THIS IS MY LIFE - 13

13 - SERVING GOD IN UNITED MINISTRY
My husband and I returned from our honeymoon to a warm welcome at Balestier Corps. I had met most of the corps comrades during our training days. The hall was a wooden building with an attap(thatched) roof at 48 Martaban Road, off Balestier Road. We had no running water nor electricity.

Corps Treasurer Mrs. Ong Kay Siang was the undisputed senior member of Balestier Corps. She and her own family lived upstairs of a shophouse along Balestier Road at 325-A. She was a midwife but at that time, was working in a government Family Planning clinic. Mr. and Mrs. Ong had four children – Ruth, Janet, Ellen and Andrew. She also had the care of an invalid mother-in-law. Living in another room was one of Mrs. Ong’s sisters, Mrs. Norman Lim. She and her husband had six offsprings, namely James, Beatrice, Johnny, Phillip, Grace and Charles. In spite of the big population in her home, Mrs. Ong always kept an open house to all the corps folk!

As there were no cadets in training, CHQ allocated us part of the Training College as our quarters. Our bedroom was the one I had shared with Cadet Chan Chin Chai four years before! We had the use of the sitting cum dining room area. My kitchen was the space at the bottom of the back stairs with a hotplate for a stove. I shared a common sink for washing up with the few single lady officers and employees on CHQ. Likewise we shared a common laundry, bathroom and toilet for ladies. Similarly my husband had to share the public facilities for men. However, we were comfortable enough, and were blissfully happy serving the Lord in united ministry.

As to be expected, there were minor adjustments to be made. Initially, I did not recognise myself when addressed as Mrs. Lim, especially in Balestier Corps because there were a number of other women also known as such! Among the Chinese people all over the world, “Lim” is one of the most common surnames, like “Tan” and “Lee” etc.

Living above CHQ, it was quite convenient for us to be called upon in any emergency. One day CHQ decided that I would work three mornings a week, as translator for Brigadier Thelma Watson, the Social Secretary. Many of her clients who came for help were non English-speaking. For my service our corps was given an additional grant. This certainly helped with our corps budget towards self support. My husband’s predecessor was Major Ivy Wilson, a single lady officer. Now that he was married more income was needed! However, I was cheaper than if he had a single for an assistant!

A married woman officer was and still is paid 60% of her husband’s allowance. In those days she did not even receive nor sign for it, but the amount was added and given to her husband. The first time my husband received his allowance as a married man, he felt so rich! On the other hand, I felt as if I lost my job, with no income of my own! It was not till 40 years later, that the ruling changed. Now the allowance of a married couple is divided equally and each spouse sign for half!

I used to be the envy of everyone working on CHQ when my beloved brought me a cup of coffee mid morning. He knew that I did not enjoy the lukewarm cup of tea served by Enche Harun who was the cleaner on CHQ!

Most afternoons after lunch, my husband and I would travel to the Balestier area by bus no. 1, boarding at the stop right in front of CHQ. It would have begun its journey from Kepple Harbour and would terminate at Moulmein Green, right outside the Middleton Hospital which is now the Skin and Communicable Disease Centre. It was a short walk to Towner Road where the corps operated a kindergarten. Mrs. Irene Lim, the mother of Mrs. Emelie Wee, now of Changi Corps, was a government primary school teacher, and in charge of the morning session. Miss Lai Sui Hong, Home League Treasurer of Balestier Corps, took charge of the afternoon session.
Part of the income from the kindergarten went towards the corps budget and the rest to the corps building fund.

Most of the corps folk lived within the vicinity of the corps. After our scheduled time at the kindergarten to conduct the singing or Joy Hour, we did our corps visitation. The weekly activities included Home League, Corps Cadet class, singing and band practices and Torchbearer Youth Group. Usually we did not return home till late at night as public transportation was not as efficient then.

All too soon our term of service in Balestier Corps came to an end. Farewell orders came in November 1959. Three weeks later we were on our way to Penang Corps!