Monday 12 September 2011

Introduction to the Bethesda Home


Pastor Theva and Mrs Theva

Hello Friends,  Greetings to you !
I would like to introduce BETHESDA HOME for the senior citizens to you and also tell you
a short story  about how it was started.  It was the year 1993.  My family and I were living
in a small three-bedroom apartment with three teen-age children, two sons and a daughter.
An old friend of ours (80 year old lady) came to our house and requested that she stay with us in our 

apartment.  I explained to her our situation and told her we were unable to help her, but she said she 

was willing to sleep in the hall.  This made me very sad. Immediately
I  promised to her that I will find a suitable home where she can stay comfortably. During this time I 

was working in the Penang Adventist Hospital as chaplain. So I explained my  sitiuation to the 

Hospital President, Dr. Laspe and also to the head of the chaplain department, Pastor James Wah. 

They thought for a while and said, “Pastor Theva, why don’t you start a home for the elderly and you 

can include this service in your ministry. You can help this elderly  friend of yours and she can stay in 

your home. So they encouraged me to start the home and provided me with the necessary funds and 

furniture. Also they sent elderly patients from the hospital who were looking for a home for the 

elderly. This is how the BETHESDA HOME was started, and we are running this home for the past 18 

years. Elderly persons from different walks of life have come and stayed in this Home—the rich, the 

poor, the educated, the uneducated, the good and the bad, etc.

We found that the elderly persons came to this home due to many kinds of reasons.  For  example,   

children who are busy and unable to take care  of their parents, single persons with no family,  

 persons who were abandoned by children,  because of family problems, some old people unable to 

get along with family members,  husband and wife cannot get along, so either one decides to stay 

separate and so on . . . . . . .
Bethesda Home has been providing a homely atmosphere with love and care.  For those who have 

been staying here for many years, this Home has become their own Home, and they are happy.   

Considering the situation and the needs of the people, BETHESDA HOME is helping the poor and the 

needy and the desperate ones in whatever way possible.    There is no discrimination against race and

religion. All are treated equally with kindness.