6-The Japanese soldier prayed and wept
Much has been written about the atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers during the war. People in their seventies and above can recall those terrible years we hope and pray will never be repeated. The television series, “Price of Peace” and “War Diary” bring back memories of those dark days from 1942-1945. However, not all Japanese soldiers were cruel. Among the conquering Japanese army were some of God’s saints.
There is always the danger to stereotype people and lump together those from one country or race under one label. I don’t want in my memoirs to give my readers the impression that all Japanese are bad and wicked people. In every race there are the good and the bad. We have many Japanese friends and some of the greatest saints we have encountered are Japanese.
When I was the International Secretary for South Pacific and East Asia, it was our privilege to visit Japan to conduct official business and meetings. We found the Japanese very hospital, polite, generous and kind. They were often among the first to respond to our plea to help others in need.
After the fall of Singapore in 1942, the men and single women officers were taken prisoners of war. The Japanese, however, allowed two women officers, Major Bertha Grey and Captain Elsie Willis to remain free for some time to look after the children in the care of the Army. The two had to wear armbands in Japanese to indicate that they were aliens! After about six months, they were put in prison like the rest of the western foreigners.
One day during this brief period of freedom, Major Bertha Grey was walking along Bras Basah Road when she met a Japanese soldier by the name of Ando. Noticing the Salvation Army uniform, he quickened his steps and soon was walking alongside Major Grey. He stopped the Major, pointed to the S’s on her collar and said, “Kiu Say Goon” (Salvation Army in Japanese.) He then walked the Major back to 30 Oxley Road where the children were now housed. He showed them a photograph of himself and his family. They were in Salvation Army uniform! There is only one Salvation Army united in love for Christ and our mission in soul saving! Ando was a Japanese soldier, but more important was a soldier of Jesus Christ and of The Salvation Army!
From then on he came every Sunday to join in worship and also had lunch with the officers. He was a very kind man and often came with food for the officers and children. When it was time for prayer he would pray aloud in Japanese which no one understood. It was a beautiful relationship that existed between him and the officers, one of Christian comradeship rather than captor and captives. The love of Christ transcends all barriers. I am reminded of the words of Dr. Vincent Peale who once said “that the affairs of Christianity should not be determined by war hysteria.” That was what happened during those months at the Army centre.
This went on for a few months. Then one Sunday after lunch he indicated in sign language that he wanted to pray for the officers and the children. No one understood a word of what he was praying, but all sensed his passion and earnestness. Suddenly he stopped. There was silence; he could not continue, and began to sob. He could not control his tears that flowed freely from his eyes. Everyone, officers and children saw this weeping Japanese soldier, cried too. The whole congregation was weeping.
Through sign language, the officers discovered that this was their last Sunday together. Major Grey and Captain Willis would be taken to prison soon. Ando would be assigned elsewhere. It was their farewell meeting. Soon those children who had relatives were sent home while the rest were taken to the Poh Leong Kok Welfare Home. The Army centre closed.
On that day at 30 Oxley Road, the Spirit of God came upon that small group of officers, children and the Japanese soldier. There were no visible tongues of fire or mighty rushing wind to mark the event, but The Holy Spirit was there just the same. Otherwise how could anyone explain the kindness of a Japanese soldier, a member of the notorious Japanese Army, praying with his captives, two English ladies and a group of children of different races whose plight was yet to be determined. Amongst that group of children, was a little six year old girl, Fong Pui Chan who can still recall vividly that scene etched indelibly in her memory. (Fong Pui Chan and I were married on 7th June 1958) She was an eye witness to this incident.
The Holy Spirit tears down and destroys all superficial differences between people and emphasises the eternal values we share in Christ. Writing to the Ephesians Paul said, “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” Eph. 2:14. Spirit filled believers look at and accept each other as family members of God’s family. “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.” Eph. 2:19
I am glad I am part of the International Salvation Army. The word ‘international’ was coined by Jeremy Bentham in 1780. He wrote “The word, it must be acknowledged is a new one though is to be hoped, sufficiently intelligible.” Well there are many international agencies and organizations, but I am glad, the kingdom of God to which I belong has no frontiers!
In Christ there is no east of west,
In him no south or north,
But one great fellowship of love
Throughout the whole wide earth.
(John Oxenham. SA Song Book No. 826)
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Commisioning of cadets - 28th Nov. 2009
Last Saturday we attended the commissioning and ordination of our three cadets of the PRAYER WARRIORS SESSION. They were Cadets Anthony Yong Heng Onn and his wife Lee Wai Chan and Kevin Meredith. We thank God for these three new Lieutenants.
Lieutenants Anthony Yong and Wai Chan will be leaving soon to take up their appointment as Corps Officers of Bintulu Corps. Lieutenant Kevin Meredith with his Burmese wife, Captain Sugunama will be leaving us to take up their appointment in Kevin's home territory Australia Southern. We pray God's richest blessing on these new officers.
We earnestly pray that God will touch the hearts of our young people that they will offer themselves for officership in The Salvation Army.
The call to officership - this must be paramount and the motive for our response to God's voice. For me, I can truthfully say - it was, and still is unmistakable and it this sense of calling that has kept me and my wife faithful all these years.
The call of God comes in different ways to different people. I heard no audible voice, no direct command, but that sense of need or awareness of a conviction was clear and unmistakable. Let's look at some examples in the Bible.
Abraham heard the call to leave his country, his relatives, his home to a land that God would show him. (Gen. 12: 1-2) Moses received that revelation in the burning bush (Exodus 3: 4) Joshua received a directed command after assisting Moses for many years. (Joshua 1: 1) Samuel heard that persistent voice calling out his name (1 Samuel 3: 10) The list can go on - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos; all heard the voice of God telling them what to do. Jesus called His disciples "Follow me."
As I sat in the congregation, my mind went back to the day that I was called in 1949 at Youth Councils. It was a clear and unmistakable. Thank God for calling me and giving me fifty five years of ministry. It has all been by grace - amazing grace of God!
Lieutenants Anthony Yong and Wai Chan will be leaving soon to take up their appointment as Corps Officers of Bintulu Corps. Lieutenant Kevin Meredith with his Burmese wife, Captain Sugunama will be leaving us to take up their appointment in Kevin's home territory Australia Southern. We pray God's richest blessing on these new officers.
We earnestly pray that God will touch the hearts of our young people that they will offer themselves for officership in The Salvation Army.
The call to officership - this must be paramount and the motive for our response to God's voice. For me, I can truthfully say - it was, and still is unmistakable and it this sense of calling that has kept me and my wife faithful all these years.
The call of God comes in different ways to different people. I heard no audible voice, no direct command, but that sense of need or awareness of a conviction was clear and unmistakable. Let's look at some examples in the Bible.
Abraham heard the call to leave his country, his relatives, his home to a land that God would show him. (Gen. 12: 1-2) Moses received that revelation in the burning bush (Exodus 3: 4) Joshua received a directed command after assisting Moses for many years. (Joshua 1: 1) Samuel heard that persistent voice calling out his name (1 Samuel 3: 10) The list can go on - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos; all heard the voice of God telling them what to do. Jesus called His disciples "Follow me."
As I sat in the congregation, my mind went back to the day that I was called in 1949 at Youth Councils. It was a clear and unmistakable. Thank God for calling me and giving me fifty five years of ministry. It has all been by grace - amazing grace of God!
First Sunday Advent
At our Adult Bible study this morning we focused our thoughts on Paul's Perspective as a prisoner. (Phil. 1: 3-11)
Paul is in prison awaiting trial. He is thankful and joyful despite his circumstances. He is concerned not for himself but for his fellow believers. He prays for their continued growth in Christ. His prayers have a fervency, frequency and a focus. We have so much to learn from Paul.
Some of our folk were away on holidays overseas. There was a shortage of players and I gladly accepted the invitation to play first horn this morning.
The Corps Officer's (pastor's) message this morning was based on Isaiah 11:1-10. The text was "In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to Him, and His place of rest will be glorious." (Isaiah 11: 10)
God has given us this wonderful gift of peace through Jesus whose coming we celebrate.
Paul is in prison awaiting trial. He is thankful and joyful despite his circumstances. He is concerned not for himself but for his fellow believers. He prays for their continued growth in Christ. His prayers have a fervency, frequency and a focus. We have so much to learn from Paul.
Some of our folk were away on holidays overseas. There was a shortage of players and I gladly accepted the invitation to play first horn this morning.
The Corps Officer's (pastor's) message this morning was based on Isaiah 11:1-10. The text was "In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to Him, and His place of rest will be glorious." (Isaiah 11: 10)
God has given us this wonderful gift of peace through Jesus whose coming we celebrate.
Friday, November 27, 2009
This is my story - 5
5-Working for the Japanese Government
The British realising that defeat was imminent, wrecked their equipment and vehicles, so that the enemy would not have the benefit of them. Hundreds of these broken trucks and other vehicles were left to rust and rot in a scrap yard at Tanjong Pagar. The Japanese employed young boys to break up the vehicles.
