26 - FAMILY GROWING UP IN SINGAPORE CENTRAL CORPS
The two older children were good and helpful as we settled into our appointment at the Corps. Every morning Gladys walked to school, along Orchard Road till she came to the Singapore Chinese Girls’ School at the turn to Emerald Hill Road. Her cousins, Elaine and Anne, were attending the same school, and being able to make friends easily, she was happy.
At first my brother-in-law, Bin Lay, would give Stephen a lift at Orchard Road, when he drove pass with Leonard to the same school at ACS Coleman Street. As our son liked to be early, he decided to walk instead. Then the school moved to Barker Road, so he travelled by bus.
When the two children were very small they each received their pocket money every Sunday of $1.00 per week. After paying ten cents at Sunday school the rest went into their piggy banks. As they grew older they were taught to give one tenth of whatever they got as their Sunday offering in the meetings. They had to manage the balance for the rest of the week. It was hard for our son as a number of his classmates came from affluent families. They tended to flaunt their wealth. As usual Stephen was very resourceful. Again he decided to walk to school – this time to save fares! However, he did not expect harassment from the boys of rival schools along the way – Monks Hill and Winstedt Schools. He grew up fast, learning to defend himself! I only came to know this in later years, so was spared some pain of a mother’s heart!
My only sister and her family lived in Cairnhill Circle which was nearby. My mother-in-law lived with her daughter and children, Lily and Alfred TAN at Toa Payoh. My husband’s elder brother and his wife, with their children, Bernice, Aloysius and Thomas lived in McPherson Road area. Younger brother Anthony and wife Agnes, lived in Teacher’s Estate with children, Adeline, Adrian and Andre. I well remember being blissfully happy as a family. The only fly in the ointment seemed to be a nagging fear I had that Poh Chin was not developing normally. I was chided for comparing her with her older siblings.
One day the General Secretary, Lt. Colonel Watson, made an appointment for me to see a paediatrician, Dr. WONG Hock Boon. He was the head of the Children’s Department of the Singapore General Hospital called the Mistri Wing. His diagnosis – Poh Chin was physically and mentally retarded. Delayed delivery at birth had caused brain-damage. She was now put under the care of Dr. Freda PAUL.
My husband and I were devastated! What did I do or not do which could have prevented her condition? At first I felt that caring for her would have to be my sole duty in order to make up to her. Slowly I learned to sort out my priorities. Poh Chin would never fully recover and there were my husband and the other children who also needed my love and care. We decided that in general Dad would give priority to The Army, while I would see to the family first. In this way we would keep our officer and marriage covenants. Praise the Lord, my husband has always been very supportive in everyway in our home and family life. In this way I was able to continue my duty in the Home League and sometimes take my turn on the platform.
The older children were very good in helping out at home. Gladys used to watch her cousins Elaine and Anne practising on the piano. We could see that she was longing to learn also. As a reward for babysitting her sister, she was sent to Foorman’s School of Music for lessons. She really enjoyed it and passed her first grade within months. The school allowed her to skip grade 2 and went on to do grade 3. We then offered to let Stephen have lessons as well. It was money well spent because they have used their talent in ministry for God in The Army and the wider Christian community. As for Gladys, she went on to finance herself up to LRSM by giving others piano lessons. Today she is still a piano teacher to earn her bread and butter.
My sister and her children used to attend the Gospel Hall at Bras Basah Road. Now that we were in Central Corps at Clemenceau Avenue she brought her children to our Sunday School at 3.00 p.m. and stayed on for the evening meeting at 6.00 p.m. Prior to this we usually had high tea of sorts. Almost every month there would be a birthday to celebrate or some festive occasion to commemorate. The cousins seemed to enjoy being together. In fact they used to sing as a group called Kinfolk.
On special occasions like Easter and Christmas we also invited Mr.WEE Sip Chee and his wife Helen with their two children, Cecilia and Constance to the corps and our home. Helen is the sister of my brother-in-law, GOH Bin Lay. He was very often away in Malaysia. The Wee family gave good support to The Army as well as always being very kind and gracious to our family.
