Amazing Race - Peacehaven

My wife and I always enjoy our visit to Peacehaven every Tuesday. We always receive a warm welcome and the time just passes very quickly each week. Of course, we visit our daughter Dora Poh Chin who is a resident in the Home where she receives tender loving care given by the staff and nurses.

Yesterday, we were there in the afternoon. Major Norina Staples, retired officer from England is visiting Singapore. She first came to Malaya in 1955 and spent 34 years in our territory.

We took her to visit the residents - she knows our daughter and two others - a blind lady by the name of Choi Ngan who used to be a girl in our Girls' Home at Pasir Panjang. What a joyful reunion!

Then we went to Hope Centre and she saw Chan Chin Chai who had been a cadet in training with us at the Salvation Army Training College in 1954. She was one of the two bridesmaids at our wedding on 7th June 1958! After serving for nearly five years she resigned from officership. We lost contact with her for many years until she was brought to the Home. Sadly, she is suffering from dementia and does not even recognize us now.

The staff were having fun at the same time learning how to cope in the event of an emergency in the Nursing Home. This was the follow up of Safety Week at the Home. What a joy to watch them in their game - Amazing Race. Staff and nurses let their hair down and had a great time!

Peacehaven Nursing Home is the biggest Nursing Home in Singapore - about 400 residents. Our Executive Director Madam Low Mui Lan is doing a tremendous work. She is also the Corps Sergeant Major and have tremendous influence in the Corps (church) We love her evangelical spirit and enthusiasm and certainly her love for the staff and residents are clearly evident.

We came away, thanking and praising God for allowing the Army to engage in such a ministry. We thank Him for allowing us to be part of this Home as volunteers. We conduct chapel services and spend time every week ministering to the residents and staff. There's joy in following Jesus everyday and all the way.

We are in the Amazing Race set by the Lord of Amazing Grace. And we are enjoying every moment of our active retirement.

"Life is a song when you walk with Jesus,
Talk with Jesus, work for Jesus;
Life is a song when you live for Jesus
And your heart's in tune with Him." (Thomas M Jones)

This is my story - 33

33 - Dr. Grady Wilson Campaign in Kuala Lumpur

In every country The Salvation Army is at work, it is a member of the national council of churches. We work together with members of other churches for the sake of God’s Kingdom.

On 9th January 1948 the Malayan Christian Council was inaugurated under the leadership of Bishop John Leonard Wilson of the Anglican Church. Bishop Hobart B Amstutz of the Methodist church was the Acting General Secretary. The Salvation Army was one of the founding members of the Malayan Christian Council of Churches (or MCC) which covered the churches of Malaya and Singapore.

When the nation of Malaysia was formed in 1963, comprising Singapore, British North Borneo (now Sabah), Sarawak and Malaya, the Council retained its original name. In 1967 the name was changed to Council of Churches of Malaysia and Singapore – CCMS. Later, the Council in recognition that Singapore and Malaysia were now two separate independent countries voted for the separation into two national councils - the current Council of Churches of Malaysia and the National Council of Churches of Singapore.

Many other churches, like the Anglicans, Methodists and Baptists followed suit and separated into different entities. Even para-churches and organizations split. But the Army chose to remain as the Singapore/Malaysia Command. (Later we added on Myanmar). I sometimes wonder what the Army would be like today if we had split into two separate commands - the Singapore Command and Malaysia Command.

As Corps Officer I attended the Council meetings. When we were in Penang, I served for a term as the Chairman of the Penang CCMS. When we were appointed to pioneer the work of the Army in Kuala Lumpur, I represented the Army at the Selangor Council and met up with a number of my old friends from other churches. During our second year in Kuala Lumpur I was elected as the chairman of the Selangor Council of CCMS.

The church leaders in Kuala Lumpur came up with the idea of inviting Dr. Billy Graham to Kuala Lumpur. The Billy Graham Association only considers an invitation if the majority of churches in an area are in favour of having an evangelistic campaign. The National Council has to be involved. So a group of ministers and lay people comprising members as well as non-members of the CCMS, met and formed a “Billy Graham Campaign committee” Dr. Billy Graham could not come so the association suggested Dr. Grady Wilson as the evangelist. Thus the “Dr. Grady Wilson Campaign” Committee was formed and I was elected the vice-chairman.

