Chapter 15: Return to Celebes

We had been ordered back to Celebes so, after an uneventful voyage of four weeks, we landed at Jakarta and stayed for a few days before proceeding to Donggala. I was a little nervous about going there, as I had heard from our pre decessors that there was much unrest on the Island due to guerrilla fighters. The Dutch had returned to Holland, it is true, but these far distant islands had not yet accepted this situation. Only a few days before we landed, guerrillas had kidnapped a doctor and nurses and had taken them away into the mountains to care for the guerrilla wounded. We realised then that things would not be at all peaceful in Celebes, and were not all surprised when we reached Donggala to be told by Brigadier Geus that we could not travel in the divisional car, but must sit inside the bus with the local passengers, so that we would not be so easily recognised as white people. I was very nervous about the situation but, as usual, Niels was very calm and refused to believe we were in any danger. Late that evening we arrived in Kalawara - glad to be back amongst our old friends. This time, however, not as managers of the colony, but as Divisional Commander and School Inspector.

The first re-building work Niels wanted to do was to restore the church hall which was in a very bad state. He called the village men together to help him. Having cleared the ground, they went into the forest to choose the wood to be used. It was remarkable how quickly they worked, and within a few months the hall was ready. There was great rejoicing, especially from the children who so enjoyed their Sunday School. We organised classes again, and our very efficient secretary, Captain Josephine Sahertian, became the Young People's Sergeant Major. She formed a Junior Soldiers' Brigade and held a very lively and successful weekly meeting with them. My husband was often away on tour, but I found plenty to do in looking after the Home Leagues of the Division and the Corps Cadet Studies. Also, the people still thought I should begin the Polyclinic work again. I was not eager to do this as my hands were already full - the Torchbearers had also asked me to re-start their Saturday club again. However, I did what I could. Unfortunately, while visiting a sick woman who lived on the edge of her rice field, I had to wade through water. This resulted in my contracting an infection that turned out to be Elephantiasis. I could not wait for my husband to return, so asked the schoolteacher to take me to Palu, so that the doctor could treat me. This he did with penicillin injections, and by the time Niels came home I was recovering.

Conditions were improving so we began to plan again for a congress in our division. We had a most blessed time with Commissioner and Mrs. Dent, who were most impressed by all they saw of the work going on in Central Celebes. All our people were very much encouraged, especially by the warm-hearted manner of our visitors. In fact, this manifested itself when they saw how the Commissioner stood out in the sun, greeting every officer before he departed. Next morning at breakfast, he suddenly told us we could ‘farewell’ for Java as soon as possible - he thought we needed a change! This was a very pleasant surprise, especially when we heard that the former Divisional Commander was to return. We knew him, and he was much loved in Celebes.

I remember very little of our journey back to Java, except that we arrived very late at night in Bandung. We were met by the Commissioner and all the officers, who accompanied us to our new home. What warmth of fellowship there was amongst us, and we really felt that, once again, the Lord had guided us to the right place.

Bandung is a beautiful city with fine buildings and beautiful parks. Its best feature from our point of view was the much cooler climate. Niels was the Social Secretary, responsible for the working of the Hospitals, Children's Homes and Institutions in the Territory. He was also Property Secretary. All this work entailed a great deal of travelling, even as far as Sumatra, so I was often alone during this period. However, our good friends the Pattipeilohys lived on the compound with their little boys who had great fun playing with my fine Japanese terrier. Then I became Home League Secretary, and, later, National Secretary for the Nurses' Fellowship, so my time was fully occupied. On Sunday afternoons I had a Sunday School in a small village nearby and this gave me great pleasure. We had had a special Home League Campaign and I had visited door to door in this village. The large number of children in the houses gave me the idea of running a Sunday School for them. This proved very successful, and after two Sundays a Chinese lady invited us to come on her veranda and sing our songs. She was very interested and often attended our meetings.

One of the voluntary helpers in the Children's Home in Bandung was Amy, a Dutch friend of Francis when we were living in Surabaya. We were very happy to renew our acquaintance, and discovered that Amy was still very interested in hearing any news about her former friend. When she returned to Holland with her parents, their friendship was renewed, and in 1959 they became engaged. Francis had, by this time, obtained his B.Sc. in Agriculture, which enabled him to take a post in Nigeria until 1967.

To return to our work in Bandung: in order to find money for travelling to our Home League Conference in Jakarta, I started giving English Conversation lessons again. I met some very friendly young ladies, and a Chinese gentleman who was a very good pupil and interested in the Army. As time went on, I gradually found out he was really seeking to know how to be a Christian, and I believe the lessons became a real time of help and encouragement. There was also a Javanese teacher who became very in terested in our work. Only last Christmas I had a letter from her, wishing to-renew the contact we had had. Thus I have felt that even in this in direct way, I was still a missionary, and the Lord was still giving me opportunities for service.