Let me digress a little before proceeding. When the Japanese conquered Singapore they insisted that the whole nation had to change our time to synchronise with Tokyo time. So we had to add one and a half hours to our time. Years later, the Malaysian Government added half and hour to West Malaysian time to synchronise with East Malaysian time. Singapore had to follow suit! Hence Tokyo is now one hour ahead of Singapore.
Every morning at about 8.00 a.m. (6.30 a.m. local time) a lorry would pick us up at Balestier Road to take us to our place of work. Mother would pack me my lunch box of tapioca with little rice plus a bit of salt fish or ikan bilis for my lunch.
On arrival at the workplace, we had to report for duty and given our tools – a hammer and a chisel or whatever was needed for the task. The foreman would assign work to us and we spent the day knocking down old vehicles, cut the parts into small pieces and someone would collect them to put them through the machines and turned them into blocks of scrap iron. These would then be sent to Japan. The first week, my hands were all blistered. I persevered as the family needed the money to survive.
By 11.00 a.m. (9.30 a.m) it was coffee break, (but there was no coffee or tea to drink) I was so hungry I would eat up my lunch! When actual lunch time came, a few lads and I would pluck the red ‘cherries’ as we called them to satisfy our hunger. The lorry would pick us up at about 7.30 p.m. (6.00 p.m.) to take us home. There were times when no lorry was available, so we had to walk bare footed home all the way from Tanjong Pagar to Lorong Limau. It was quite an achievement for an eleven year old lad! I developed the habit of walking long distances which stood me in good stead later on in life.
Life was tough and tiring working at this place. One day a group of us boys seeing no Japanese soldier around stopped work to have some fun. We decided to play games. We were definitely in the wrong. Suddenly a Japanese soldier appeared, rounded us up and threw us into a pit. We cringed in fear! He took a shovel, raised it and was about to rain blows on this group of helpless boys who dared stop work! Immediately I was aware of the presence of Jesus and cried out “Jesus, save me!” The shovel did not land on us. The soldier walked away shouting curses at us. Certainly the Lord heard my cry of desperation. The seed sown while I attended Sunday School was not lost.
One day a middle aged man came and offered me a sweet which I politely declined. I was taught by my mother never to accept things from strangers. He then asked me a lot of questions and told me he wanted to show me something very interesting. We walked along the path; suddenly he stopped and began touching me. Something in me told me he was up to no good and I ran away from him. At that time, I knew nothing about homosexuality or even sex. But now on hindsight, I know the Lord was with me. I could have been abused and scarred for life. I told no one, but from that day onwards, I kept out of the way of that man whom I sensed had evil intentions.
One day I was involved in a fight with another lad and I was severely beaten. He sat on me and kept punching me. I was no match for him. I was not used to fighting for at home should any neighbour dared bully me; I would call my elder brother. He was very strong and knew how to fight! He was always my protector. When I got home that evening mother asked me why I looked so dirty and there were scratches all over my body. I dared not admit to her that I had a fight with another boy. Fearing punishment, I lied that I had a fall!
Life was too demanding and I sought employment elsewhere. My aunt living in Owen Road indicated that her children were working in a rope factory nearby and there were vacancies. So after working for about a year or so at Tanjong Pagar, I found a job in a rope factory at Owen Road. This was much nearer home and within walking distance - about three miles. Besides the company provided cooked rice for lunch which was a real bonus. Each day my mother would just pack some ikan bilis or salt fish for me to eat with the rice. Two of my cousins were also employed in the same company. I worked there till the Japanese surrendered.
Throughout the Japanese occupation we had to queue up for everything – firewood, charcoal etc. I would wake up at 4.00 a.m to queue for whatever there was on the go. There was a limit to how much we could purchase per family. Every family was given a ration card. The shop keeper would carefully record on the card the amount of rice sold to us.
“Where is God when it hurts? He is in us – not in the things that hurt – helping to transform bad into good. We can safely say that God can bring good out of evil; we cannot say that God brings about the evil in the hopes of producing good.” (Philip Yancy)
The British realising that defeat was imminent, wrecked their equipment and vehicles, so that the enemy would not have the benefit of them. Hundreds of these broken trucks and other vehicles were left to rust and rot in a scrap yard at Tanjong Pagar. The Japanese employed young boys to break up the vehicles.
Let me digress a little before proceeding. When the Japanese conquered Singapore they insisted that the whole nation had to change our time to synchronise with Tokyo time. So we had to add one and a half hours to our time. Years later, the Malaysian Government added half and hour to West Malaysian time to synchronise with East Malaysian time. Singapore had to follow suit! Hence Tokyo is now one hour ahead of Singapore.
Every morning at about 8.00 a.m. (6.30 a.m. local time) a lorry would pick us up at Balestier Road to take us to our place of work. Mother would pack me my lunch box of tapioca with little rice plus a bit of salt fish or ikan bilis for my lunch.
On arrival at the workplace, we had to report for duty and given our tools – a hammer and a chisel or whatever was needed for the task. The foreman would assign work to us and we spent the day knocking down old vehicles, cut the parts into small pieces and someone would collect them to put them through the machines and turned them into blocks of scrap iron. These would then be sent to Japan. The first week, my hands were all blistered. I persevered as the family needed the money to survive.
By 11.00 a.m. (9.30 a.m) it was coffee break, (but there was no coffee or tea to drink) I was so hungry I would eat up my lunch! When actual lunch time came, a few lads and I would pluck the red ‘cherries’ as we called them to satisfy our hunger. The lorry would pick us up at about 7.30 p.m. (6.00 p.m.) to take us home. There were times when no lorry was available, so we had to walk bare footed home all the way from Tanjong Pagar to Lorong Limau. It was quite an achievement for an eleven year old lad! I developed the habit of walking long distances which stood me in good stead later on in life.
Life was tough and tiring working at this place. One day a group of us boys seeing no Japanese soldier around stopped work to have some fun. We decided to play games. We were definitely in the wrong. Suddenly a Japanese soldier appeared, rounded us up and threw us into a pit. We cringed in fear! He took a shovel, raised it and was about to rain blows on this group of helpless boys who dared stop work! Immediately I was aware of the presence of Jesus and cried out “Jesus, save me!” The shovel did not land on us. The soldier walked away shouting curses at us. Certainly the Lord heard my cry of desperation. The seed sown while I attended Sunday School was not lost.
One day a middle aged man came and offered me a sweet which I politely declined. I was taught by my mother never to accept things from strangers. He then asked me a lot of questions and told me he wanted to show me something very interesting. We walked along the path; suddenly he stopped and began touching me. Something in me told me he was up to no good and I ran away from him. At that time, I knew nothing about homosexuality or even sex. But now on hindsight, I know the Lord was with me. I could have been abused and scarred for life. I told no one, but from that day onwards, I kept out of the way of that man whom I sensed had evil intentions.
One day I was involved in a fight with another lad and I was severely beaten. He sat on me and kept punching me. I was no match for him. I was not used to fighting for at home should any neighbour dared bully me; I would call my elder brother. He was very strong and knew how to fight! He was always my protector. When I got home that evening mother asked me why I looked so dirty and there were scratches all over my body. I dared not admit to her that I had a fight with another boy. Fearing punishment, I lied that I had a fall!
Life was too demanding and I sought employment elsewhere. My aunt living in Owen Road indicated that her children were working in a rope factory nearby and there were vacancies. So after working for about a year or so at Tanjong Pagar, I found a job in a rope factory at Owen Road. This was much nearer home and within walking distance - about three miles. Besides the company provided cooked rice for lunch which was a real bonus. Each day my mother would just pack some ikan bilis or salt fish for me to eat with the rice. Two of my cousins were also employed in the same company. I worked there till the Japanese surrendered.
Throughout the Japanese occupation we had to queue up for everything – firewood, charcoal etc. I would wake up at 4.00 a.m to queue for whatever there was on the go. There was a limit to how much we could purchase per family. Every family was given a ration card. The shop keeper would carefully record on the card the amount of rice sold to us.
“Where is God when it hurts? He is in us – not in the things that hurt – helping to transform bad into good. We can safely say that God can bring good out of evil; we cannot say that God brings about the evil in the hopes of producing good.” (Philip Yancy)
Immanuel - God with us
This morning at our cell, the last one for this year, we focused our thoughts on the name, Immanuel. (Immanuel in Hebrew and Emmanuel in Greek) The angel in his message to Joseph quoted from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 7: 14, 8: 8)
How wonderful it is to know the promise and experience the ever watchful and protective presence of God. There is no situation, problem or enemy that we have to face alone; our Lord is with us! The Lord is always there as our constant support and supply. If we are concerned about our families, ministries, work or anything else, we can be absolutely sure God is infinitely more concerned than we are. Our need is simply to walk in the light of His presence and to count on His guidance, support, supply, and care by keeping our focus on Him (Heb. 12: 1-2)
“Have I not commanded you.” What’s the important point here? It’s the source of the command and the promises. The ‘I’ refers to Yahweh. Now read on.“For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” These words stress the nature of the one who gave the command. They focus our attention on who and what God is like. One of the secrets to boldness and courage is an awareness of God’s provision and presence. He has promised to never leave us. He is our Immanuel.
