57 – God’s provision for Dora Poh Chin
Prior to our departure from Singapore to Hong Kong, we made enquiries from Major Moira Wright, the General Secretary of Hong Kong/Taiwan Command, concerning facilities for our special 14 year old daughter Poh Chin. Her story is told in a chapter in this blog on 4th July 2009 under the caption “Dora Poh Chin”
Major Wright got in touch with a lovely Christian lady, Miss Wendy Blackmur, who with her friend Valerie Cordibear had opened the Home of Loving Faithfulness catering for mentally handicapped children. Wendy felt that Poh Chin could fit into the Home beautifully and was confident that admission would not be a problem.
However, things did not work out as we had planned. Other members of the committee raised objections. They reasoned that The Salvation Army runs its own Home for the Handicapped at Lai King and should take responsibility.
However, the superintendent of the Army’s Home, Major Charles Strickland was of the opinion that Poh Chin was too severely handicapped to fit into its programme. As this involved my own daughter, I did not press the issue, but left everything with the Lord. Surely God, who had appointed us to Hong Kong, would provide the solution to the problem. We always believe “Christ is the answer to our every need.”
When my wife had to be in office, we would leave her at the Army’s Kwai Chung Girls’ Home for the day. Major Joan Henderson was willing to let her staff and girls look after Poh Chin. This temporary arrangement suited us fine for the time being.
Some Advisory Board members came to know about our situation and unbeknown to us contributed and set up an account to pay for a worker to care for Poh Chin during week days. So a lady was employed to look after Poh chin at home while my wife was at office. During the weekend when we had to go round to the various centres to conduct meetings, we would leave Poh Chin at the Girls’ Home.
Plans had already been made for us to visit Taiwan, part of the Command. Wendy Blackmur kindly took leave and had Poh Chin with her for the duration of our welcome visit to the Taiwan Division
We continued to pray and search for a solution, believing that the Lord would show us the way. One day we were informed that there was a Day Care Centre for the mentally handicapped in Kowloon that we could apply for Poh Chin to be admitted. We prayed and then sent in the application. Soon afterwards we received a visit from the Social worker to our home and before long Poh Chin was accepted to this Day Care Centre where she remained throughout the duration of our appointment in Hong Kong.
Every morning on our way to office, we dropped Poh Chin at the Centre. Then at 4.00 p.m a bus from the Rehab Association would pick her up and take her to the Army’s Lai King Home. We then picked her up on our way home from office. It was Victoria Kwok one of the Army’s social workers who made the contact and arrangements on our behalf.
By this time Captain Keith Cheng was appointed the superintendent of the Lai King Home as well as the Social Services Secretary. He and his wife Mary were very supportive. They arranged for the staff of the Lai King Home to look after Poh Chin every Sunday when we went round to the various centres to conduct meetings. The same arrangements were made available to us when we visited Taiwan and on overseas engagements.
We thank God for His provision. In a wonderful way, He sent us friends who went the extra mile to be helpful – good friends among the Advisory Board members, our own officers, staff and Salvationists. When we do God’s will, we need never fear the lack resources. The Lord certainly provides.
No comments:
Post a Comment