Chapter 6: In Bandung, Jokja, and off to Celebes*

*Celebes is now Sulawesi

Our next appointment was to the Military Home in Bandung. This was quite a large establishment with accommodation for about 50 NCOs, 20 wives and their children. It was a large family to cater for, especially as many soldiers used the Homes as their Club in the evening – billiards, darts, etc. On Sundays there was a special free lunch for all! My husband took the boys’ Bible Class at the Corps, and also took his turn as leader at the Prison meeting and the usual “War Cry” selling and collection. I had oversight of the catering and general cleanliness of the home (with the help of several indigenous servants). With the additional oversight of the children, it was a very busy period indeed. Fortunately, we were healthy and able to work long hours without undue strain. My good friends, Dr and Mrs Wille, Salvation Army missionaries from Denmark, were now in Bandung so I started to learn the Danish language in earnest, for which I shall always be grateful. (Dr. Wille was an eye surgeon who started the Salvation Army Eye Hospital in Semarang.) We were just beginning to settle down in this appointment when another change was ordered, and we found ourselves once again packing up and preparing for a long train journey to Jokja, the old capital of the Kings of Java. Here again, we were to be in charge of the Military Home. This one was smaller but quite “run down” as the previous Officer had been very ill and things had been neglected. At this time (1937) the Dutch authorities were increasing their military strength, and many NCOs were being sent out “on proxy” - it was an old Military custom whereby fiancées were married “by proxy” to a relation of the real bridegroom, in this case living in Java. When these ladies arrived it was very difficult to find good accommodation, and empty rooms were soon cleaned and before long we had five ladies living with us and getting used to their new life. I could speak Dutch by then and was able to take them around town and help them with bargaining in Malay at the stores. It was an interesting time for us all. We also had an indigenous Corps in the grounds, and a little village Corps a few miles away, which, of course, made things more agreeable. I formed a Home League for indigenous women (mostly Javanese) and a Singing Company for girls for whom I made a white uniform tunic, which they wore with their coloured sarongs (skirts). With their olive complexions, dark shining eyes and raven hair, always neatly kept, they presented a lovely sight when they stood to sing together.

I shall never forget the Christmas we spent in Jokja, because of a meeting we held in a stable in the village. There was no suitable place for this as so many wanted to attend, so a friend suggested his roomy stable. We felt it was just the right place, and when it had been cleaned it seemed transformed. The people brought in their stools; the children sat on the ground and the place was perfectly quiet as we sang “Silent Night” in their own language. Most Javanese are Muslims, but the Christmas Festival is kept by many people, and we were so happy to see so many strangers in our meeting, singing in the celebration of our Lord’s birth. While my husband was speaking, it was not difficult to imagine the scene of Bethlehem nearly 2000 years ago. Now and again the lowing of the cattle, the sound of the sheep and goats – all enhanced the hallowed hour. We returned home in our dogcart, the pony trotting along under the starlit sky, with thankful hearts for the opportunity once again given to us, of declaring the Word of God to our people and others who had never heard of Christ’s birth before.

There were busy days ahead, for our ‘family’ had grown considerably. Again, many NCOs had asked us to supply them with a mid-day meal as their landladies did not seem to provide them with the necessary food, and there was no special garrison for them at the time. So I went into the kitchen with the cook and learned to cook the Javanese way with local produced ingredients, which could be bought at the local market cheaply (a great consideration in those days). As well as the cooking, I had to replenish the linen cupboard now that we were boarding so many ladies, and the days were not long enough to accomplish all we had to do. Every evening a number of soldiers would call in, as the Home was also their club, and when the children were in bed, they wanted me to sit at the piano to accompany their singing, while my husband was busy at the billiard table. We both felt this not quite the Missionary Work we had come to Java to do but tried to be cheerful and leave the rest to the Lord.