How wonderful it is to know the promise and experience the ever watchful and protective presence of God. There is no situation, problem or enemy that we have to face alone; our Lord is with us! The Lord is always there as our constant support and supply. If we are concerned about our families, ministries, work or anything else, we can be absolutely sure God is infinitely more concerned than we are. Our need is simply to walk in the light of His presence and to count on His guidance, support, supply, and care by keeping our focus on Him (Heb. 12: 1-2)
“Have I not commanded you.” What’s the important point here? It’s the source of the command and the promises. The ‘I’ refers to Yahweh. Now read on.“For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” These words stress the nature of the one who gave the command. They focus our attention on who and what God is like. One of the secrets to boldness and courage is an awareness of God’s provision and presence. He has promised to never leave us. He is our Immanuel.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Officers' Retreat - 23rd - 26th November
We had a great time at the Officers; Retreat held at Sofitel Mercure Hotel at Johore Baru. We left home at 1.45 p.m. and arrived at about 3.30 p.m. We returned home this afternoon, this time the journey was much quicker as we took the new link and came through Tuas.
The theme of the Rereat was "A charge to keep." The Bible studies were based the words of this old hymn written by Charles Weslcy. We were all reminded of our calling as officers of The Salvation Army.
It wss good to meet fellow officers from the other parts of the territory and share fellowship.
A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky. (Charles Wesley)
The hymn is a paraphrase of Matthew Henry's commentary of Leviticus 8:31-36. "We have every one of us a charge to keep, an eternal God to glorify, an immortal soul to provide for, needful duty to be done, our generation to serve; and it must be our daily care to keep this charge, for it is the charge of the Lord our Master, who will shortly call us to account about it, and it is our utmost peril if we neglect it. Keep it 'that ye die not'; it is death, eternal death, to betray the trust that we are are charged with; by the consideration of this we must be kept in awe."
The theme of the Rereat was "A charge to keep." The Bible studies were based the words of this old hymn written by Charles Weslcy. We were all reminded of our calling as officers of The Salvation Army.
It wss good to meet fellow officers from the other parts of the territory and share fellowship.
A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky. (Charles Wesley)
The hymn is a paraphrase of Matthew Henry's commentary of Leviticus 8:31-36. "We have every one of us a charge to keep, an eternal God to glorify, an immortal soul to provide for, needful duty to be done, our generation to serve; and it must be our daily care to keep this charge, for it is the charge of the Lord our Master, who will shortly call us to account about it, and it is our utmost peril if we neglect it. Keep it 'that ye die not'; it is death, eternal death, to betray the trust that we are are charged with; by the consideration of this we must be kept in awe."
Monday, November 23, 2009
Christians Celebrating Christmas
God's gift of Strength, Security and Serenity
Major Pascoe in keeping with the Singapore trend has decided to celebrate Christmas early! It is not Advent yet, but she has begun her Advent series of sermons.
Her message was based on Micah's message to the nation of Judah. Our attention was brought to the promise in God's Word through the prophet. Micah shares the promise that Jesus the Shepherd will be out strength. "He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God."
Secondly, the Messiah's greatness will be our security. "And they will live securely, for then, His greatness will reach the ends of the earth."
Finally, the peace of our Saviour brings to our hearts when we have received His foriveness for sin, will be our security. "And He will be our peace."
Major Pascoe in keeping with the Singapore trend has decided to celebrate Christmas early! It is not Advent yet, but she has begun her Advent series of sermons.
Her message was based on Micah's message to the nation of Judah. Our attention was brought to the promise in God's Word through the prophet. Micah shares the promise that Jesus the Shepherd will be out strength. "He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God."
Secondly, the Messiah's greatness will be our security. "And they will live securely, for then, His greatness will reach the ends of the earth."
Finally, the peace of our Saviour brings to our hearts when we have received His foriveness for sin, will be our security. "And He will be our peace."
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Sunday Bible class
Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ! That's how he begins his letter to the Philippians and a number of other letters. Much of our time this morning was spent in talking about servanthood. It is a fundamental element in our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here are some thoughts concerning servanthood.A servant thinks in terms of stewardship and not ownership. A steward is entrusted with the care his master's possessions. They are not his own. Servants should not expect to be treated better than their masters. A servant is always accountable to the master.
It is easy to talk about servanthood, but it is another thing when others treat us like servants.
And we should not think in terms of things only. What about the time given us - 24 hours a day! Surely we are stewards of time and stewards of talents. May God grant us the wisdom and grace to be good servants.
Here are some thoughts concerning servanthood.A servant thinks in terms of stewardship and not ownership. A steward is entrusted with the care his master's possessions. They are not his own. Servants should not expect to be treated better than their masters. A servant is always accountable to the master.
It is easy to talk about servanthood, but it is another thing when others treat us like servants.
And we should not think in terms of things only. What about the time given us - 24 hours a day! Surely we are stewards of time and stewards of talents. May God grant us the wisdom and grace to be good servants.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Brevity of life
We had our cell group this morning and as usual benefited from this fellowship. We learn a lot from each other. Daily I pray for these my good friends who have brought much blessing to me and my wife.
After lunch, we visited a family who had lost a loved one. The old man age 91 had a fall and passed away soon afterwords. To night is the wake, but we decided to visit them during the day to have a prayer with the Ho family. Captain Lim Chee Kwee will conduct the wake tonight and the funeral to-morrow.
I am reminded once again of the brevity of life and my thoughts turn to Psalm 90
No one really knows when Moses wrote this psalm. It may well have been written during the time the first generation of Israelites was dying in the wilderness. Moses had invested his life serving these people, and they had often stiffened their necks against God and rebelled. Knowing that the end of his days was near, and that this generation was dying off, Moses became painfully aware of the mortality of man. Men come and quickly go. Moses desired that God would impress him with the brevity of life, and that He would somehow prosper the work of his hands, that his lifetime of ministry would not be wasted.
My wife and I have lived beyond the three score years and ten. For us every day is a bonus. I end the this reflection with this prayer, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90: 12
After lunch, we visited a family who had lost a loved one. The old man age 91 had a fall and passed away soon afterwords. To night is the wake, but we decided to visit them during the day to have a prayer with the Ho family. Captain Lim Chee Kwee will conduct the wake tonight and the funeral to-morrow.
I am reminded once again of the brevity of life and my thoughts turn to Psalm 90
No one really knows when Moses wrote this psalm. It may well have been written during the time the first generation of Israelites was dying in the wilderness. Moses had invested his life serving these people, and they had often stiffened their necks against God and rebelled. Knowing that the end of his days was near, and that this generation was dying off, Moses became painfully aware of the mortality of man. Men come and quickly go. Moses desired that God would impress him with the brevity of life, and that He would somehow prosper the work of his hands, that his lifetime of ministry would not be wasted.
My wife and I have lived beyond the three score years and ten. For us every day is a bonus. I end the this reflection with this prayer, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90: 12
Thursday, November 19, 2009
This is my story (4)
4- Japanese Occupation 1942- 1945 – Trials and tribulations.
World War 2 took the lives of 60 million people. This region of Malaya (as it was called then) was much affected. The Japanese bent on conquering the world wrought havoc to our land causing much pain and suffering.
On 31st January the Allied Forces (comprising British, Indian and Australian soldiers) left Malaya. Their engineers blew a hole 70 feet wide (20 metres) on the Causeway to prevent the Japanese from crossing into Singapore. But Japanese soldiers disguised as local Chinese crossed the straits in inflatable boats!
The Japanese planes came and bombed Singapore. The first bomb fell on this island on 8th December 1941. More bombs fell, day and night! I can never forget those awful days – the bombs, the sirens, the screams, the cries of women and children. We lived in fear, and when the sirens blared we would run and hide under tables or wherever we thought would be safe. My father and elder brother dug a bomb shelter outside our house and often we would run to hide in it. I was only nine years old and remember running to the shelter with my only toy, a black one-eyed dog! It was my constant companion and comfort.
At one time the bombings became so frequent, my uncle and his family, another aunt and her family came and crowded into our little house. Their homes had been damaged. Suddenly there were added some ten people. We literally slept side by side, packed like sardines! Adults sat and took turns to lie down as there was insufficient space for all to sleep at the same time.
Father would come home with toys and other things found in the street. They were left behind by those fleeing from bombed buildings. For the first time we had extra toys to add to my only toy as a child – a black dog with one eye given by The Salvation Army one Christmas.
Fighting between the Japanese and the Allied Forces went on from 7th to 15th February 1942 when the British Government finally surrendered. It was Chinese New Year – the one no one in Singapore celebrated! We didn’t welcome the New Year. It was an ‘ang pow’ we didn’t need! The Japanese took control of Singapore and the surrounding region. We lived through three and a half years of suffering.
