At the end of our missions trip to Cambodia, Penang and Melaka in May we made a stop in Seremban to see several friends before going on to Kuala Lumpur to board our flight home.
“What if….”
So many things could have gone wrong
By Goldie Chong
After dinner at the Seremban Sungai Ujong Club Jeffrey drove us to his home in Pajam about 20 km away where we were to stay the night before proceeding to Kuala Lumpur for our flight home. Unloading our luggage I realized my carry-on bag which contained our passports and money was missing. I remembered I did not want this bag to be out of my sight, so I had carried it with me into the club lounge while waiting for our friends to come for dinner.
“What if the bag is lost,” I thought, “we are flying off in one more day. Lord, please put your hand on that bag. Don’t let anybody take it.” While Jeffrey made calls to Helen for the club’s telephone, to our host Patrick, to his brother Henry who was the supervisor of the club restaurant, I was praying desperately. Relieved that the bag was found still where I had left it in the lounge, Jeffrey and Tek drove back to the club – 40 mins there and 40 minutes back at 11pm.
Jeffrey’s house is situated in Pajam, a small village near Nilai, This proved to be a most unusual place. It is an almost uninhabited housing estate. We had to pass through a cluster of huge stately looking buildings which were meant to house a university. But this project did not get off the ground and has been left derelict for 15 years. Jeffrey built his house in the middle of this “Garden of Eden” with no neighbours.
Jeffrey is an ex-army officer in the Singapore army. He is an expert gardener, loves growing things and wanted plenty of space to plant his orchids, fruit trees, etc. To him, living in the middle of nowhere was what he wanted – to enjoy his hobby.
Waiting for him and Tek to come back, I was worried that driving so late at night on the narrow winding roads they might meet with an accident. And just at that anxious moment I saw my mobile go dead – no more battery – and the charger was in my carry-on bag!
Suddenly I realised that if I was stranded in this isolated corner of the world I would have no way to call for help. I did not even have the key to open the security gate. And I could hardly remember how to go to the guard house ( a guard was employed in this complex to prevent thieves from robbing the whole place bare).
I only knew that there was a long, lonely dark road without a single neighbour. I was literally marooned in this isolated house. After more agonizing waiting I finally heard the car in the driveway.
What a relief! Things could have gone so wrong, but help came at all the crucial times from God Jehovah Shammah (the Lord is there). Indeed He was. END