Encouraged and blessed

What a great day we had last Friday and I am still thanking and praising the Lord for what my wife and I witnessed.

We had our usual Friday cell group meeting, but concluded the session a little earlier. At 11.30 a.m Captain Hary was here to take the group, eight of us to Kallang Bahru Centre. Lunch was all ready for us and we enjoyed lovely chicken rice upstairs.

I hold precious memories of this shop house. It was about 1975 when I as the General Secretary of the then Singapore/Malaysia Command, went to see some high ranking official at the National Council of Social Services at Penang Road and got the Council's support in obtaining special concession rent for this place from the Housing Board.

The Tamil Corps was held in the home of a Mrs. Samuel nearby at Kolom Ayer. The flats for PWD labourers in this area was about to be demolished, hence my search for a new location. The Officer Commanding at that time, Lieut. Colonel James Sloan and I discussed the matter of relocation and we came to the decision to rename the Corps to Kallang Baru Corps dropping the word 'Tamil.' So we started meetings in English in addition to Tamil. This attracted the non-Tamils to our meetings and we had a flourishing Corps with lots of activities during the week, like Joy Hour, Women's meetings, Youth meeting etc.

So it was a great joy for me to revisit this old estate. In recent years, activities were scaled down, but since Captain Hary took over, he saw the need in the area. He and his team of workers visited the people and today this place is used to the maximum, like tuition class, youth and yesterday we had a Chinese evangelistic meeting and fellowship. I gave the message in Hokkien.

Brothers Alvin and Tommy both were enrolled recently as soldiers of Balestier Corps. They led the meeting. They were contacted during the Captain's time. They are very enthusiastic and hope to commence Chinese meetings in Balestier to cater for the people in Whanpoa and Kim Keat Road area.

This and the Youth Centre a short distance away provide services for children, youth and the elderly.
Kallang Baru is a hive of activity, thanks to Captain Hary's vision, prayer, hard work plus the support of the Balestier comrades. To God be the glory.