The Japanese changed the name Singapore to ‘Syonan To’ or ‘Light of the South.’ Eighty thousand Indian, Australian and British soldiers were taken prisoners of war. And our missionary officers – all male officers, single women officers and married officers without children remained and were taken into prison at Changi. Adjutant Etta Bird who tried to escape died when the ship she was in was bombed. Women officers like Mrs. Major Mabel Harvey, Mrs. Captain Cottrill and their children were evacuated to Australia.
We were terribly poor. Father did odd jobs here and there if available sometimes in exchange for food. People had no money to pay him.
One day the Japanese issued an order. We all had to evacuate from Lorong Limau as the Japanese wanted the houses for their own people. So we packed the few belongings we had and became refugees in our own country! We walked out of our house, joined the crowds of people leaving the area, not knowing our destination. We arrived at Jalan Besar and found a shop which gave us a small space to stay, but it soon became too crowded. We scouted around and found some space under the staircase of another shop in a little lane off Jalan Besar. We took turns to lie down – Sister and Mother sat up most of the time. They were always on the look out for some kind people to bring us food – tapioca mainly or sweet potatoes. O we knew then what it was to be hungry!
My father and my elder brother, who was about 15 years old at that time, had to hide from the Japanese. The soldiers were rounding up young men to take them away for questioning. Many of them were tortured and killed, in their hundreds and thousands.
A week or so later, we heard news that we could return to our homes. We decided to take the chance and made our way back to Lorong Limau. Obviously the Japanese had other plans and did not take over the houses. We returned home and waited for Father and brother for several days. Those were anxious times. Fortunately, they were spared, but our Uncle Johnny, mother’s cousin who lived nearby never made the journey back. We did not know what happened to him and assumed he was taken prisoner by the Japanese and killed. Thousands of young men met the same fate.
Mother wanted to put my younger brother and me into a Japanese school newly set up at Chu Lai Huat, now Hoover Theatre at Balestier Road. It was a big bungalow built by a prosperous ex- garang guni (rag and bone) man! He had made his pile collecting old junk and selling them! The Japanese acquired this big bungalow and turned it into a Japanese school. When we arrived the gates were locked. Mother left us there to wait while she went to Shrewsbury Road to see grandma. She was under deep depression and somehow she forgot about us and we sat the whole morning without registering. We stayed put sitting outside the gate and waited for her. She came back in the afternoon to fetch us home. So my younger brother and I never got to learn Japanese! He wouldn’t mind as he was only five years old! I don’t think they would accept him anyway.
Mother made some tapioca nyona cakes (she had learned how to make these at Home League) and instructed me to go to Balestier Road wet market to sell them. I was so terribly shy and frightened; I did not approach anyone, but stood nervously at one corner of the wet market waiting for customers. No one noticed the nervous little boy with a basket of cakes. I spotted our good friend Mrs. Ong and approached her. Out of pity for me, she bought a piece. I was delighted and rushed home with the rest of the unsold cakes! I had sold one piece! Mother knew I was useless when it came to selling cakes. Obviously I was not cut out to be a sales person. The grace of God enabled me in later years to sell hundreds perhaps thousands of copies of War Cry in the streets, restaurants and pubs! More of such stories later.
So Father took me to help him in his work of repairing houses. I wasn’t much good as I was quite skinny and did not have the strength to carry the heavy bricks and tiles, besides I was afraid of heights. In fear and trembling I would climb the ladder with my basket of bricks or tiles to hand to my father up on the roof. Finally he felt I was too much a liability and decided I should contribute to the family income in some other way.
One day I stepped on a nail. I pulled it out and limped all the way from Beach Road to Lorong Limau. I had no money to travel by bus. My mother washed the wound with soap and water and put some home made medication and wrapped my foot up. I understand it was chicken fat soaked in salt! My advice, don’t try this remedy; it may not work for you. Thank God, He delivered me by healing the wound. Unknown to me the Lord was performing miracles in my life.
Father set up a small stall outside the house for us, sister, me and younger brother to sell sweets plus dried fruit and vegetables, but we failed to make any profit, so finally I got a job at Tanjong Pagar to work for the Japanese. By then I was more than ten years old or closer to eleven. I had to do my share to support the family.
World War 2 took the lives of 60 million people. This region of Malaya (as it was called then) was much affected. The Japanese bent on conquering the world wrought havoc to our land causing much pain and suffering.
On 31st January the Allied Forces (comprising British, Indian and Australian soldiers) left Malaya. Their engineers blew a hole 70 feet wide (20 metres) on the Causeway to prevent the Japanese from crossing into Singapore. But Japanese soldiers disguised as local Chinese crossed the straits in inflatable boats!
The Japanese planes came and bombed Singapore. The first bomb fell on this island on 8th December 1941. More bombs fell, day and night! I can never forget those awful days – the bombs, the sirens, the screams, the cries of women and children. We lived in fear, and when the sirens blared we would run and hide under tables or wherever we thought would be safe. My father and elder brother dug a bomb shelter outside our house and often we would run to hide in it. I was only nine years old and remember running to the shelter with my only toy, a black one-eyed dog! It was my constant companion and comfort.
At one time the bombings became so frequent, my uncle and his family, another aunt and her family came and crowded into our little house. Their homes had been damaged. Suddenly there were added some ten people. We literally slept side by side, packed like sardines! Adults sat and took turns to lie down as there was insufficient space for all to sleep at the same time.
Father would come home with toys and other things found in the street. They were left behind by those fleeing from bombed buildings. For the first time we had extra toys to add to my only toy as a child – a black dog with one eye given by The Salvation Army one Christmas.
Fighting between the Japanese and the Allied Forces went on from 7th to 15th February 1942 when the British Government finally surrendered. It was Chinese New Year – the one no one in Singapore celebrated! We didn’t welcome the New Year. It was an ‘ang pow’ we didn’t need! The Japanese took control of Singapore and the surrounding region. We lived through three and a half years of suffering.
The Japanese changed the name Singapore to ‘Syonan To’ or ‘Light of the South.’ Eighty thousand Indian, Australian and British soldiers were taken prisoners of war. And our missionary officers – all male officers, single women officers and married officers without children remained and were taken into prison at Changi. Adjutant Etta Bird who tried to escape died when the ship she was in was bombed. Women officers like Mrs. Major Mabel Harvey, Mrs. Captain Cottrill and their children were evacuated to Australia.
We were terribly poor. Father did odd jobs here and there if available sometimes in exchange for food. People had no money to pay him.
One day the Japanese issued an order. We all had to evacuate from Lorong Limau as the Japanese wanted the houses for their own people. So we packed the few belongings we had and became refugees in our own country! We walked out of our house, joined the crowds of people leaving the area, not knowing our destination. We arrived at Jalan Besar and found a shop which gave us a small space to stay, but it soon became too crowded. We scouted around and found some space under the staircase of another shop in a little lane off Jalan Besar. We took turns to lie down – Sister and Mother sat up most of the time. They were always on the look out for some kind people to bring us food – tapioca mainly or sweet potatoes. O we knew then what it was to be hungry!
My father and my elder brother, who was about 15 years old at that time, had to hide from the Japanese. The soldiers were rounding up young men to take them away for questioning. Many of them were tortured and killed, in their hundreds and thousands.
A week or so later, we heard news that we could return to our homes. We decided to take the chance and made our way back to Lorong Limau. Obviously the Japanese had other plans and did not take over the houses. We returned home and waited for Father and brother for several days. Those were anxious times. Fortunately, they were spared, but our Uncle Johnny, mother’s cousin who lived nearby never made the journey back. We did not know what happened to him and assumed he was taken prisoner by the Japanese and killed. Thousands of young men met the same fate.
Mother wanted to put my younger brother and me into a Japanese school newly set up at Chu Lai Huat, now Hoover Theatre at Balestier Road. It was a big bungalow built by a prosperous ex- garang guni (rag and bone) man! He had made his pile collecting old junk and selling them! The Japanese acquired this big bungalow and turned it into a Japanese school. When we arrived the gates were locked. Mother left us there to wait while she went to Shrewsbury Road to see grandma. She was under deep depression and somehow she forgot about us and we sat the whole morning without registering. We stayed put sitting outside the gate and waited for her. She came back in the afternoon to fetch us home. So my younger brother and I never got to learn Japanese! He wouldn’t mind as he was only five years old! I don’t think they would accept him anyway.
Mother made some tapioca nyona cakes (she had learned how to make these at Home League) and instructed me to go to Balestier Road wet market to sell them. I was so terribly shy and frightened; I did not approach anyone, but stood nervously at one corner of the wet market waiting for customers. No one noticed the nervous little boy with a basket of cakes. I spotted our good friend Mrs. Ong and approached her. Out of pity for me, she bought a piece. I was delighted and rushed home with the rest of the unsold cakes! I had sold one piece! Mother knew I was useless when it came to selling cakes. Obviously I was not cut out to be a sales person. The grace of God enabled me in later years to sell hundreds perhaps thousands of copies of War Cry in the streets, restaurants and pubs! More of such stories later.
