7: Penang - insights

Revd Christopher Tan of Christ Church, Penang, tells us of his conversion as a 16 year old and of how he lost his family and friends as a result of his decision; of how relationships are central within our Asian culture and the importance of eating, sharing and talking together; of the way in which the internet is enabling people to share and exposing injustice, corruption or misinformation; that the change to Bahasi as the main language rather than English means that the Bible is now available in a language which can be understood by all; of the way in which marriage is being used as a means of conversion to Islam as Muslim women attract husbands from Sarawak and Sabah for instance and they are legally compelled to convert to Islam......

After a brief visit to St George's Church which is being restored - it was built in 1817 and is one of the oldest churches in S.E.Asia. It was built by Captain Robert Smith of the Bengal Engineers. The first service was held on Christmas Day 1818 and the church was consecrated a year later by the Bishop of Calcutta. The last major renovation of the church was done in 1948 after it suffered great damage after six Japanese bombs were dropped during a raid.

Gurtsey showed us around central Penang including a visit to this Protestant graveyard with many reminders of the price paid by the early pioneer missionaries. Her grandparents settled in Penang from India. Gurtsey takes us in a flying visit to a hand printed batik factory / shop where she gets a 30% discount. David buys rapidly and strategically; feeling the pressure of needing to be back at St Nicholas' Home for the massage which was booked; important to support this employment initiative.... I decided to go for just a chair massage and found my masseur a bit on the rough side. I wondered from his wrenching and pretty lively chopping if he was drawing on martial arts skills or some high pressure tradition that I hadn't previously encountered. Anyhow I survived and the management graciously received my feedback.

Revd Stephen Soe shows us around St Paul's Church which is preparing to celebrate it's 125th anniversary. Like many of the leaders I meet he is keen to develop Discipleship Training, recognising that further teaching and formation is needed to give people the confidence and ability to come forward as lay pastors.

From the roof top of the six storey church building we look down on the Catholic Church beneath

David and I decide to go out for a meal. Since we are not sure which way to head for to reach the beach restaurants we ask a young woman who is approaching us on the pavement. She offers to show us the way - 'This way', she says. I hope it didn't look too untoward as she walked with us. She turned out to be from Bali, Indonesia, and was working as a maid for an English family in Penang. She is from a Roman Catholic family and is called Maria. I asked her how long the walk would take, to which she replied 'Oh, nearly five years'. When we realised that walk is so close in sound to work we had a good laugh together.