THE kind act of a stranger when he was living a hard life inspired Ustaz Ebit Lew to help the needy.
“My life back then was very tough. Often I would sleep on the cold, hard cement floor with little food to survive through the day,” Lew told theSun yesterday.
“A stranger offered me a blanket to sleep on. I still keep it with me and that person’s kindness motivated me to help others in need,” he said, adding that he feels indebted to that person to this day.
Lew, a motivational speaker and preacher, was in the limelight after helping a family of 15 living in a dilapidated hut in Alor Star.
His social media posting of the incident on April 20 garnered 121,000 likes and 35,000 shares. His visit to the family came after he was alerted by a surau committee.
“It was one of the most agonising moments in my life to see a stroke patient living in such squalid conditions.”
Lew said upon entering the house, the stench forced him to come out immediately.
“The house was dirty and smelly. To learn that they are a Malaysian family living in this unbearable condition was heart-breaking,” he said.
Even though some of his team members said the family was given enough aid, Lew said he remembered his late mother’s words – when people help us when we are in need, we should help others when we are able to do so.
Lew found a new home for the family, the rental for which he will pay for as long as he lives.
“I just could not walk away from it. This new home might give them hope to start a new life,” he said.
theSun joined Lew and his team to find a new home for the family and managed to find one with a rental of RM800 a month.
“I will continue to help others who are in need despite what others say. I will not question the family’s past or why they ended up this way. It just gives me peace of mind when I help someone,” he said.
“I may not be brilliant and I am a nobody. Just a Chinese person learning about Islam. It is my duty to help others who are in dire straits,” he said.
He had mentioned in his live Facebook video that his posts on his good deeds are meant to inspire others to reach out to those who are poor, hungry and in need.
