hope for former troubled youths wanting to turn over a new leaf
One of the four buildings rented by Kenosis Sarawak at Tanjong Lobang Hills in Miri.
WHEN Martin Belarek was in my specially-arranged ‘School of Hope’ class in 2016, he was struggling to learn English grammar.
The man was cheerful about being able to join the class at a mature age of 36, but he did express doubt about ever being able to re-learn things that he had studied in the short years before dropping out of school.
I told him that he could, as long as he remained determined.
Physically, the tall and rough-looking man from Lawas really stood out amongst his classmates, but it turned out that he could sing English songs quite well and proved to be a decent group leader.
As weeks passed, he began to show me what a very responsible learner he was.
Six months later, he finally graduated from the class and proceeded to work part-time in Lawas as a taxi and truck driver for a while, before joining a Bible school there.
Today, Brother Martin, 42, is a warden at Kenosis Sarawak in Miri – a place that welcomed him unconditionally when he was a man who had wasted his teenage years on delinquency, alcoholism and substance addiction.
Upon meeting him recently, he told me that my other ‘first English students’ were doing very well, which made me very happy.
It also felt great to meet the pastors and other students at the centre, which I regarded as ‘a hope-rebuilding place’ for many youngsters wanting to start anew after having gone through a really rough patch.
A school to build new future
In Christian theology, ‘kenosis’ is associated with the detachment from or giving up things such as belongings, power and other worldly materials, especially in reference to the Lord Jesus Christ giving up part of his nature as a god and becoming a human.
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” — Philippians 2:5-8 (English Standard Version).
The word derives from ancient Greek’s ‘kenos’ or ‘kenoun’, meaning ’empty’ or ‘to empty’.
It is within this premise that led to this special school being established in the Tanjong Lobang suburb of Miri in 2015.
It all began with a group of parents in Lawas who had to deal with the drug menace corrupting the youths of their community. The situation then was very alarming in that children as young as 12 were falling victim to substance abuse and addiction.
Feeling helpless, the parents gathered to pray to God, hoping that something or someone would come and help them.
In 2015, Pastor Gilbert Wee from Kuala Lumpur visited Ba Kelalan with some friends. It was during this trip that he learned about the dire circumstances faced by the parents and wanted to help them.
“The Ba Kalalan folks felt that Pastor Wee was sent by God as an answer to their desperate cry for help.
“The compassionate pastor immediately agreed to set up a care centre meant to rehabilitate the youngsters who had lost their way,” said lay preacher Terence Chang, who also described himself as ‘a semi-retired maintenance contractor’.
Kenosis Sarawak’s management committee member Terence Chang, who hails from Kuching but is now residing in Miri.
However, Pastor Wee decided to set up a centre in Miri, in that the city had better medical facilities and expertise than in Ba Kelalan or Lawas.
“He (Wee) thought that Lawas was a bit off-the-track from the main routes.
“But another reason was his feeling that the young delinquents must leave their hometown for them to be able to truly focus on the rehabilitation programme.”
In addition, Pastor Wee also believed that for the plan to work, the centre must accommodate people from all church denominations in Sarawak.
In this regard, he got pastors from all churches to come together and set up a management committee to oversee all matters pertaining to this special institution.
Thus, Kenosis Sarawak was born on Dec 1, 2015.
Manned by three full-time personnel from the Kenosis Home in Kuala Lumpur, the Miri centre first housed four troubled teenagers who were battling drug addiction.
“One of its greatest challenges was to raise funds for the operations. The in-house students were each required to pay RM600 per month, but fortunately, Kenosis Sarawak was very compassionate toward parents who could not afford the high monthly fees, in that it reduced the fees for some individual cases.
“Based on our calculations over the last seven years, the fees collected from the students are still not sufficient to cover all the expenses, amounting to RM19,000 per month.
“About 50 per cent (of the expenses) is met by contributions from the public, our YBs (elected representatives), the Rotary Club, associations and golf clubs in Miri.
“On the bright side, we’re glad that the students have been very cooperative – they do the cleaning, cooking and general maintenance, and also their own laundry.
“They even grow some vegetables in the backyard,” said Chang.
At the moment, Kenosis Sarawak does not own any property.
According to Chang, it is renting the three detached houses at Tanjong Lobang that can accommodate up to 50 students at a time, and a bungalow for the pastors.
“My team and I are responsible for the overall management of the centre.
“We are happy to be of help since Day 1,” enthused Chang.
Education at the centre
Dale hopes to become an ‘oil and gas man’ in the near future.
Kenosis Sarawak conducts a special education programme for the in-house students, which runs for 15 months.
Pastor Roy Agan, in his late 20s, said the first week would be the orientation session for the newcomers.
“We start by placing them in a special room, meant for ‘kenosis’, or ‘emptying’.
