Ting Nga Kwong was a young girl who had to walk to many places to pick bamboo shoots, tap rubber. Her family planted padi in 6 Kii (now Lucky Lane area) in Sibu.
According to her, she was fortunate enough to go to school from Sg. Antu as by the 40's many Foochow parents were able and were willing to send girls to school, especially after the war. She completed her Senior Middle School or Kou Chung, in Methodist Secondary School, in 1956.
It was most probably due to the pastors, like Rev Ho Siew Liong,who encouraged Methodist Foochow parents to send their children to school..As a young girl she used to learn all about the Bible from Rev Ho in Sing Ang Church.
And their group accompanied Rev Ho when he visited the more ulu places are Ulu Sg Merah.
School fees were only 3 dollars per month and very often upon request the students could be given remission of fees by the missionary teachers and Dean. In those days, the term DEAN was used.
One incident she remembered was this. That was only one plank walk for the group to cross the river. Rev Ho crawled first across the small plank and it was safe. After he successfully crossed the small plank walk, the rest followed, They were all very brave to follow Rev Ho in this way. Life was tough but they were very faithful in spreading the Gospel.
Another important aspect of her education was how she learned Bahasa Malaysia in the Sibu Night School after she passed her Senior Middle Three in 1956. She and her friends studied in the Night School in Sibu every evening and eventually through their hard work, they passed their National Language subject and became fully certified teachers.
She started her teaching career in Guong Ann Primary school, Sibu and after she got married, she moved to Sarikei with her husband, SArikei born,Wong Chung Kang. She saw the history of Sarawak developing in Sarikei where she spent almost 40 years of her life.
Now she lives in Miri with her children.
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