So Father took me to help him in his work of repairing houses. I wasn’t much good as I was quite skinny and did not have the strength to carry the heavy bricks and tiles, besides I was afraid of heights. In fear and trembling I would climb the ladder with my basket of bricks or tiles to hand to my father up on the roof. Finally he felt I was too much a liability and decided I should contribute to the family income in some other way.
One day I stepped on a nail. I pulled it out and limped all the way from Beach Road to Lorong Limau. I had no money to travel by bus. My mother washed the wound with soap and water and put some home made medication and wrapped my foot up. I understand it was chicken fat soaked in salt! My advice, don’t try this remedy; it may not work for you. Thank God, He delivered me by healing the wound. Unknown to me the Lord was performing miracles in my life.
Father set up a small stall outside the house for us, sister, me and younger brother to sell sweets plus dried fruit and vegetables, but we failed to make any profit, so finally I got a job at Tanjong Pagar to work for the Japanese. By then I was more than ten years old or closer to eleven. I had to do my share to support the family.
Monday, November 16, 2009
This is my story - 3
3 – Contact with The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army began operations at the Balestier Road area in 1937. Just a short distance away from our house at the corner of Lorong Limau and Kim Keat Road was a two story bungalow which the Army rented and used it as a Boys’ Home – the first Boys’ Home in the Army’s history. The officers in charge, Adjutant and Mrs. Harold Mathews were not content to just run the Home, they moved out into Lorong Limau area and made contact with the people there. The majority were not English speaking –they were mainly Chinese, Indian and Malay families who spoke their own languages. Adjutant and Mrs. Matthews were missionaries in Indonesia before being appointed to Singapore in 1936 hence could speak the Malay language.
Lorong Limau was a new housing estate where the Government had built many small units for poor families. Each unit comprised one tiny bedroom, a sitting room, tiny kitchen and an open air well. There was no modern sanitation in those days and twelve families shared a common tap.
Adjutant and Mrs. Matthews went door to door visiting and met a Eurasian family by the surname of Hensen who agreed to have a Sunday school in their little unit same size as ours. I observe Balestier Corps began mainly with the Eurasians and peranakans as they spoke English and Malay. Hence Balestier has this peranakan tradition.
The Salvation Army began to hold open air meetings. I remember as a five year old, I used to go with my sister to watch these strange people singing and playing the concertina, the drum and tambourines. By then the Army had rented a shop house at Balestier Road. My sister, older brother and I went to the Sunday school on Sunday afternoons at 3.p.m. The children would be divided into classes, and I went with other five year olds to the back of the hall where there was a sand tray. O how I looked forward to Sundays to play with the figurines in the sand tray. My Sunday School teacher was Norman Lim and he would tell us stories from the Bible.
One day Norman was telling the story of the lost sheep. To illustrate his point, he picked me up as his lost sheep. I was that lost sheep whom the Lord called to be a shepherd of His people. I entered the Shepherds’ Session of cadets in January 1954. More of this later. To this quiet shy lad, it was fun and Sunday was a day I looked forward to. My sister and brother joined the guides and scouts respectively. They gave her the name of Rosie, a name she retained for the rest of her life.
The officers accompanied by Mrs. Ong as the interpreter visited us and seeing we were so poor, they offered my mother a job as the hall keeper. Mother was delighted as this meant extra income. It was much easier than washing clothes for so many families one of them was Mrs. Ong. She continued washing for the Ong family for many years. Mrs. Ong invited her to attend the Home League which was conducted in English and Malay. She usually took me, a very shy five year old, to the Home League and the ladies would fuss over me. They would offer me local cakes and I would hesitate to accept for that was the way I had been taught. But they would push the cakes into my hands. Of course I was delighted and looked forward to attend the Home League!
There was this family of spinsters who lived in Lorong Limau not far from us. Their niece was Lim Siok Chin who became a Salvation Army officer later. The made nonya cakes for sale, and that was their livelihood.
Mr. Ong Kay Sung was the YPSM and the family became very close to us. They would pass on the innards of chickens and ducks for mother to take home. Mrs.Ong was a registered midwife. She was quite a big woman with a big heart - very kind and gracious lady who had great influence in the community. The Ong family comprised Ruth and Janet (they and their families are now Canadian citizens) Ellen (promoted to Glory a few years back) Errol who died when he was a baby and Andrew, still active in the Balestier Corps.
I cannot recall the names of all the people of Balestier Road Corps as it was then called. (The name was changed to Balestier Corps when it moved into Martaban Road.)There was a young lady Molly Yeo who later became an officer and was married to Captain George Tan Koon Hoe. She lived in Martaban Road and used to teach in Sunday School. In 1970 when we were appointed to Central Corps, we visited her and got her and her husband back to the Army. She now attends Chatswood Corps in Australia.
Adjutant Matthews was a very tall and thin man, and his wife a big fat lady. In later years, their daughter Margaretha came and work as an officer nurse at Batang Melaka.
We children attended Balestier Corps Sunday School very faithfully until Singapore fell to the Japanese in February 1942 and The Army closed down. By then I was nine years old.
The Salvation Army began operations at the Balestier Road area in 1937. Just a short distance away from our house at the corner of Lorong Limau and Kim Keat Road was a two story bungalow which the Army rented and used it as a Boys’ Home – the first Boys’ Home in the Army’s history. The officers in charge, Adjutant and Mrs. Harold Mathews were not content to just run the Home, they moved out into Lorong Limau area and made contact with the people there. The majority were not English speaking –they were mainly Chinese, Indian and Malay families who spoke their own languages. Adjutant and Mrs. Matthews were missionaries in Indonesia before being appointed to Singapore in 1936 hence could speak the Malay language.
Lorong Limau was a new housing estate where the Government had built many small units for poor families. Each unit comprised one tiny bedroom, a sitting room, tiny kitchen and an open air well. There was no modern sanitation in those days and twelve families shared a common tap.
Adjutant and Mrs. Matthews went door to door visiting and met a Eurasian family by the surname of Hensen who agreed to have a Sunday school in their little unit same size as ours. I observe Balestier Corps began mainly with the Eurasians and peranakans as they spoke English and Malay. Hence Balestier has this peranakan tradition.
The Salvation Army began to hold open air meetings. I remember as a five year old, I used to go with my sister to watch these strange people singing and playing the concertina, the drum and tambourines. By then the Army had rented a shop house at Balestier Road. My sister, older brother and I went to the Sunday school on Sunday afternoons at 3.p.m. The children would be divided into classes, and I went with other five year olds to the back of the hall where there was a sand tray. O how I looked forward to Sundays to play with the figurines in the sand tray. My Sunday School teacher was Norman Lim and he would tell us stories from the Bible.
One day Norman was telling the story of the lost sheep. To illustrate his point, he picked me up as his lost sheep. I was that lost sheep whom the Lord called to be a shepherd of His people. I entered the Shepherds’ Session of cadets in January 1954. More of this later. To this quiet shy lad, it was fun and Sunday was a day I looked forward to. My sister and brother joined the guides and scouts respectively. They gave her the name of Rosie, a name she retained for the rest of her life.
The officers accompanied by Mrs. Ong as the interpreter visited us and seeing we were so poor, they offered my mother a job as the hall keeper. Mother was delighted as this meant extra income. It was much easier than washing clothes for so many families one of them was Mrs. Ong. She continued washing for the Ong family for many years. Mrs. Ong invited her to attend the Home League which was conducted in English and Malay. She usually took me, a very shy five year old, to the Home League and the ladies would fuss over me. They would offer me local cakes and I would hesitate to accept for that was the way I had been taught. But they would push the cakes into my hands. Of course I was delighted and looked forward to attend the Home League!
There was this family of spinsters who lived in Lorong Limau not far from us. Their niece was Lim Siok Chin who became a Salvation Army officer later. The made nonya cakes for sale, and that was their livelihood.
Mr. Ong Kay Sung was the YPSM and the family became very close to us. They would pass on the innards of chickens and ducks for mother to take home. Mrs.Ong was a registered midwife. She was quite a big woman with a big heart - very kind and gracious lady who had great influence in the community. The Ong family comprised Ruth and Janet (they and their families are now Canadian citizens) Ellen (promoted to Glory a few years back) Errol who died when he was a baby and Andrew, still active in the Balestier Corps.
I cannot recall the names of all the people of Balestier Road Corps as it was then called. (The name was changed to Balestier Corps when it moved into Martaban Road.)There was a young lady Molly Yeo who later became an officer and was married to Captain George Tan Koon Hoe. She lived in Martaban Road and used to teach in Sunday School. In 1970 when we were appointed to Central Corps, we visited her and got her and her husband back to the Army. She now attends Chatswood Corps in Australia.
Adjutant Matthews was a very tall and thin man, and his wife a big fat lady. In later years, their daughter Margaretha came and work as an officer nurse at Batang Melaka.
We children attended Balestier Corps Sunday School very faithfully until Singapore fell to the Japanese in February 1942 and The Army closed down. By then I was nine years old.
Sunday worship and celebration
On Sunday at the Adult Bible class, we did our second lesson on the Letter to the Philippians - the Epistle of joy. Our focus was on the founding of the church.