My husband had great difficulty persuading the Government to allot sufficient funds to carry on our extensive programme. Fortunately, the Minister was a Christian and anxious to help. So, with ‘prayer and perseverance’ the money was granted. At the hospitals we were treating hundreds of patients for free every year and were allowed so much a head by the Government. Support was needed also for the Children’s' Homes and Leper Colonies, especially in the period after the War. How rewarding it was, to see all these branches of Social Work becoming really established again, and Indonesian Officers appointed as matrons and managers! It was a great tribute to the foreign officers who had trained them that things went so well. My husband, for instance, was particularly indebted to Captain Josephine Sahertian. She kept the office work, including Government statistics, in order and up-to-date in spite of his frequent absences from the office. It was becoming more and more of a strain, working in three languages - Dutch, Malay and English. (We now had English Leaders.) Regretfully, we began to think that the time had come to end our service in Indonesia and seek a homeland posting.

Before we left it was decided to give us both a tour to Sumatra, so it was arranged that we should fly over there for our last Christmas. Niels would be able to finish up his missionary career in the place where he had started, the Leper Colony in Kundur. What a marvellous time we had there! We were warmly welcomed by our old friends, Major and Mrs. Manuhutu and their children. We noticed at once how well the colony was being kept and were pleased to see an Army Hall as well as other new buildings. We all had a Christmas meal together with the patients, and it was wonderful to see the happy faces of the patients, many in their white uniforms. For my husband it was an unforgettable experience, as he thought of the time in 1928 when he had begun at the Colony. Then, there was no Hall, only a Mosque, and few patients interested in our Gospel message. Now, the majority of the patients belonged to the Corps. The next morning, we had a wonderful meeting with them - the Songsters sang and the orchestra played!

From there, we went on to Medan and Siantar, where we had not been since 1936. What memories were recalled, and what rejoicing as we saw the great advancement on all sides! At Siantar, at the conclusion of the last meeting, we were presented with a large, hand woven cloth, thrown across both our shoulders as a sign that they prayed for God's blessing on our future life together. We flew back to Bandung with very thankful hearts for this opportunity of witnessing what the Lord had done in these places, with the help of His servants.

Now the time had come for the farewell tour in Java, and we set off one morning for Semarang. There we would visit Pelantungan (my first appointment) then the Eye Hospital (famous for the work done there by Dr. Wille), and finally, the Beggars' Colony where I first met my husband. At the Leper Colony, I met again some of the patients I had helped 30 years before. Leper patients rarely die of the disease - their limbs or toes or fingers die off and have to be amputated. If the patients are well looked after they can lead cheerful, active lives, and much was being done to make their lot happier. The amenity they most appreciated was a little low cart on four wheels (wooden and 'home made') with which they could propel themselves over the cement paths of the gardens. My English friend I had met in Medan in 1930 had designed this little conveyance in 1932 - and it was still being used! The patients were encouraged to have little gardens where they grew vegetables as well as flowers. If they helped with weeding in the large gardens of the colony, they were paid for it – in addition to their regular pocket money. A short time after we left, the Government took over control of all Leper Colonies, and special doctors worked in the villages, seeking out possible sufferers. These would be treated in their own homes. My last visit in Semarang was to such a doctor, and on the walls of his office he had a large map of Central Java, marked with all the districts where Leprosy was found. This doctor was determined to do all in his power to wipe out the disease. In addition, he had established a rehabilitation centre, where whole families could begin a new life. Although in many cases the disease had been checked, the disfigurement was there, and their families would not have them back. I was very glad to talk to this doctor, and I think he was encouraged to hear from me what tremendous improvements I had noticed since I was there 30 years before.

Our last call was at Surabaya, our old field of work. What memories the hospital held for us! - the Sunday School, the Evening Meetings, the Christmas Play with the nurses and carolling round the wards. We had farewell meetings at the European and Chinese corps. There were sorrowful partings from comrades of such long standing, but also rejoicing at the progress that had been made in all directions. Then we visited the Mothers and Babies' Home, and the Boys' Home and remembered all the good times we had had together. Then, at last, we were on our way back to Bandung for the last time.

These were very busy days from now on. We had to dispose of all our goods, either selling them or packing them up to take home for good. We had brought out a lot of household goods with us after the war, as they were unobtainable in Indonesia. Now they would fetch a good price, so we decided to sell. We would need the money when we reached home, so we were glad that the sale -of china, glassware and all - brought in a good sum. Shipping of all kinds was very difficult still, so berths on a freight ship were booked for us so that the rest of our possessions could go with us.

