Look!

"Remember the days of old. Consider the generations long past.
Ask your father and he will tell you
Your elders and they will explain to you....." (Deuteronomy 32:7)


Look is the Americanised surname of the author of the book "The Saviour of Our  Hymns".

"Look at this book ...it is amazing " would be the first comment any would have for its content upon reading it once and even twice or may be even thrice. As for me it would be a treasured reference book and a book to share with many others. For those who cannot read Chinese the English translation is in the offing..I am so honoured to be one of the first two to receive this newly published book in Sibu.

You can learn a lot about money stewardship and the importance of obedience to God in this book. She is a frugal Foochow woman who  since young would not even spare one cent to buy 2 pieces of kong bian (kompia) because she believed she had three meals already. If only today we don't spend money on snacks and other tit bits...we could not waste any money...She reminds us that our "earthly property" is our children whom we must nurture in God's ways and with his truths.

I will use figures to tell the amazing and precious gold nuggets I found in this book.....

Amazing years

1917 - the year the author was born in China which was then in political and economic turmoil. She did not make a sound for three days after she was born and the family could not believe it when they heard her first cry.
1920's - her father brought the whole family to settle down in Sibu (Sarawak)but her mother soon passed away.

1928 - She entered the Yuk Ing Methodist Schools for girls in Sibu. Although her real age was 11 the school authorities thought that she was as small as 8 year old. In the register she was 8 years old.

1938 - She graduated with a Junior Certificate and started teaching in the kindergarten with a salary of 15 dollars. Half of her salary was required to be returned as funds for the church mission and orphanage.

1939-1941 - she was transferred to another school to teach.

1941 - She came back to teach in Yuk Ing School

1943 - She married Ling Kwong King who was recommended by the Kwang Hua School principal with the following credentials : + intelligent + a good volley ball player + no father + many siblings + good family background.. Before her engagement she had only seen him twice. Actually on the second occasion she was not even sure it was him. She had wanted to dedicate her whole life to  working for God.

1937 - 1978 - She was a Sunday School teacher (except for those Japanese Occupation years)

1957 - they bought their own wooden house at the back of Tiong Hua Road. they had two bedrooms a living room and sky light. The chouse came with a kitchen and bathroom.

1962 - She voluntarily retired because the school had to reduce the staff by one...She did this so that her teaching post could go to her colleaqgue - a single mother with three children. She enjoyed her retirement days by planting orchids and serving the church in many different ministries.

1973 - The SCAC invited her to head the Methodist Women and Children's Ministry as a paid Chief Administrator.

1979- Her husband fell ill and soon passed away.

1980 - Her mother in law passed away

22.5.1980 - She first set foot in USA at the Los Angeles Airport. She was  She was 73 years old.


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My contemporaries who studied in the Methodist Primary School would remember our beloved Mr. Ling Kwong  King.
the photo shows the author with her beloved husband.

Significant figures seem to float from the book towards me as I read it....


100 - Her sister-in-law took her to see a Brunei doctor to check on her lungs. Her x-ray came back and the doctor said "don't worry you will live up to 100 years!!"
95 - This is her age this year
94 -  She was 94 when she first started to write the book.
73 -  She came back to visit Sibu
63  She migrated to the USA
61 - She finally retired from Methodist Church work in order to look after her cancer stricken husband in the hospital
55- She was fully employed by the Methodist Church to head the Methodist Women's Ministry in Sibu
45 - She volunteered to retire because the school had to cut down on staff - to allow her colleague who was a single mother with three children to stay on. She found it very unreasonable for the government to let this poor lady go.
12 - When she first got married she had to make 12 new clothes for all members of her husband's family and her own children. She did all the sewing on top of her other chores.She did not make any new clothes for herself.
10 - Her husband made a passport in case of emergency but he never once travelled out of Sarawak because his mother was alive.None of his colleagues could make him go for a tour.  In fact his mother died one year after his passing. The author praised God for his humility and filial piety. She believes that now mother and son are reunited in Heaven
6 - she has 6 children - 3 girls and 3 boys
4 - In the book she confessed her 4 sins against her mother-in-law to reveal how her faith in God had moulded her into perfection as a woman and as a daughter -in - law.
3 - She wrote "May this book be an instrument for God's word to spread so that people will worship God. All glory and honour be to God. God in his Holy Trinity - the Father- the Son and the Holy Spirit.. Forever and Ever . Amen."
2 - She wrote " We have two ears to listen to the Scripture readings and at night to listen to God's voice."
   - Kompia (kwong ping) was
1 - She truly believes in ONE God who has blessed her and her days abundantly.

0 - this book is free for those who would like to have a copy. Her children funded the publication of the book in Sibu. Praise God indeed for her wonderful children.(Please contact Steve Ling for your free copies.)

We should all break into singing because an angel from Sibu has written such a wonderful book to inspire and encourage her readers now and in time to come. How mighty is her God!!


You can write to

S.P. Look
7367 West Park Way
Sacramento
California 95823
USA


With my greatest respect to the author and her family I wrote this article to the best of my ability . As Chinese is my third language any mistakes above are all mine entirely.
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