Paul arrived in Philippi a Roman colony. The story centres round two women - the lady from Thyatira and a slave girl who was demon possessed. Paul delivered this poor girl from her demon possession.
While Paul's Jewish opponents were prompted by religious differences, the Gentiles were driven solely by economics. The result was a riot which led to the arrest and imprisonment of Paul and Silas. While in prison the apostles sang and prayed. The Lord in a wonderful way caused a mighty earthquake, the prison was shaken and Paul and Silas were set at liberty.
The frightened jailer in desperation cried out "What must I do to be saved?" The response from Saul was the well known and oft quoted text, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."
It is interesting to note that God used three people from different echelons of society - the wealthy woman Lydia, high class society lady, then at the other end of the ladder a poor slave girl. Then there was this jailer who would be middle class, I reckon. God loves the rich and the poor, His message is for the whosoever.
The story of the birth of the church at Philippi is a lesson on divine guidance. God directed His servants in a variety of ways. He directed through the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. He directed through the prohibition of the Holy Spirit who caused Paul to change his plans, and through the vision given to Paul in Troas. He even directed through the evil actions of the slave girl's owners and the injustice of the magistrates. He did all these these to plant the church in Philippi.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."(Rom. 8: 28) God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform!
After the holiness meeting, our daughter Gladys and family took us out for lunch to celebrate my wife's birthday. It was the only time when she could get the whole family together. Sunday was a great day!
Paul arrived in Philippi a Roman colony. The story centres round two women - the lady from Thyatira and a slave girl who was demon possessed. Paul delivered this poor girl from her demon possession.
While Paul's Jewish opponents were prompted by religious differences, the Gentiles were driven solely by economics. The result was a riot which led to the arrest and imprisonment of Paul and Silas. While in prison the apostles sang and prayed. The Lord in a wonderful way caused a mighty earthquake, the prison was shaken and Paul and Silas were set at liberty.
The frightened jailer in desperation cried out "What must I do to be saved?" The response from Saul was the well known and oft quoted text, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."
It is interesting to note that God used three people from different echelons of society - the wealthy woman Lydia, high class society lady, then at the other end of the ladder a poor slave girl. Then there was this jailer who would be middle class, I reckon. God loves the rich and the poor, His message is for the whosoever.
The story of the birth of the church at Philippi is a lesson on divine guidance. God directed His servants in a variety of ways. He directed through the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. He directed through the prohibition of the Holy Spirit who caused Paul to change his plans, and through the vision given to Paul in Troas. He even directed through the evil actions of the slave girl's owners and the injustice of the magistrates. He did all these these to plant the church in Philippi.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."(Rom. 8: 28) God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform!
After the holiness meeting, our daughter Gladys and family took us out for lunch to celebrate my wife's birthday. It was the only time when she could get the whole family together. Sunday was a great day!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Tyranny of the immediate
I think it was General Albert Orsborn who coined the expression 'the tyranny of the immediate.' There are lots of things that call for our immediate attention. So we all can be so busy seeing to the immediate, we fail to spend time planning for the long term. In other words sacrificing long term interests to short term success.
We need the help of God's Holy Spirit to give discernment and direction in our lives. Without Him I cannot plan ahead and without Him I dare not move ahead.
Spirit Divine, lead me I pray.
We need the help of God's Holy Spirit to give discernment and direction in our lives. Without Him I cannot plan ahead and without Him I dare not move ahead.
Spirit Divine, lead me I pray.
Friday, November 13, 2009
This is my story - 2
2 – My Ancestry – Peranakan family
Like my father, my maternal grandfather came from Swatow (Shantou) China. I don’t know his history for he died long before I was born. I was told he owned or rented a farm at Alexandra Road area and kept pigs, planted vegetables and fruit trees. He married my grandmother a Teochew peranakan and had a big family – the eldest and the youngest were boys and five girls in between. Mother was the fourth daughter and my cousins would address her as See Ee or See Kor – fourth Aunt.
When Grandpa Tan saved enough money he would visit China to see his relatives. In one of his visits which took longer than usual, his employees sold his animals and deserted the farm. Grandma was a simple housewife and didn’t know what to do and waited for his return. The workers gave the excuse that tigers were found roaming the farm and they all had to run away. Well, grandpa lost everything and for the family to survive had to send his eldest son to work for the British.
On my uncle’s first day at work his British employer cut off his pig tail. Pig tails were not allowed among the employees! Grandpa had adhered strictly to his family tradition by tying his own hair into a pig tail. He was heart broken and died soon afterwards.
Grandma sent her first daughter to China to be married and she never returned to Singapore. Before long all the other daughters one after another were married off. In those days it was the custom to engage a matchmaker who would be tasked to look for spouses. My mother was the fourth daughter and she got married when she was only sixteen. As mentioned earlier she had four children – three boys and a girl and yours truly was the third child.
Grandma’s youngest son went to work as an apprentice servicing lifts. He was a strange fellow who was always very aloof. He got married, had a boy and a girl, the latter became a midwife and worked at KK Hospital for many years. She is now retired. Later when auntie (Soi Kim or youngest Aunt) was very sick for quite a long period, Uncle took on a mistress, a very gracious Cantonese lady who took care of the family including his sick Teochew wife.
My wife and I (retired by then) went to the funeral of this Cantonese aunt and found her two adopted children were about to bury her without any religious rites, so I asked to conduct the funeral for the sake of the living. She had never been against Christianity; in fact her daughter was a Christian. She did not become a Christian because she always felt it was her duty to see to the ancestral tablets of my grandfather whom she had never met! Such was her filial duty to the Tan family and their ancestors. I was totally unprepared to conduct the funeral but committed her to the mercy of God just the same. Being away from Singapore for so long, we had lost contact with our relatives. We were 14 years in Malaysia and 15 years overseas prior to our retirement.
Our family lived with Grandma at a kampong at Norfolk Road where I was born prematurely on 30th May 1932. As mother had to work, and father stayed most of his time at construction sites Grandma looked after me. Later the family moved to Kim Keat Road next door to a tau yu (black sauce) factory. I remember vaguely this big atap house. Later when I was about five years old our family moved away from Grandma’s home to Lorong Limau. We lived in one of the Singapore Improvement Trust Houses, (SIT units) predecessor to our HDB today. My younger brother was born in Lorong Limau.
We were always delighted when Grandma came to visit us. She wore her long baju kurong and sarong and always carried a box of serai and beetle nuts. She would chew the leaves wrapped with beetle nuts, lime etc and spit out red saliva! We always kept a spittoon under the table for her to use. She would arrive in a rickshaw and mother would rush out to pay the fare for her. When she was ready to go home, mother would go out to call a rickshaw, bargained with the rickshaw puller until they agreed on the fare. Poor as she was my mother would always insist on paying the fares. She was really filial.
When the Malay satay man came round, mother would stop him and we would sit around his stall to eat satay. We would always be warned beforehand, we were allowed only one stick each, no more, only grandma was allowed more. Looking back now we know the reason – mother had a hard time trying to make ends meet and really could not afford the luxury of eating satay. So we were primed before hand to say, “No, I’m full and don’t need anymore.” We were such obedient children we just obeyed instructions. We all knew the consequences of disobedience once Grandma left us.
The satay man always had two pots of gravy – one chilly hot the other somewhat milder. Everyone would dip into one of the pots of satay gravy! No one was concerned about hygiene in those days! One stick of satay but we were allowed to dip as many times as we wished and I made sure I made the maximum number of dips, just to enjoy the gravy!
In 1945, Grandma died just before Singapore was liberated. On her tombstone I saw her name for the first time. I didn’t know she was called Cecilia Koh – a name given by the priest at her baptism. We always called her “Ah Ma” meaning grandma.
Like my father, my maternal grandfather came from Swatow (Shantou) China. I don’t know his history for he died long before I was born. I was told he owned or rented a farm at Alexandra Road area and kept pigs, planted vegetables and fruit trees. He married my grandmother a Teochew peranakan and had a big family – the eldest and the youngest were boys and five girls in between. Mother was the fourth daughter and my cousins would address her as See Ee or See Kor – fourth Aunt.
When Grandpa Tan saved enough money he would visit China to see his relatives. In one of his visits which took longer than usual, his employees sold his animals and deserted the farm. Grandma was a simple housewife and didn’t know what to do and waited for his return. The workers gave the excuse that tigers were found roaming the farm and they all had to run away. Well, grandpa lost everything and for the family to survive had to send his eldest son to work for the British.
On my uncle’s first day at work his British employer cut off his pig tail. Pig tails were not allowed among the employees! Grandpa had adhered strictly to his family tradition by tying his own hair into a pig tail. He was heart broken and died soon afterwards.
Grandma sent her first daughter to China to be married and she never returned to Singapore. Before long all the other daughters one after another were married off. In those days it was the custom to engage a matchmaker who would be tasked to look for spouses. My mother was the fourth daughter and she got married when she was only sixteen. As mentioned earlier she had four children – three boys and a girl and yours truly was the third child.