This put the Army on the map for I went everywhere in my uniform. It involved visits to other churches to conduct prayer meetings and seminars related to the Campaign. In fact the following year my wife was invited to be the main speaker at the Cathedral for the World Day of Prayer. My only regret, we did not have sufficient members to take part in the choir and counselling.

The day came and big crowds filled the national stadium. Thousands responded to the appeal to make decisions for Christ. Not many were referred to the Army as many of the people were not aware we are a church. Most of those who made decisions opted to join the churches that brought them to the meetings.

The Army being so new and the Corps still very small, we just did not have the manpower to form a good and effective team to support the campaign and do the follow-up work. My wife and I practically had to work on our own. We had no transport provided, not even a bicycle and much time was spent in waiting for buses to do our visitation.

I must admit my disappointment that after all our hard work, we did not reap the harvest we had anticipated. The handful that came to the Army did not stay long as they could not agree with the Army’s stand on the sacraments. It is our belief that salvation and continual spiritual growth do not depend on rituals, but on our obedience to the Lord and His Word and the Divine grace.

Well, everything we do, we do it for God’s glory. I personally learned a lot from the pastors and ministers of other denominations. No amount of learning is ever wasted. As an officer it has always been my policy in keeping with Army rules and regulations, to be friendly and co-operate with the members of other churches, but my work for the Army must take priority. I have always kept my leaders informed of happenings.

So after the euphoria of the big campaign we were back to our Corps work – visiting the folk in their homes, sharing the word and caring for those placed under our care. Nothing can take the place of pastoral visitation. Yes, my wife and I belonged to the Shepherds Session of Cadets. We were and in retirement still are shepherds of God’s flock. We thank God for calling us to this wonderful ministry. My wife and I have no regrets we answered the call on the same night in 1949 at Youth Councils in Singapore.

Let me end this chapter with a lighter note. On the last evening of the Grady Wilson Campaign, the Evangelist said, “My dear friends, it has been a wonderful week. Thank you very much. Now I will not say Good bye to you.”

The Chinese interpreter translated “I will not say ‘zaijian’ to you.” (‘zaijian’ means literally ‘meet again.’

Dr. Grady Wilson: “However, I want to say, “We’ll meet again.” The interpreter was stumped! The audience burst into laughter.

Welcome to new TC - Colonel Gillian Downer

We went with the cadets and Lieut. Colonel Prema Rajan to the airport to welcome our new Territorial Commander.

My wife and I welcomed her the first time to the Philippines in 1992. She was then Captain Gillian Downer and we appointed her as the Social Services Secretary. She did well and was well loved by the comrades in the Philippines. She was hands on person and personally supervised relief operations all over the territory.

Then on 1st November 2000,(we were retired by then)we joined our comrades to welcome her to the Command as the General Secretary.

What a joy it was for us to welcome her yesterday as our Territorial Commander. She assumes responsibility on 1st July.

She has a challenging task ahead of her and we all need to pray for her that the Lord will grant her wisdom, grace and strength. We know she will continue with the good work left by Colonels Keith and Beryl Burridge.

Major Norina Staples

Today Lieut. Colonels Tan invited us and Lieut. Colonel Prema out to lunch. This was to welcome Major Norina Staples who is visiting Singapore. The Major's first appointment was to Batang Melaka to pioneer the work in 1955. I was a young Lieutenant stationed in Malacca and was tasked to prepare the quarters for her and her colleague, Lieutenant Irene Holden.

I recall going out with a young lad, Ng Kim Loh of Malacca Corps to clean and paint the place ourselves. I then bought some 'furniture' - two folding camp beds, some sheets, and two buckets. Old crockery, pots and pans came from the Headquarters' store room! The room was too small to put two beds. For the first time, I had to learn from the villagers how to draw water from the well.

Those were the days. Well we talked of told times. The Major is eighty years old, two years my senior.

Hope

Hope, like the gleaming taper's light,
Adorns and cheers our way;
And still, as darker grows the night,
Emits a brighter ray.
Oliver Goldsmith

A memorable Father's Day

What a great day we had! At 8.00 a.m. Lieut. Colonel Tan Thean Seng was here at the Praisehaven compound waiting to take us to his Corps - Bishan Chinese Corps for Father's Day meeting. When we arrived at the Corps, a number of ladies were there busy seeing to the food.

