It was blistering hot, and the ceiling fan in the porch whirred furiously. On the porch, a petite lady smiled contentedly. Her elder sister had come to visit and was giving her a haircut, gently gathering and snipping away tufts of greying hair.
Inside, elderly ladies milled comfortably in the sitting area. Some smiled shyly, some kept to themselves, but most looked over curiously. Visitors were not a common sight.
A Chinese serial, General Hua Mulan, played on a television mounted above the stairs. On the second floor, the male residents hung around the sitting area. In the kitchen, a cook was preparing fried kuey teow with fishcakes and vegetables.
“Hey, guys!” Eric Kee bounded to the door, dressed in a black tee and khaki shorts. “I thought of wearing long pants, but decided to be authentic,” he said with a grin.
In his thirties, Eric’s tall frame and boyish features stand out. Together with his wife, Shanice, he provides chaplaincy services to seven senior homes in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya.
At this home in Cheras supported by a church, Eric and Shanice move from resident to resident, catching up on life and offering prayer. Only a handful are believers, but all appreciate the lively energy the young couple brings.
Some days, Eric brings a guitar and sings a few worship songs. Other days, he shares about God's love for just 10 minutes.
Shanice nods in agreement. “Many of them have poor memory and often don’t remember anything we share in previous visits, so it really is all about sharing and resharing the Gospel message, so that they know that they are safe with Jesus,” she said.
Eric and Shanice are a married couple and the founders of Worshiper Club, a Christian streetwear label known for its flagship tee, “Choose Prayer Over Fear.”
Three years ago, however, Eric felt his heart grow for the elderly.
“We saw a need, and we had the capacity to do more,” the graphic designer and marketing specialist said quietly.
Without fanfare, Eric visited a senior home, and what he witnessed broke his heart. He began connecting with more homes, and soon, Shanice joined him on his weekly rounds.
“Many feel abandoned by their families, or suffer silently in regret and grief. Most are just waiting to die, because they have nothing to live for. Our ultimate hope is to share the Gospel and tell them about eternity,” he said.
As the couple move around the home saying their goodbyes, they suddenly point to an empty space next to a table.
“Where’s the aunty in the wheelchair, the one who always sits here?” Shanice asked an alert-eyed resident in Cantonese.
“She’s no more,” the resident said matter-of-factly. “She passed away last week.”
Shanice and Eric fall silent. Later, over pan mee at one of Cheras’ famous lunch spots, they reflect on the brevity of life.
“In this ministry, we face death and loss often. What keeps us going is knowing that they know Jesus, and that they're in heaven, and that where they are is infinitely better than their lives here on earth. No more loneliness, pain, abandonment, grief, or betrayal,” Eric said.
He pauses for a moment, looks at his wife. Then, their eyes light up with hope.
