This is my story - 38

38 – Happy Family at Central Corps

I arrived in Singapore at 7.45 p.m. on 27th January 1970. How wonderful for the family to be reunited after a month’s separation. My wife who had returned to Singapore earlier had already found places for our two children – Gladys at Singapore Chinese Girls’ School at Emerald Hill Road and Stephen at Anglo Chinese School popularly known as ACS at Coleman Street. We were pleased and gave thanks to God for His wonderful leadings through the years. It was a real miracle that Stephen could get into ACS and into Primary 2 at that! An Indian boy had just left the school to return to India, thus leaving a vacancy in Primary 2 when we made application. God’s timing is always perfect.

I walked upstairs into this spacious quarters behind the Corps hall and noticed the boxes containing our personal belongings had all already arrived from Ipoh. In those days we all had to find our own crates or boxes and do our own packing. No such thing as calling in the packers like they do today! My elder brother who dealt in refrigerators got us an old fridge and charged us $30.00 just to cover the cost of transportation. In those days refrigerators were not provided for officers.

We were warmly welcomed into the Central Corps on Sunday 1st February 1970. I stood up to give my first message and there in the congregation were the Officer Commanding and his wife, Lieut. Colonels George and Florence Engel, the General Secretary Lieut. Colonel Thelma Watson and other Headquarters officers. In those days there was no such ritual as installation and we were welcomed by the Corps Treasurer Major Ng Fook Kum a very saintly man who had great influence in the Corps.

We had two adult meetings on a Sunday – Holiness meeting at 10.00 a.m. and Salvation meeting at 6.00 p.m. My wife and I took turns to lead and give the Bible messages in these meetings. Home children and their superintendents worshipped with us on Sunday evening as they had their own Sunday Schools in the mornings in the Homes. Brigadier B. Tjeertes and some of the residents of the Home for the Aged attended the Holiness meeting. During this meeting, whoever was preaching the sermon would give a summary of the message in Chinese as well for the sake of those who did not understand English.

Our Sunday School was held at 3.00 p.m and comprised mainly of children from the neighbourhood. These children are now in their middle age and are still worshipping with their families at Central Corps e.g. James Tian Toh Kian, Thang Teck Huat, Thang Hock Huat and their families. My wife’s sister Mrs. Goh or Angela as she is generally known brought their family to join the Corps. They lived at Cairnhill Circle not too far from the Army. They had been attending Bethesda Church at Bras Basah Road, but it was more convenient for them to come to the Army instead and as an added bonus the two families could meet every week. Later the cousins formed a singing group called “kinsfolk” which occasionally participated in meetings and concerts.

After Sunday School the children would come upstairs to our quarters for high tea before attending the Salvation meeting at 6.00 p.m. So Sunday was the gathering of the two families for fellowship.

Every Sunday evening we had an open air meeting at Killiney Road or Tiverton Lane. The band was always on duty at every open air meeting. Corps Cadets always joined us and they all participated in giving testimonies and reciting Bible verses.