This is my story - 21

21 – Husband and wife Team ministry

After our honeymoon in Malaya we returned to Singapore. When we disembarked from the train at Tanjong Pagar Station we were pleasantly surprised to be met by Major Arthur Hall, our Divisional Officer. He and his wife had been our Corps and training officers and had much to do with us. They were a very godly couple who gave of themselves for the people they came to serve.

We wasted no time to get to work at Balestier. Mrs. Ong called the folk together and gave strict instructions to address my wife as Mrs. Lieutenant Lim. There were two other Mrs. Lim at the church – Mrs. Norman Lim and Mrs. Irene Lim.

I was very happy to hand over the responsibility of running the Home League to my wife. It had not been easy for a man to run this programme specifically catering for the women.

In those days the only vehicle provided in every Corps (church) was a bicycle. All Corps officers took public transport, walked or cycled to do their rounds of pastoral visitation. It was clearly stated in the Orders and Regulations for Corps Officers –a minimum of eighteen hours per week. Each Corps kept a red visitation book with the names of all members and friends of the Corps. We had to record the dates our people were visited.

When I went out alone I would ride the bicycle, but when we travelled together, we walked or travelled by bus. Often we would do our pastoral visitation together.

Major Thelma Watson the Social Secretary quite often would ask my wife to help with the translation as majority of the clients who came to see her could not speak English. Headquarters then decided that my wife be asked to work three mornings a week at the Social office and Balestier Corps be given an additional grant for her services. We were pleased as this brought the Corps nearer to self support, a subject quite often emphasised.

We were kept busy not only with the Corps programme, but also with fund raising for our new building. We held jumble sales and Food and Fun Fairs etc every now and again to raise funds for our new building. The whole Corps co-operated very well.

Every Saturday evening the songsters would come to our quarters for Songsters’ practice, after which we would all join the Central Corps folk and all officers for the Combined Open air meeting at Orchard Circus. Every Thursday evening there was the United Holiness meeting. Balestier Songsters would take their turn to sing at this combined meeting.

At Corps level we both shared the platform. Always one would lead the meeting the other would give the message. Usually once a month we would have visiting speakers from Headquarters or one of the Homes. For music we had the band and I used the concertina for choruses and some of the songs. There was no piano at the Corps at that time.

We had excellent local officers – Mrs. Ong Kay Sung – Corps Treasurer was the leading local and matriarch of the Corps. John Ooi the Corps Secretary was my right hand man and would do anything for the Lord in the Corps. He was in every meeting and practice. During the week he worked in the Finance Department at Command Headquarters – the only employee in that department. The Finance Officer was an officer. I commissioned Jimmy Lim as the Singing Company Leader. Frankie Ng was the leader of the Torchbearer Youth Group.

One of the unique features of the Corps was the Chinese New Year Eve Watchnight Service. The comrades would gather in the evening to have a service of thanksgiving at the Corps after their reunion dinner in their own homes. The officers and comrades of Central Corps would come and join us for this service. Most of the folk lived in the neighbourhood, so it was easy for them to get together for activities.

We enjoyed our Corps work and found much joy and fulfilment ministering to the folk. We had expected to see to the building of the new hall and quarters, but we received farewell and marching orders to take charge of Penang Corps.