Gail - From my past to your future

From Gail Email  9/7/2014 2:02 AM

Dear family and friends,

It is 12:35 p.m., Sunday, September 7.  I am twelve hours ahead of those of you on EST, so in a sense I am writing from your future.

As to the past, this morning I went to church with Judy's family to Wesley Methodist Church, which stands on the site of the old Malay house my mother called "Journey's End", because she knew she would never live again in her beloved China.  In 1950, the Mission bought the old house for pittance, because it was rumoured that there were ghosts in the house, so locals were interested.  I seem to remember that it was in this house that the plot to assassinate the British governor of Sarawak had taken place.  Late in 1949, I was standing out in front of the Hoover House (built by Bonnie's father) where we first lived when we arrived in Sibu, when I heard a lot of commotion and saw a group of grim faced soldiers marching down the road with an equally grim faced young man in their midst.  Later my Dad told us what had happened.  He was standing on the dock with other town dignitaries to welcome the British governor when the young man dashed out of the crowd and stabbed the governor.  He died a week later.  The day after the attack British war planes swooped down over Sibu in a show of intimidation.  This was at a time when planes were so rare that if one flew over, everyone ran outside to get a look.

Journey's End was a delightful place for a child.  There were two tall coconut trees in front and a long bicycle path out to the road.  The jungle was all around.  We kids played in the jungle, made rubber balls out of the leftover latex on the rubber trees and played with our pet gibbon, "Gibby".

Today the jungle is gone, paved roads are everywhere and Wesley Church stands where I used to live and play.  As I stood in the church, remembering, I had an indescribable feeling of rightness; a sense of the 'Holy", that which stands apart.  The ground was hallowed.  The purpose sacred; an inevitable change which honoured the past and my parents' life efforts to promote the philosophy of love, compassion and justice.  I felt humbled and grateful for my wonderful, most fortunate life.

After church, I and Judy's family (husband and two sons) headed to a corner coffee shop for brunch.  It was unusually cool for Sibu, since there had been a steady rain all night.  I had "gamma mein", famous noodles with "bing kopi-o" (cold coffee without sugar).  Oh, how delicious.  I've also been feasting on pumelo, sweet Sibu bananas, guavas and other fruit that has no English name that I know of.  If heaven exists, it surely must serve Sibu fruit!, a sort of divine business class!

Judy and I head for China on Thursday, a visit to a more distant past.

Love to all,

Gail