29 – Penang Boys’ Home and Primary School.
We travelled by boat from Kuching to Singapore, then by train from Singapore to Butterworth and finally crossed from the mainland to Penang Island by ferry. Major Ivy Wilson, the Corps Officer was at the station to meet and take us to the Boys’ Home at Sungei Pinang off Jelutong Road. In the same compound was the Army’s Primary School which catered for the overage children from the Home as well as outsiders. This Home was started by Mrs. Major Connie Page, wife of the Superintendent of the Boys’ Home.
Well, both of us have never been trained as teachers, so first we had to register with the Malayan Education Department. We did not encounter any difficulty and I was gazetted as the Headmaster. My wife and I had to teach as we did not have enough teachers.
In the same compound was a chicken farm the purpose was to raise funds for the upkeep of the Home of 50 boys. All the boys had their work section and some boys were tasked to look after chickens, collect the eggs and clean the cages. We supplied eggs to the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital and others. I knew nothing about keeping chickens so had to spend a lot of time learning my trade. By the time we farewelled from the Home, I had become quite an expert in performing fowl deeds! I believe it is important whatever task one is given to put one’s whole heart and soul into it. We do everything for the Lord and His glory.
We had a senior housemaster – Cheong Meng Cheong a very loyal, capable worker and handyman. He had been in the Home for many years. His assistant Ong Chin helped him with the driving. There was a cook and another worker. Yes, four on the staff plus the two of us. Once a week I would help with the delivery of eggs to our customers. At the same time, I would take my wife to the Home League at the Corps and on the way pick up a few Home Leaguers. After the delivery I would pick the ladies up from the Corps to send them home.
One of the live-in staff was a widow Madam Loh Ah Kew whose job was to see to the smaller boys. The Army provided her a room where she and her daughter Poh Choo stayed. She was very hardworking lady. On the evenings when both of us had to go out, she would come to the quarters with her daughter to look after our two children. She was particularly helpful during the time when my wife attended the The Army’s centenary Congress in London. She still keeps in touch with us.
I was the Bandmaster and Songster Leader of Penang Corps. Major Ivy Wilson the Corps officer (pastor) had Lieutenant Florence Ee as her assistant. Later Florence was transferred to Batang Melaka where she was promoted to Glory at the age of twenty six. She was an excellent officer, totally dedicated to God and ministry in the Salvation Army.
Lieutenant Esther Rengasamy after her commissioning in New Zealand was appointed to assist Major Wilson. While stationed in Penang, she met Stephen Rengasamy and brought him to the Army. He became a Salvationist, entered our Training College and later married Esther. Both of them are now retired.
Once a week, on her day off, Major Wilson would take our children out to the swimming pool in Tanjong Bungah.
We took an active part in the Corps and did meetings once a month. We would take our boys to the Corps Directory Class on Sunday morning, and then stayed for the Holiness meeting. In the evening we attended the open air meeting at Dato Keramat Park. We then joined in the march led by the band to the Corps for the evening meeting. We did this every Sunday except when it rained.
My wife was commissioned as the Home League Secretary. It was during this time that we had the mothers of two of our young people Tan Thean Seng and Pat Loo (now Lieut. Colonels working in Singapore) started coming to the Home League. Among the converts was one called Mooi Ah Ngan a mother of one of our boys from the Home. That year for Self Denial, she volunteered to go without meat for a whole month. What she had saved she added to her gift for Self Denial Fund. We were very touched with such commitment from a new Christian. I believe she still attends the Corps meeting today.
In the Corps there was a British couple, very faithful Salvationists – Joe and Pam Wilkinson. Joe stammered a lot but sang very well. Often he would get up during testimony time to sing his testimony. The couple would be in every meeting, both of them sang in the Songsters and he played the percussion in our band. Once a week I would drive to their house with eggs and they would sell them to the servicemen and their families in the base.
M wife came home from London after the centenary meetings with a whole group of Salvationists on the SS Chusan which called at Penang. Among the group was a couple, Lieut. Colonel and Mrs. Fred Searle. The Colonel after touring the Home turned to me and asked “What can we do for the Home?” Well, our refrigerator was a rented one, so I told him we could do with a refrigerator.
They got back to New Zealand and sent out an appeal. Within a short time, he was able to send us the bank draft for the whole amount. The first donor gave a few dollars and the second donor donated the rest. Thank God for the internationalism of the Salvation Army. There is only one Army working in many countries!
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