We had a good meeting, led by Joyce Ng, a Salvationist in uniform. She is a nurse by profession. Well, we like her enthusiasm and efficiency. There were about 90 people in the congregation and how well they sang in Chinese. All the songs written in Chinese and han yin pin yin (Romanised Chinese) were flashed on the screen.

All the fathers were invited to the front and given gifts and Lieut.Colonel Patricia Tan prayed for the group.

As usual I had an excellent interpreter in the person of Esther Lee.

After the meeting, we had a lovely lunch provided by the ladies of the Corps. We really enjoyed the lunch and the fellowship.

Lieut. Colonel Tan was very thoughtful and caring and insisted on taken us home. And he did. We were quite prepared to take a taxi back.

We first came to know Lieut. Colonel Tan when he was just a Junior Soldier at Penang Corps when we were appointed as the Corps Officers (1959-62) We watched him grow and progressed. In 1965 when we were appointed to the Penang Boys' Home, he was in secondary school and I was one of these who backed him into training.

Then in 1966, he came to us as a Probationary Lieutenant. He worked very hard in helping to pioneer the work in Kuala Lumpur. In 1970 he succeed us as the superintendent of the Ipoh Boys' Home. We worked together in Headquarters in Singapore, when I was the General Secretary. He became the Public Relations Secretary.

Mrs. Tan, as Pat Loo was one of the Girl Guides when we were Corps Officers in Penang. Then she became a salvationist. When we were stationed at the Penang Boys' Home (1965-66) they were among the group of enthusiastic youth of Penang Corps. What a joy to see them enter training and later got married. Yes, we have had very long association with the couple through the years.

They are doing a wonderful work at the Chinese Corps. We thank God for them and continue to pray for them and their ministry as chaplain to social services and Corps Officer (pastor) of the Chinese Corps.

Visions and Dreams

T E Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) once wrote this:

"All men dream; but not equally.
Those who dream by night in the dusty
recesses of their minds
Awake to find that it was vanity;
But the dreamers of day are dangerous men,
That they may act their dreams with open
eyes to make it possible."

Dream by all means, but don't forget to act on the dreams!

Majors Carol and Roger Horton

Lovely to have fellowship with old friends again on Monday. Majors Roger and Carol Horton came to visit us on Monday and had lunch with us. Roger was the Finance Officer from 1977 to 1980. In those days, the Finance Department had staff of two - The Finance Officer and an assistant! His wife Carol was given no designation, but she helped out here and there - sometimes in her husband's office, other times in the Women's Department, anywhere where she was needed. They were very good supporters of the Central Corps - he in the band and Songsters and she sang in the Songsters. They also took part in Musicals led by Brother Jim Webb. They entered wholeheartedly into the Corps programme.

They had two children - Stewart and Duncan and both attended Monk's Hill Primary School at Clemenceau, a neighbourhood school. In those days expatriate officers attended our local schools and their children were none the worse for it. In fact they interacted very well with our local kids and learned to speak Singlish. The Hortons had no vehicle and the children walked to and from school everyday. Quite often Duncan would accompany me to collect post from the General Post Office Fullerton Building on a Saturday. All the officers living at Clemenceau Avenue took turns to collect mail from the Army's Post Box everyday. There was no Headquarters' driver.

In those days life was much simpler. We had no air conditioning in our offices or quarters. Not even the Officer Commanding at Sunset way had air conditioning. We had no computers, not even electric typewriters. But we were all happy working for the Lord and the Army.

We sat and talked of old times and gave thanks to God. We took them round the Praisehaven building and ended at the Thrift Store to see Audrey or Hong Noi. Thank God for friends. Thank God for our overseas friends, like the Hortons who were willing to come alongside us and lived like us.

Come to think of it our Lord Jesus Christ left His throne above and was born in a manger. He did not claim special privileges - in fact he became a servant, died on the cross, buried in a borrowed tomb.

This is my story - 32

32 – Making contacts in the neighbourhood

As a child of five, my older siblings and I used to watch the Army open air meeting held at Lorong Limau near our home and one day we decided to follow them to the hall at Balestier Road.

In our previous appointments open air meetings were held and the comrades would march back to the hall for the meetings. Things have changed and in Kuala Lumpur in 1966 this was not permitted. There are always ways and means to meet challenges.