Grandma’s youngest son went to work as an apprentice servicing lifts. He was a strange fellow who was always very aloof. He got married, had a boy and a girl, the latter became a midwife and worked at KK Hospital for many years. She is now retired. Later when auntie (Soi Kim or youngest Aunt) was very sick for quite a long period, Uncle took on a mistress, a very gracious Cantonese lady who took care of the family including his sick Teochew wife.
My wife and I (retired by then) went to the funeral of this Cantonese aunt and found her two adopted children were about to bury her without any religious rites, so I asked to conduct the funeral for the sake of the living. She had never been against Christianity; in fact her daughter was a Christian. She did not become a Christian because she always felt it was her duty to see to the ancestral tablets of my grandfather whom she had never met! Such was her filial duty to the Tan family and their ancestors. I was totally unprepared to conduct the funeral but committed her to the mercy of God just the same. Being away from Singapore for so long, we had lost contact with our relatives. We were 14 years in Malaysia and 15 years overseas prior to our retirement.
Our family lived with Grandma at a kampong at Norfolk Road where I was born prematurely on 30th May 1932. As mother had to work, and father stayed most of his time at construction sites Grandma looked after me. Later the family moved to Kim Keat Road next door to a tau yu (black sauce) factory. I remember vaguely this big atap house. Later when I was about five years old our family moved away from Grandma’s home to Lorong Limau. We lived in one of the Singapore Improvement Trust Houses, (SIT units) predecessor to our HDB today. My younger brother was born in Lorong Limau.
We were always delighted when Grandma came to visit us. She wore her long baju kurong and sarong and always carried a box of serai and beetle nuts. She would chew the leaves wrapped with beetle nuts, lime etc and spit out red saliva! We always kept a spittoon under the table for her to use. She would arrive in a rickshaw and mother would rush out to pay the fare for her. When she was ready to go home, mother would go out to call a rickshaw, bargained with the rickshaw puller until they agreed on the fare. Poor as she was my mother would always insist on paying the fares. She was really filial.
When the Malay satay man came round, mother would stop him and we would sit around his stall to eat satay. We would always be warned beforehand, we were allowed only one stick each, no more, only grandma was allowed more. Looking back now we know the reason – mother had a hard time trying to make ends meet and really could not afford the luxury of eating satay. So we were primed before hand to say, “No, I’m full and don’t need anymore.” We were such obedient children we just obeyed instructions. We all knew the consequences of disobedience once Grandma left us.
The satay man always had two pots of gravy – one chilly hot the other somewhat milder. Everyone would dip into one of the pots of satay gravy! No one was concerned about hygiene in those days! One stick of satay but we were allowed to dip as many times as we wished and I made sure I made the maximum number of dips, just to enjoy the gravy!
In 1945, Grandma died just before Singapore was liberated. On her tombstone I saw her name for the first time. I didn’t know she was called Cecilia Koh – a name given by the priest at her baptism. We always called her “Ah Ma” meaning grandma.
Meeting old friends
We've been privileged or should I say blessed in that in the course of our ministry we have met and worked with so many people in different countries. They have really enriched our lives. Our last four years were spent in the United Kingdom, although our work entailed travelling quite a good bit to our part of the world - South Pacific and East Asia. So we got the best of both worlds!
Among the many friends we met were Lieut. Colonels David and Grace Napier. When they were the Army leaders in Scotland, they invited us to lead the Scottish Congress. What a lovely time we had with them and the people of Scotland.
What a joy it was to see them again and we had lunch together. They were on holidays here staying with Colonels Keith and Beryl Burridge. The couple of hours spent at the Restaurant and later at our home passed very quickly. Thank God for friends He has brought into our lives.
"Good friendships are not measured by the frequency of phone calls, or letters, or visits.. the best friendships are recognised by the quality of time and feelings shared." Lynn Gerard.
Among the many friends we met were Lieut. Colonels David and Grace Napier. When they were the Army leaders in Scotland, they invited us to lead the Scottish Congress. What a lovely time we had with them and the people of Scotland.
What a joy it was to see them again and we had lunch together. They were on holidays here staying with Colonels Keith and Beryl Burridge. The couple of hours spent at the Restaurant and later at our home passed very quickly. Thank God for friends He has brought into our lives.
"Good friendships are not measured by the frequency of phone calls, or letters, or visits.. the best friendships are recognised by the quality of time and feelings shared." Lynn Gerard.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Remembrances
Today is Remembrance Day - the anniversary of the end of the First World War in 1918.
Traditionally it is observed with with two minute silence at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
We don't seem to observe this in our Salvation Army Corps (church), but I recall doing this in England. In 1996 on Remembrance Sunday we were at Sunderland Monkwearmouth Corps. The Corps Officers (pastors) Majors Maurice and Lynda Hunt requested that I include this. It was a beautiful ceremony held just before the commencement of the Holiness meeting.
The writer of Words of Life gave an interesting comment on the subtle difference between "remembering" and "not forgetting." Major Evelyn Merriam adds "Not forgetting implies always keeping the person or thing in mind. Remembering speaks of of being mindful again, of someone or something that may have slipped our minds. It may take another's prompting. If we need memory prompts to remind us of ordinary things, how much more essential it is of eternal things."
We were at Peacehaven to conduct Chapel services. We also visited Hope Centre where we spent some time chatting with those who have some difficulty in remembering things. They love to tell us about their past but have difficulty remembering more recent events. So we learn to listen to their stories perhaps more than once! Come to think of it, I too have come to the age when I tend to do the same thing - telling the same old story! I remember lots of things, but I've also forgotten much!
We sing one of our old songs, "Tell me the same old story, for I forget so soon. The early dew of morning has passed away at noon." Sing that to the elderly please!
Traditionally it is observed with with two minute silence at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
We don't seem to observe this in our Salvation Army Corps (church), but I recall doing this in England. In 1996 on Remembrance Sunday we were at Sunderland Monkwearmouth Corps. The Corps Officers (pastors) Majors Maurice and Lynda Hunt requested that I include this. It was a beautiful ceremony held just before the commencement of the Holiness meeting.
The writer of Words of Life gave an interesting comment on the subtle difference between "remembering" and "not forgetting." Major Evelyn Merriam adds "Not forgetting implies always keeping the person or thing in mind. Remembering speaks of of being mindful again, of someone or something that may have slipped our minds. It may take another's prompting. If we need memory prompts to remind us of ordinary things, how much more essential it is of eternal things."
We were at Peacehaven to conduct Chapel services. We also visited Hope Centre where we spent some time chatting with those who have some difficulty in remembering things. They love to tell us about their past but have difficulty remembering more recent events. So we learn to listen to their stories perhaps more than once! Come to think of it, I too have come to the age when I tend to do the same thing - telling the same old story! I remember lots of things, but I've also forgotten much!
We sing one of our old songs, "Tell me the same old story, for I forget so soon. The early dew of morning has passed away at noon." Sing that to the elderly please!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Time for worship
Mrs. Lim Li-ching has been a great help to me in leading the Adult Bible class. When we are away she always takes the class. I let her choose her own subject. She has been doing parables in the New Testament and now she is going through a series of parables of the Old Testament.
Last Sunday when we were away at Central Corps, she did Nathan's parable of the ewe lamb. This story was intended as a scorching condemnation of King David who had committed the sin of adultery with Bathsheba.
Today she did the parable of the Two Sons as recorded in 2 Samuel 14: 1-24. It was not an easy lesson to teach, but she skilfully presented it to the group. This led to a lot of discussion which profited all us who were present. Our only regret - the one hour was not sufficient, but we had to leave the hall to the young people for Sunday School.
In the absence of Major Ruth Pascoe my wife and I conducted the Holiness meeting.She will be back next week. We always count it a privilege to be able to contribute our share to the Corps (church.)
It's always a joy to spend time at the church on Sunday. We thank God we have this freedom of worship.
"Worship reminds us of whom we are and whom we serve. In worship we refer our lives to God. Worship reminds us that God's thoughts and ways are not ours. It does not take God for granted, but draws us to Him with a sort of humble confidence. It is a confrontation with God apart from which we are not truly able to confront the world."
Wilbur C Lunn
Last Sunday when we were away at Central Corps, she did Nathan's parable of the ewe lamb. This story was intended as a scorching condemnation of King David who had committed the sin of adultery with Bathsheba.
Today she did the parable of the Two Sons as recorded in 2 Samuel 14: 1-24. It was not an easy lesson to teach, but she skilfully presented it to the group. This led to a lot of discussion which profited all us who were present. Our only regret - the one hour was not sufficient, but we had to leave the hall to the young people for Sunday School.
In the absence of Major Ruth Pascoe my wife and I conducted the Holiness meeting.She will be back next week. We always count it a privilege to be able to contribute our share to the Corps (church.)
It's always a joy to spend time at the church on Sunday. We thank God we have this freedom of worship.
"Worship reminds us of whom we are and whom we serve. In worship we refer our lives to God. Worship reminds us that God's thoughts and ways are not ours. It does not take God for granted, but draws us to Him with a sort of humble confidence. It is a confrontation with God apart from which we are not truly able to confront the world."
