The Methodist Mission at Bukit Lan began its history in 1911 when James Hoover decided to start the Methodist Agricultural School for boys. He thought that the Foochow boys students should be taught by teachers in agricultural science and farming. Hence they were transferred from Sibu to study in the new place but it was not viewed as a good move by the Foochow community. The boys' parents thought that they might as well pulled their sons out of the school to work on their own farm!!
Furthermore, another American missionary Rev Davis was in charge of the mission for the Ibans and also their education. A church Yuan Nan Church was built for the Foochows on the hill, by the river side. Could two missionaries work together for two different communities?
That was the time when my grandfather was engaged as chief technician and supervisor for the mission rice mill. Next to the mill was the agriculture school established by Foochow speaking Rev James Hoover. It was planned that the growing of rice and rubber would be able to support the growth of the mission, the school and the agriculture centre. The land, around 300 acres, was rented from the Ibans of Bawang Assan.
Some elders had said that there could have been also a rubber mill but there was no written record.
By then my father was already 3 years old. My grandmother Chong was often in the workshop helping my very capable grandfather who was very knowledgeable about machinery.
Grandmother Chong, having been educated in English in Singapore (Nind Home for Girls), read the English manuals and translated everything into Foochow for Grandpa.
In this way, the rice mill, and a few other machinery purchased by Rev Hoover were taken care of by my grandparents. It was here that my grandfather began to have dreams of starting his own business so that he could raise his children better. The first ten years of his life as a new immigrant in Sibu 1903 to 1912 had been very harsh and difficult for him. Like all the other Foochow pioneers he was given 5 acres of land in Sg. Merah.
As an 18 year old boy from the hilly region of Minqiang, he was not a rice grower. But he did his best to grow the first rubber garden of his own and some rice while helping Rev James Hoover on and off. He married my grand mother Chong Ching Soon in 1909, who was 20 years old, and fresh from Singapore.
Rev James Hoover was a very caring friend and mentor who encouraged him a great deal. After all, he was the man who matched made him with my grandmother Chong. He gave my grandfather almost over all responsibility in charge of the school's technical side and the rice mill.
At the same time, my grandmother's brother, Chong Jin Bock, and his wife were helping Mrs. Hoover to teach English in Yuk Ing School in Sibu. When my father was older, he and his siblings, boarded at Yuk Ing Girls' School. They studied Chinese subjects in the morning and English in the afternoon. Both Mrs. Hoover and Grand Uncle Chong were very strict teachers.
In 1922, Rev James Hoover encouraged Rev Yao Shao King and my grandfather to explore the lower Rajang and the two, with Ling Ming Lok, started the Foochow settlement in Binatang, built a church and a school within a few years.
Rev James Hoover also helped my grandfather and his brother to acquire 24 acres of land in Bukit Lan to start growing of rubber and some fruit trees. But after the tragic death of his sister in law and the new born nephew, my grandfather and his brother decided to sell off the land and invest in Bintangor.
My grandfather thus moved from Bukit Lan to Binatang
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