A woman working at a recycling factory in Malaysia has shared a touching experience involving food offerings placed at a Datuk Gong altar outside his workplace.
Food offerings going missing at workplace altar
She said he would often buy nasi lemak, kopi O, or fruits about two to three times a week and place them at the altar as offerings. However, she noticed something strange, the food would always disappear the next day. At first, she assumed it was the cleaning staff removing it, but after checking with the cleaner, she confirmed she had never touched them.
The situation continued for about two weeks until one afternoon, when a client arrived at the factory. As she went out to receive them, she saw a foreign worker eating the leftover nasi lemak from the altar, with incense ash even falling onto the food.
Although she was not angry, she became concerned as the food had been left out in the heat for a full day and was likely no longer safe to eat. She also wondered how long this had been happening.
“Tuhan Eats First”
The next day, she decided to speak to the worker. To her surprise, the worker immediately apologized and said she would not do it again. She explained that she knew the food was meant as religious offerings and only took it after believing “Tuhan had already eaten first” the next day. As she spoke, she became emotional.
Life struggles revealed
The worker then shared that his wife back home was suffering from cancer, and he had three children to support. Despite working overtime, almost all his earnings were sent back home, leaving him with only about RM30 a month.
The woman said she was stunned. “RM30 a month?” she recalled asking, to which the worker simply nodded and broke down in tears.
Help from boss and colleagues
After hearing the story, she informed her boss. The boss immediately called the worker into the office, gave him RM500 upfront, and told him not to go hungry, adding firmly that he needed strength to work. Several colleagues also contributed money to help him.
That night, the woman said she couldn’t forget what the worker had said: that he waited for “Tuhan to finish eating” before daring to touch the food.
She reflected that while many people feel their lives are difficult, there are others who quietly endure far greater hardship, sacrificing their own needs just to support their families.
What started as a simple plate of nasi lemak turned into a moment that left a lasting impact, a reminder of how far a small act of food and kindness can go for someone in need.
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