History
Twenty three years ago in 1995, Pastor Alvin, a teacher by profession, became increasingly aware that many children in the school that he was teaching, appeared to be lost, lacking support and care, and often were in need of financial and moral guidance. His calling began when he and his wife decided to bring home a young child and care for him because his parents were unable to do so. From this humble and selfless gesture emerged his vision of starting a Home where he and his wife Pastor Lucy could devote their lives to the welfare of children, some as young as babies only a couple of months old. Needless to say, those early years were frought with unimaginable challenges, but through it all, Pastor Alvin never lost his faith in God and in his dedication to the service that he pledged to undertake upon himself and his wife for the forgotten corner of society which was most helpless and powerless in dispossessed children.
When Pastor Alvin was asked how he managed to acquire the extensive funds to clothe, feed and house so many young kids, his reply was sincere, honest and disarming which a true measure of the man he is. He said “I really do not know. When we needed funds, I prayed and somehow, financial assistance came from kind individuals and companies, most of them strangers I had never met." Through the generous help and donations of individuals and organisations, Pastor Alvin succeeded in establishing Yayasan Sunbeams Home into the self supporting, multiracial, non governmental children’s home it is today.
Starting with two half-brothers, Sunbeams Home has grown to 132 children, both boys and girls aged 1 to 18 years old, and has, over the years, given comfort, guidance and a future to hundreds of kids who were sent to the Home, some by the helpless parents themselves and some rescued from abusive homes. Through his untiring efforts, Pastor Alvin has established separate homes for boys and girls in the Klang Valley and Melaka. Caring individuals even donated land and expenses for the building of the homes to ensure that the kids will never experience the fear of being homeless again in case of inability to cover rental expenses. We all know how expensive it is to care for, feed, clothe and provide education and guidance for hundreds of young boys and girls. And to the Home’s credit, several of their kids have secured scholarships to colleges and universities, and have graduated with diplomas and degrees. And after leaving the Home and securing jobs, many come back to provide assistance, guidance and inspiration to those at the Home.