The last meetings were held; one of the most memorable was that of the Home League and my Sunday School children and their parents. In the centre of the hall, sat my Chinese lady dressed in her uniform (for she had, by now, become a Salvationist). By her side were her children and her husband. He had never attended a Christian service before, but was so grateful to me for my interest in his children, that he thought he must come to bid me 'Godspeed' on my journey. The Sunday farewell meetings followed and then the car arrived to take us to the Station bound for Jakarta. More farewells, and at last we were on our way to the ship and the usual Customs procedure. This was a very tiring business, as every item on the list of the contents of our luggage had to be checked. Endless questions were asked about the reason why we were going away, what money we had etc. Finally, we said goodbye to Brigadier Calliss, who had kindly helped us through that tiring last day, and went on board. What a relief, to feel that, at last, there were weeks of relaxation ahead. We were very sad at leaving our beloved Indonesia, but we both felt we had made the right decision in leaving when we did.

The voyage was a very pleasant one, with only 14 other passengers, two of whom I well remember. One, an elderly man, always joined us for afternoon tea. No one else seemed to bother with him, but we always had a pleasant hour together while we chatted about our years in the East. Another one was a young student from Borneo, on his way to College in Germany. He was so grateful that we conversed with him as none of the other passengers seemed to want to have any contact with him. He was a most intelligent young man, and we were glad to hear all about his country and way of living. He, in turn, was very interested in our work.

In the summer of 1961 we arrived in England and, after a short stay with my family, went on to Denmark. By this time Ann and her husband were stationed at a small country corps. We were all so thrilled to see each other again, and spent some very happy weeks together. In the September we all went to the yearly Congress in Copenhagen, led by old friends of mine, Commissioner and Mrs. Cooper. There we had a wonderful re-union with many of our old friends in Denmark.

Another important journey had soon to be prepared for; we were bound for Dordrecht, in Holland, where my husband was to conduct our son Francis' wedding. We had planned this for a long time, so that Francis could get home from Nigeria when we were free to attend, too. What a wedding day that was! Full of real joy and happiness. My own bridesmaid of 28 years earlier, was also there. Amy's mother kept ‘open house’ all day for dozens of local friends, relatives and well-wishers in the Dutch hospitable tradition. After the Civil ceremony in the Registry Office, the Army Cubs (whose Akela Amy had been) formed a Guard of Honour, and the town square was filled with folk. In the evening, the Army Marriage Service was conducted by my husband in the Dordrecht Hall, where Amy was a soldier. The Hall was crowded out. The meeting was a long one, as so many wanted to speak and give their presents to the happy pair. Late in the evening we were whisked off to the Hague for the wedding reception. By midnight, and travelling on the last train back to Dordrecht, we felt it had been quite a day!

We returned to England to finish our furlough and then take up an appointment in the Men's Social Department. This was at Bradninch. A lovely old house there was being prepared to receive elderly people. A lady had given the house to the Army during the war. We had a happy six weeks there, harvesting the fruit from the orchard and enjoying the beautiful countryside. We would have liked to stay there but we were appointed to Spa Road Hostel. This was a difficult assignment for us, and the first of its kind that we had ever had. It was all good experience, however, and we did not regret it when we were later transferred to the Men's Hostel at Ipswich in Suffolk. There we spent several happy years, being well supported in our work by many friends in the town. Often, I addressed the members of such organ isations as the Townswomen's Guild, Not only were they interested in the social work of the Army, but also in the missionary work, and always took up a collection for this.

During the first year in Ipswich we had to live in a large room at the Hostel, but then I began to look round for a house that would be suitable for our retirement which was not far off by this time. One day, I noticed in the window of an estate agency, the description of a property that I thought would be suitable. As it could be viewed that very morning, I went round there and then. As I entered the road, a quiet neighbourhood of neat houses and lovely gardens, I felt- this is the place! When the door opened, I saw it was so light and clean, that I knew my search was ended. Here we settled for thirteen happy years, for eight of which we were in retirement. My husband delighted in the garden, and, in addition, made a fine little patio outside the living room. In that sunny, sheltered spot, we had our white garden seat and spent many happy hours when the weather was kind. And now that happy partnership on earth has been broken. Niels was promoted to Glory in August 1976. He will be remembered with love and affection by all who knew him. I have left the little house at Ipswich and have my own mobile home alongside my son Francis' house in Cornwall. The four children provide endless entertainment and interest and they are all very kind to their granny.Let me conclude these memoirs with the words of our Lord, which have proved so true in my case:

"Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters, or father or mother or lands, for My Name's Sake, will receive an hundredfold, and inherit eternal life." Matt. 19. 29

18.3.1978