Over the last 18 years, St Peter’s Church Ipoh has had community development projects in more than 26 Orang Asli kampongs in Gopeng and Central Perak, and a few years ago, they extended their work to the Temiar Orang Asli in five villages in the Gua Musang area. These kampongs were badly hit by the floods recently. They have introduced goat rearing, fish ponds, chicken and duck farms, vegetable gardens, tadika and tuition centres, and medical services for the socio-economic development of these marginalized people.
Last year the church spent about RM170,000 in the Village Missions, out of which their own members contributed about RM100,000. RM56,000 was spent on salaries and allowances for the Orang Asli workers. The expenses for the vans and 4-wheel vehicles came to about RM46,000. The vans used to travel in the villages with poor roads are at least 20 years old, which often require frequent repairs. They had to buy a 5-year-old 4-wheel-drive pickup Nissan Frontier which is needed to reach the villages in the Gua Musang area.
Last year, with the help of the Bishop, a two and half acre piece of land was bought in Gopeng. It has been partially cleared and planted with fruit trees. They hope to build a training centre for the Orang Asli.
St Peter’s Church is also involved with the new villages in Mambang DiAwan, Air Kuning, Sg Siput and Kg Coldstream.
St Peter’s Church is organising a Food and Fun Fair on Saturday June 6 (Agung’s Birthday) from 9am to 2pm at the Church’s premises, 1-A Jalan Foo Kuan Sze, Fair Park, Ipoh, to raise money for their village work. They hope to raise RM100,000 for the welfare of the village communities.
For more information, contact: 05 546 0444 or 547 9576.