“Kenosis Sarawak emphasises on inner spiritual rehabilitation. Here, we do our very best to guide the youths, who are from ages 16 to 36.
“Some of our former students came in when they were already adults, and now, they are working and living well now. We see these older graduates as inspiring the later batches that they can truly turn over a new leaf.”
After the first-stage ‘kenosis’, the students would proceed to the regular learning programme.
I met Dale Bala, 22, a senior member of this small community whose duties were akin to those of a school prefect.
“I was brought here by the management of the church in my neighbourhood, who saw that I needed help.
“The education here is good. I hope I can receive training to become ‘an oil and gas man’ in the near future.
“I am working hard, making sure that my future will be better than my present.
“I know that I have wasted many years of my life. I’m just so glad that I am with Kenosis Sarawak now,” said the young man, who is of Kelabit-Chinese parentage.
His daily routine, together with all the students, begins with daily devotion, quiet reading time and meditation, running from 6am to 7am.
“We then have a worship session. In the afternoon, we take part in sports and fitness activities and after dinner time, we have a fellowship and sharing session.
“I now realise that with God’s help, nothing is impossible,” said Dale.
Pastors in charge
(From left) Pastor Dillon and Pastor Roy, both from Bario, together with Brother Martin – the three permanent staff members of Kenosis Sarawak.
Pastor Robert Danor of Borneo Evangelical Mission (BEM) Sarawak is the director of Kenosis Sarawak.
He is assisted by Pastor Roy and full-time wardens, Brother Martin and Brother Dillon Ayun Lim.
Apart from the set programme, the centre has also arranged a weekly schedule where it welcomes volunteers to come and give lessons in English and other subjects.
The students learn gardening and cooking as well, although the majority of them already have these skills, being raised in ‘kampung’ (village) setting.
All students are Sarawakians – currently there is one Chinese youth amongst his Kenyah, Kayan, Lun Bawang and Bisaya schoolmates.
There are no uniforms for any of the staff or the students. What is required of them, though, is to wear smart, decent attire, especially for worship sessions.
“Yes, we’re very informal here, but there’s a kind of silent discipline and respect for everyone,” said Pastor Roy.
Post-residential training
According to Chang, post-residential training is available to any of the Kenosis Sarawak graduates.
“There are several options, actually.
“Throughout their residency in the centre, we have been providing career guidance and counselling to them. They can continue to study and take the SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) examination if they’re 17 years old and below. Those who already have SPM can enrol for a diploma course at any Bible College in Sarawak.
“Pastor Dillon, for example, graduated from the Belaga Bible College. He, too, was a troubled youth way back then, but after turning over a new leaf, he is now a pastor and a part-time teacher, is happily married and has a daughter.
“His wife is a pastor too, and teaches part-time at the centre.
“For our students, they can look forward to having a career in the oil and gas industry, in which Miri is a good place to start with.
“Many of our alumni have entered this sector and we’re very pleased with their progress.
“Some of them have become partners of food-and-beverage businesses all over Sarawak.
“It seems like oil and gas, and also food and beverage, are their favourite career pathways.
“Some have become cooks, and a few have become truck drivers.”
Pastor Roy (second right) says Kenosis Sarawak welcomes visitors as this helps improve the social interaction skills of its students.
Hope for the future
Chang acknowledged that not all graduates made it through, but Kenosis Sarawak would never give up on them.
“From 2016 until 2021, more than 15 graduates have entered Bible School to be trained as pastors and evangelists.
“There have been some failures, but we never give up hope of them finding their way to recovery. Our doors remain open to them.
“Kenosis Sarawak is not only a school – it’s a second home for those wanting help and salvation.
“To me, society needs this kind of school to help the youths so that no one is left behind.
“Troubled youths need rescue and in this sense, Kenosis Sarawak is ever ready to extend a helping hand,” he said.
Kenosis is a non-profit organisation that aims to help individuals and families impacted by drug addiction, and its rehabilitation and recovery programmes are faith-based with Christian values.
It provides a caring, supportive and disciplined environment to empower the drug dependent individuals to live purposeful and drug-free lives, prepare them for reintegration into society and help them forge a new future.
The Kenosis Home was founded in May 2001 by three former drug addicts: Richard Lee, Bob Leong and Elvie Ho. Having been through rehabilitation programmes themselves, they believed that it would be almost impossible for any drug dependant to be rehabilitated outside without proper help or a structured programme.
They came together believing that God has called them to establish a ‘Kenosis Home’ in Kuala Lumpur.
Since its establishment, it has seen many drug dependants enrolled in its 24-month programme.
Today, many of those who had successfully rehabilitated or completed the programmes are fully integrated back to society, living responsible lives and serving as leaders of other rehab homes, church workers, pastors, businessmen, or being enrolled as students in Bible schools.
To know more, go to http://www.kenosis.org.my and https://kenosissarawak.com/.