Introduction
In the year 1999,the shepherd of the church , Rev. Liew Kek Ming urged the member of the church to place emphasis in history. He hopes that Sitiawan Community will be grateful ( Think of the source while drinking water ) and to remember the spirit and contributions of the pioneer, especially in remembering the sowing of the gospel seeds in Sitiawan .Therefore, the church and Sitiawan Settlement Museum Committee mooted the idea of establishing an historical artifacts museum at the birthplace of Sitiawan, using the 70 years old parsonage. Sitiawan Settlement Museum was officially launched on 7 Sept 2003, on the eve of the centennial celebration. Its establishment was for the collection and preservation of historical facts about the Foochow pioneer. It happened in 1903,when Rev. Lin Chen Mei , Dr.H.L.Emil Leuring and Rev.Dr. Huang Pau Seng led a group of Christian clansman to Sitiawan, Malaya.
posted by Sitiawan Settlement Museum | 8:55 PM
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Hi,
I'm Tony Ping Yew, I visited the museum yesterday (Sunday) with my family members after museum hour (my wife mistaken it to be 5.00 pm closing time). My mother Mrs Ling Choo Liang is a regular at the Pioneer church and we were grateful Rev Liew could arrange for the museum to be opened for us after hour. I in particular was very nostalgic about this visit. I want to see first hand what I had read from the 'Foochows of Sitiawan' a very well researched book. And I wasn't disappointed. I saw stuff that bring back memories of my childhood in Kpg Koh where I left over 30 years ago,( We are now in US ). Old style bedding, coal irons, carpentry, rubber tapping tools and equipments, these are stuff I grew up with. Throw in the old radio my father used to listen to Radio Australia and that brings back the kokabaroo singing memory before the news. There are a few more things that may have slip my mind. In particular I am grateful to the church assistant, I forget his name (sorry) who confirmed to me the second well where I am sure the women in those old days would bring to my grandfather's house at 93 Jln Besar, Kpg Koh, quite some distance. Yes, without this 'Well of Salvation' and the first well, life in Sitiawan may not be as tolerable. Just wish I could have a bottle of the old faithful well water to take back with me as a souvenir!
I also want to learn more about Rev. Lin Chen Mei , Dr.H.L.Emil Leuring and Rev Horley while I was at the museum. I was really impressed at what they did to help make Sitiawan a great and highly Christian populated place today. I hope God continue to be present in the spirits of Sitiawan folks, especially those who have made it financially.
I see close up the importance of missionary work that the West did. Heard of Mother Theresa and other great missionaries but never in my wildest dream could I imagine how the Foochow people of Sitiawan got their break from poverty back in China in those years. It was from the missionary work of Dr.H.L.Emil Leuring who befriended Rev. Lin Chen Mei that started the ball rolling. Yes all you Foochownese from Sitiawan, don't forget your roots and God's hand in all of this! You came and prospered here compliments of the Christian mission of over a hundred years ago. To have a missionary involved in transplanting a group of people across the ocean is indeed a rarity even among missionary work I believe. We Foochownese must be very very special people in God's eyes!
My mother told me her father and mother ie my grandma and grandpa from her side came to Sitiawan via Kampong Sitiawan, so they were among the pioneers.
The visit to the museum was a great experience especially for a local like me and I really appreciate what Rev Liew had done to make the museum a great place to visit, to discover one's roots. I urge fellow Foochows and others to visit the museum whenever they come to town.
After the visit, we head straight to Kpg Sitiawan to look for Mena Jetty, the landing site of our pioneers. It's easy to lose our way as there was no sign to direct us. Go towards Ayer Tawer and you will see the Kpg Sitiawan sign. I was surprised to find a Chalet and a Resort there, this place has recreational value, so it is worth a visit besides seeing our ancestor's historic landing spot. We were told by the police there the landing spot was at the white block of cement across the river, near the park and broken old house (after the Resort) with framings only, the house is unused now. So I think we have seen Mena Jetty or at least close to it. I was looking for some broken wooden supports for the jetty but could not locate it. I took pictures of the base of the 'roti canai' shop on our side of the river, I thought maybe the broken support structure of Mena Jetty could be there.
One more thing, my old kindergarten teacher, an eloquent story teller was a pastor/teacher in ACS and he stayed in the 'mukesu lau'
I hope I don't bore you all with this long winded blog!
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