During the first week in Kuala Lumpur, I would stand in the hall of the shophouse with the doors wide open and played my concertina or piano accordion. That piano accordion was a special gift from the Lord and I wanted to make good use of it. During our time in Penang Corps, the leader of an orchestra offered Mrs. Major Connie Page the piano accordion. Mrs. Page passed it on to me for she felt I needed it more than she did. I went to the music shop, purchased a tutor and taught myself to play the piano accordion.

Passers by, especially children would stop and watch me play and I had a one man open air meeting daily! The children were invited to Sunday School and they responded. Among the first few were a family of ten siblings from a nearby carpenter’s shop. Then others from the neighbour came to join us and we had a good Sunday School.

It was a new housing estate and there was no market. Soon hawkers came and set up stalls just outside our hall selling fish, pork, vegetables etc. My wife and I were always in uniform and every morning she would go to this open air market to purchase meat, fish or vegetables. We had only a tiny personal refrigerator which could not store much food. The ladies would ask her about her uniform and that gave her the opportunity to tell them about the Army. Soon she had ladies coming to the Home League. Among those contacted was a Mrs. Kwan who introduced many of her friends from the neighbourhood to the Home League.

Later Lieutenant Tan Thean Seng was sent as assistant to our Corps. He and I spent many hours everyday visiting the houses along Klang Road. Among those contacted was Mr. Rhuvanendran who later after becoming a Christian took on the name of Bramwell. He and his nephew would come together every Sunday to the meeting. Bramwell later was commissioned the Corps Treasurer.

I went round with gospel tracts all over the estate, knocking at every door inviting people to come to the Army. Later on the Training College sent three cadets for their field training - Cadets Lim Teck Fung and his wife Grace Au-yong and Cadet Winnie Elisha. I took these cadets door to door visitation everyday.

One day on my way home on the bus I met a fellow traveller Mr. Robertson. We disembarked at the same bus stop and walked together up to our place but before we parted, he told me he would be entering hospital for an operation. I offered to visit him, but he told me not to, but to wait till he was discharged at his home.

I kept my promise and visited him and he was delighted. He spent a lot of time telling me about his work as planter for many years. He loved books and introduced me to the British Council Library. He loved to discuss with me about books – the classics and poetry. He enjoyed talking with me about the poems by Robert Burns. I learned a lot about Scotland and his life as a planter in Malaya.

His wife was a Thai. He warned me not to talk to her about Christianity as she was a staunch Buddhist. One day when I visited him, he said to me “Noh Wan is home.” I was mystified why kept telling me “No one is home” yet invited me into his house. Well, Noh Wan his wife was most hospitable and made me a cup of tea and brought out cakes for me to eat. We always addressed her as Mrs. Robertson.

Mrs. Robertson responded to our invitation to the Home League. She enjoyed the fellowship and became one of the most regular Home Leaguers and gave excellent support. In fact she introduced her Thai friend, Mrs. Goddhard to the Home League. In 1968 the Kuala Lumpur Home League won the Command’s Banner of Progress.

Mr. Robertson was a Presbyterian but not a regular church goer. However he would always attend special meetings such as Corps Anniversaries and Christmas. He even introduced us to another retired planter living alone to the Army. When Mr. Robertson died, Major Lim Teck Fung conducted his funeral.

We wanted to start a kindergarten, but the authorities would not grant us permission as our facilities did not meet the requirement standard. So we gave private tuition instead and this attracted a number of youth to the Youth Group which met every Friday evening.

I could speak bazaar Malay for I grew up in Lorong Limau where our next door neighbour was a Malay family. Seeing Malay or Bahasa Melayu was now the national language of Malaysia, my wife and I decided to learn proper Malay and to obtain the Government certificate of proficiency which we did. Lieutenant Tan Thean Seng our assistant would keep an eye on our two children during the time when we were at night school class.

One of our classmates was a lady named June Lim who became a good friend. She invited us to her home to meet her mother, both Anglicans. One day they came to our meeting and saw me using the piano accordion to accompany the singing. She donated her organ to us. We were delighted as we had Brother Neoh Ah How who was a skilled pianist and organist. June came to the meeting quite regularly. Mrs. Lim even gave a donation for new fans for the hall.