Wilbur C Lunn
Friday, November 6, 2009
Different translations and paraphrases
I grew up with the King James or Authorised version of the Bible. Today we have so many translations and it is interesting to compare the text in the different versions.
Take for example Luke 17: 10 "We are unprofitable servants."
NIV "We are unworthy servants."
The KJV use of the word 'unprofitable' does not give the right meaning. The text does not tell us that the fulfilment of one's duty is worthless. Neither does it tell us that the disciples were lazy or unreliable. The word 'unworthy' does express a measure of 'modesty' or 'humility.' We always need to read the verse in its context.
We are but clay in the Master's hand, or a simple tool He uses. We are really 'unworthy', but not 'unprofitable.'
Take for example Luke 17: 10 "We are unprofitable servants."
NIV "We are unworthy servants."
The KJV use of the word 'unprofitable' does not give the right meaning. The text does not tell us that the fulfilment of one's duty is worthless. Neither does it tell us that the disciples were lazy or unreliable. The word 'unworthy' does express a measure of 'modesty' or 'humility.' We always need to read the verse in its context.
We are but clay in the Master's hand, or a simple tool He uses. We are really 'unworthy', but not 'unprofitable.'
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Strong winds and typhoons
I watched from my balcony yesterday, the swaying trees in the park. There were strong winds and heavy rain. This was nothing compared with what we went through in Hong Kong and particularly Philippines during typhoon season.
I got back to my lounge, turned on the television and saw pictures of the typhoon that struck the Philippines - it was the fourth typhoon in a month. After spending slightly more than three years, 1990-1993 in the Philippines my wife and I understand the trauma the people are going through now. It was terrible, the gale force winds that shook the trees, snapped the branches, uprooted trees - only the very strong trees with deep roots withstood the force of the winds.
Houses collapsed, terrible landslides, torrential rains brought floods and many perished.
In 1983, the first year we were in Hong Kong, we experienced the first time a terrible typhoon - the worst in 50 years! Typhoon Ellen wrought havoc in Hong Kong. In our compound the trees were uprooted, electricity supply cut off, water pipes burst - we were without water or electricity for days. In trying to clear the mess later, I fell, badly injured and had to be hospitalised.
God works in a wonderful way always. I recall when I came out of hospital, our good friends, Jim and Marjorie Webb came to visit and stay with us for a whole week. You know, my left hand was in a plaster and Jim became my chauffeur for the whole week. God worked a miracle that the Webbs should come at that particular time of need. And Majorie helped in the housework, washing dishes etc. Before they left, Jim bought us an electric polisher. And they had planned their holiday with us long before the typhoon struck! Isn't God's timing great?
In life we face all kinds of disasters, some can be very overwhelming, but we remember our God is great, good and gracious. "I'm in His hands, whate'er the future holds, I'm in His hands."
I got back to my lounge, turned on the television and saw pictures of the typhoon that struck the Philippines - it was the fourth typhoon in a month. After spending slightly more than three years, 1990-1993 in the Philippines my wife and I understand the trauma the people are going through now. It was terrible, the gale force winds that shook the trees, snapped the branches, uprooted trees - only the very strong trees with deep roots withstood the force of the winds.
Houses collapsed, terrible landslides, torrential rains brought floods and many perished.
In 1983, the first year we were in Hong Kong, we experienced the first time a terrible typhoon - the worst in 50 years! Typhoon Ellen wrought havoc in Hong Kong. In our compound the trees were uprooted, electricity supply cut off, water pipes burst - we were without water or electricity for days. In trying to clear the mess later, I fell, badly injured and had to be hospitalised.
God works in a wonderful way always. I recall when I came out of hospital, our good friends, Jim and Marjorie Webb came to visit and stay with us for a whole week. You know, my left hand was in a plaster and Jim became my chauffeur for the whole week. God worked a miracle that the Webbs should come at that particular time of need. And Majorie helped in the housework, washing dishes etc. Before they left, Jim bought us an electric polisher. And they had planned their holiday with us long before the typhoon struck! Isn't God's timing great?
In life we face all kinds of disasters, some can be very overwhelming, but we remember our God is great, good and gracious. "I'm in His hands, whate'er the future holds, I'm in His hands."
Monday, November 2, 2009
Self Denial Altar Service at Central Corps
My wife and I had the privilege of ministering at Central Corps. We were there on Sunday 1st November to conduct the Self Denial Altar Service.
The attendance was very good and the congregation very responsive. The whole Sunday School joined us in worship, so it was a Family Service. The YPSM Richard Chai and the teachers sat with the children who behaved very well. There was no running around or fidgeting, in fact they sat and participated in the whole service. Quite a number of parents of the children joined us in worship. Most of the children come from the neighbourhood, the rest were children of our own members. Central has a good Sunday School.
It was good to have the Youth participating in the worship team and the band and they all did well. You can tell they were very well prepared. And of course we were proud to see our own two grandchildren - David and Rachel taking such an active part in worship. In fact David read the Scriptures and Rachel played the piano for the song during the Self Denial offering. Both are undergraduates at the National University of Singapore. We thank God for their active involvement in The Salvation Army.
After the meeting Corps Sergeant Major Peter Tan and family hosted us to lunch at a Peranakan Restaurant. We had a great time of fellowship. We came home feeling good and thank God for another wonderful and blessed day at the Army.
It's always a joy to visit this Corps and we look forward to our next visit on 21st February 2010. Central Corps has a special place in our hearts.
The attendance was very good and the congregation very responsive. The whole Sunday School joined us in worship, so it was a Family Service. The YPSM Richard Chai and the teachers sat with the children who behaved very well. There was no running around or fidgeting, in fact they sat and participated in the whole service. Quite a number of parents of the children joined us in worship. Most of the children come from the neighbourhood, the rest were children of our own members. Central has a good Sunday School.
It was good to have the Youth participating in the worship team and the band and they all did well. You can tell they were very well prepared. And of course we were proud to see our own two grandchildren - David and Rachel taking such an active part in worship. In fact David read the Scriptures and Rachel played the piano for the song during the Self Denial offering. Both are undergraduates at the National University of Singapore. We thank God for their active involvement in The Salvation Army.
After the meeting Corps Sergeant Major Peter Tan and family hosted us to lunch at a Peranakan Restaurant. We had a great time of fellowship. We came home feeling good and thank God for another wonderful and blessed day at the Army.
It's always a joy to visit this Corps and we look forward to our next visit on 21st February 2010. Central Corps has a special place in our hearts.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Wake service
On Friday evening we attended the wake of Terence Tan's father. We held a service at the HDB Void Deck. It was a testimony of our Christian love to Terence and Sze Hian and the family.
In times like this every bereaved family of the deceased needs comfort. And we the church must be ready to give it. I'm glad most of the Corps Council members took time to be present at the wake, in fact we had about 30 of our people present. Some came straight from their work place, students rushed to the wake straight from school or college. Lieut. Colonel Prema Rajan and the cadets from the Training College also supported us. In fact the cadets rushed straight from the City where they were selling the War Cry to attend the wake.
Major Ruth Pascoe is on furlough in New Zealand hence I was asked to conduct the service.
In today's busy world, many people tend to give token respect to those who are sorrowing, perhaps by just sending a card, or even to ignore them altogether. People seem unable to find time to 'weep with those who weep.' So I am pleased with our brothers and sisters in Christ who took time to be with the family during this time of need. The ministry of comfort is important to the local church. It forms a vital part of our ministry.
Cards and flowers are good and can be meaningful to those who are bereaved, but sorrowing hearts appreciate even more the presence of friends. Jesus set the perfect example. When Lazarus died, He did more than send a message. He travelled all the way to Bethany, stood by the grave and wept.
My wife and I regret we could not attend the funeral on Sunday morning as we were already committed to conducting the service at the Singapore Central Corps.
In times like this every bereaved family of the deceased needs comfort. And we the church must be ready to give it. I'm glad most of the Corps Council members took time to be present at the wake, in fact we had about 30 of our people present. Some came straight from their work place, students rushed to the wake straight from school or college. Lieut. Colonel Prema Rajan and the cadets from the Training College also supported us. In fact the cadets rushed straight from the City where they were selling the War Cry to attend the wake.
Major Ruth Pascoe is on furlough in New Zealand hence I was asked to conduct the service.
In today's busy world, many people tend to give token respect to those who are sorrowing, perhaps by just sending a card, or even to ignore them altogether. People seem unable to find time to 'weep with those who weep.' So I am pleased with our brothers and sisters in Christ who took time to be with the family during this time of need. The ministry of comfort is important to the local church. It forms a vital part of our ministry.
Cards and flowers are good and can be meaningful to those who are bereaved, but sorrowing hearts appreciate even more the presence of friends. Jesus set the perfect example. When Lazarus died, He did more than send a message. He travelled all the way to Bethany, stood by the grave and wept.
My wife and I regret we could not attend the funeral on Sunday morning as we were already committed to conducting the service at the Singapore Central Corps.
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