After spending the summer with my family in England, we embarked in the late autumn of 1946 for Copenhagen and HelsingØr. We planned to stay some time in my husband’s homeland, so the first priority was to find a school for Ann and Francis. Niels took them to the local school, but it was not easy for them as they still spoke Malay together, although they were used to the English tongue by now. However, children are very adaptable and they were soon getting used to yet another language, Danish, and passed up to their right class.
We spent Christmas with Niel’s family and had a real, royal time. The streets and churches were beautifully decorated for the service and Christmas Eve. In Denmark, all work stops at mid-day on the 24th December, and a lovely stillness settles down over the town as everyone prepares for the celebration of the nativity. The church was crowded that night. We thought of our dear people in far away Kalawara, and prayed that they, too, were being blessed at this holy season.
During the following January, my husband and I went on tour to many corps, mostly in the north. Everywhere there was great interest in our story, and the local papers were eager to hear how we had fared during the war. This, we felt, was good publicity for the Salvation Army generally. We kept in regular touch with the children during this period – and it was amusing to have their replies in a jumble of Malay, English and Danish words!
Soon after our return, we received orders to take up an appointment in Aarhus, so, once more, we were on the move. Aarhus is a lively, dignified city. The streets are clean, the architecture very pleasing, and many parks are easily accessible. The children were accepted in a private school, and got on very well there, as special attention was given to language. We stayed there for a year, and then we were moved to Nakskov, right in the south of Denmark.
My husband’s health improved steadily, and after we had been nearly a year in Nakskov, we made application to return to the mission field. We were told that if we could make the necessary travel arrangements our end, our application would be gladly granted. We were a little afraid that the children would not welcome yet another change, but when we put it to them, they jumped for joy – that was just what they wanted! Again, we believe the Lord had guided us in a right decision, and began our plans for our return.