Another good friend was Dr. David Muttu. Brigadier Arthur Smith our Public Relations Secretary collected donations from Dr. Muttu of Reddy Clinic every year. One day he asked the Brigadier if there was something more he could do for the Army. The Brigadier suggested that he look after our medical needs. Dr. Muttu was delighted to do so and from that day onwards he provided free treatment to all Salvation Army officers stationed in Kuala Lumpur.

That same Christmas Dr. Muttu and family came to our Christmas Party and contributed ice cream for everyone. His father had just died so that year and there was no celebration in his family at their home. They belonged to Wesley Methodist Church but would attend the Army for special occasions such as our Corps Anniversary.Dr. and Mrs. Muttu were very supportive of Army programmes.

During our second year, I felt I should look around for better facilities so that we could do community services such as a kindergarten. Two doors away the coffee shop had a juke box and the noise was unbearable especially during meeting times. Often I had to go over and request them to tone down the volume. I must say they were very kind, but when quite often the customers would put up the volume again.

We discussed the matter with the Officer Commanding, and he suggested that I scout around for place to relocate the Corps. I contacted the developers of a new housing estate yet to be developed on the fifth mile Klang Road. It was the Overseas Union Garden. I saw the developers and identified the place where the hall is now. By the time we left Kualu Lumpur in July 1969 I had already paid the deposit and indicated the necessary alterations to the building to make it suitable for worship and kindergarten. We were not there to see to the opening, but this is life – one person sows another reaps. The important thing to remember, we work for the Lord and His glory.

Along the Road

Along the Road
I walked a mile with pleasure;
she chattered all the way.
But I was none the wiser
For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with sorrow,
and ne're a word said she.
But oh the things I learned from her
when sorrow walked with me

(by Robert Browning Hamilton)

Our 52nd Wedding anniversary

Fifty two years ago to-day, we were married. We thank God He had brought us together in a wonderful way and called us both to life's vocation. We have never regretted the decisions we took - first to accept Christ as our Saviour, then to heed the call to the ministry.

We thank God for The Salvation Army. Had we not both joined the Army we would not have met. We first met at a combined youth meeting between the two corps in Singapore - Balestier and Central.

We were both Corps Cadets and Torchbearers. In January 1954 we became fellow cadets in the Shepherds Session. By the grace of God we are still carrying the torch for Christ and still shepherding the flock God has given us. To God be the glory.

Our daughter, Gladys and family took us out for lunch at Food Haven Dover Road. We had lovely buffet lunch together.

This is my story - 31

31 - Starting a Corps (church) in Kuala Lumpur

It was with fear and nervousness that I approached the task of trying to start Salvation Army work in Kuala Lumpur. Where could I find a place to start the Army in this city of 400,000 people? I knew very little about Kuala Lumpur. The only occasion I had visited the city was in June 1958 after our wedding when my wife and I spent a few days there for our honeymoon.

No vehicle was provided and I had to depend on public transportation in the city I hardly knew anything about. In retrospect I should have rented a car to get around.

One good thing – my wife and I shared the same goal and purpose in life and in all our years of marriage, we have always supported each other fully. We were both called by God to be officers and that sense of calling has never left us.

I left by the night train from Butterworth on a Monday evening and on arrival at Kuala Lumpur early next morning I booked into Mun San Hotel at Campbell Street, the only one I knew for we stayed there during our honeymoon in June 1958. This hotel was recommended by Major Tan Eng Soon for he had stayed there with Lieut. Colonel John Blake when they visited Kuala Lumpur on Army business. Lieut. Colonel Blake was a very frugal officer who would choose only the cheapest accommodation available. It cost only $5.00 per day. (This shophouse hotel was burnt to the ground during the May 13th 1969 racial riots)

I contacted Brother Neoh Ah How, Salvationist from Penang Corps. I knew I could depend on him, a very devoted Christian. He showed me the map of Kuala Lumpur and made certain suggestions including how to get to the areas suggested. I contacted another Salvationist, Chau Chin Lye also of Penang Corps. When he had some time to spare, he would take me on his motor bike to where I wanted to go.

I always travelled by the night train to save costs on hotel accommodation. This meant I needed to stay in a hotel for one night and spend two days searching for a place to begin the work of the Army. I tramped and tramped for miles through the hot humid climate of the city, at times caught in torrential tropical rains. Added to the difficulty was my poor sense of direction but I felt the Lord’s presence always near.

Eventually I located a new housing estate at Jalan Klang, about five miles from the city Kuala Lumpur and not too far from Petaling Jaya. Taman Lee Yan Lian or United Garden as was popularly known was a new housing estate and no church had yet been established there. I also heard reports that the nearby area had been earmarked for future development. I saw opportunities for the Army to have a good ministry in this large area. The Corps is now located in Overseas Union Garden.

I prayed about it and sensed the Lord had brought me to this place to start the work of the Army. I contacted the owner of a corner shophouse, Number 16 and made a tentative reservation to rent the place. Contact was made with Command Headquarters. The General Secretary Lieut. Colonel Thelma Watson met me in Kuala Lumpur on the next visit and we went to negotiate for the rental of the shop house. He asked for 380 ringgit a month and Lieut. Colonel Watson immediately accepted the quote. The Army signed the contract to lease this two storey shophouse for a year.

The next year, for by then we were settled in, I went on my own (no point going with an ‘ang moh’ (or Caucasian) and threatened the owner that we would move out to cheaper premises unless he lowered the rent! We were paying more than other tenants, so the rent was reduced by twenty ringgit. Had I gone on my own the first time, I would have negotiated for a cheaper rent. Lieut. Colonel Watson was not used to bargaining and the owner had taken advantage of her.

Lieut. Colonel Watson went back to Singapore to report to the Officer Commanding and the Board. We met again in Kuala Lumpur, this time to purchase basic furniture for the quarters and I got the place ready for the family to move in.

On 16th August 1966, the whole family, we and our two children fitted into a taxi travelled the 250 miles to Kuala Lumpur to an unusual appointment – no predecessor, no precedent to go by, no records, no history nothing save the assurance of God’s abiding presence.

We had three Salvationists to support us – Neoh Ah How and Chau Chin Lye from Penang and Jimmy Lim from Balestier Corps Singapore.

I suggested to the Officer Commanding that he let us have three months to work before the official opening for this will give us time to gather a congregation. Lieut. Colonel George Engel wanted to open the work officially the next week. He said, “I want to open it and get this over. You can build the corps afterwards.” So we had to hurry and had the hall furnished before the day of the official opening.

So on the Sunday following our arrival, Lieut. Colonel and Mrs. Engel, the three Salvationists plus ourselves and our two children stood outside the hall. A crowd of curious onlookers stood around to watch these strange people with this tall American cutting the ribbon and declaring the Corps open! Hallelujah! Kuala Lumpur Corps was born!

Someone approached us and asked, “What kind of shop are you setting up?” Two doors away was a coffee shop and next to it was a sundry goods store. There was a carpenter shop and right at the opposite end was a massage parlour. Many shops were still empty. The people were quite surprised when we told them, “We are a Church! I am the new pastor.”

Grace and Mary

These two ladies, both handicapped and in their seventies live in an HDB flat. We make it a point to visit them just before their birthdays and on special occasions, like Christmas or Chinese New Year. It's a ministry we feel the Lord wants us to do. We talked about the good old days, recalled names of our many friends many of them already promoted to Glory. Yes, we were there to pray with them. People who are housebound appreciate all the more when visitors call.

I am reminded of Chaucer in his Prologue to Canterbury tales,

"Wide was his parish, with houses far asunder,
Yet he neglected not in rain or thunder,
In sickness or in trouble, to pay call
On the remotest whether great or small
Upon his feet, and in the hand a stave..."

Chaucer lived in different times and under different circumstances. He had no computer, knew nothing about e-mail and Facebook. Chaucer praised the 'poor parson' a diligent and devoted under-shepherd of the Good Shepherd Himself. He did not have a chance to fly overseas for a holiday or even a car to go for a picnic. He stayed home. There was no temptation to sit all day doing Facebook or twitter.

"He stayed at home and watched over his fold
So that no wolf should make the sheep miscarry.
He was shepherd and no mercenary."

Amen to that! My wife and I were cadets in the Shepherds Session. At heart we are still under-shepherds accountable to the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

As long as the Lord gives us strength, physical, spiritual and mental,we'll continue with this ministry to give expression to God's love.