Captivating Tanjung Aru Sunset

Our friends from Vancouver, Daniel and Carol were back to Sabah to spend their holidays in August/September. Asked to choose a place for the get-together, they chose Tanjung Aru, the same venue where we gathered when they came back to Sabah exactly a year ago (Read here). The sunset at Tanjung Aru is still the undisputed attraction when come to sunset view and ambience!

For this gathering, I managed to get Peter Tsen to come to meet old friends whom he has not seen since 1970. It was a time of reminiscing and updating of our transition from students, singlehood,  parenthood and now grandparent. 

For the group photo and without prior intention, the four who first met in Sandakan way back in 1970 during the BCCM Youth Fellowship Convention posed in similar positions again after a lapse of 49 years!

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We met for a second time and this time less Peter Tsen at the UMS campus. UMS campus is not an unfamiliar place to us after our regular cycling within the campus since 2017. UMS is also a favorite destination for both locals and foreign tourists. It was reported that on a good sunny day, it may draw in as many as 1,000 visitors bringing in reasonable revenue to the university. Daniel and Carol too gave favorable comment about the campus.

Visitors normally start the tour with a video presentation
about the campus at the information center.

The seafront next to the jetty is a key attraction
of the campus.

At the Chancellery.

At the garden next to the Chancellery.

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After the UMS tour, we rushed to Kokol Hill hoping to catch another grand sunset view of KK. Our hope unfortunately was dashed because we were caught in a massive traffic jam from UMS to the junction leading to Kokol Hill. By the time we reached Kokol Haven, it was nightfall. What remained was streak of orange glow and the sun had disappeared below the horizon. Still the ambience at Kokol Haven proved to be magical and it did not disappoint the Voo's.

Sunset of KK viewed from Kokol Haven.

Livvie in KK

Livvie and her parents flew from Singapore to Kota Kinabalu on 5 September and spent the next four days with her grandparents. It had been just under a year since their last visit to KK (Read here), and we were all looking forward to the reunion.

Although the visit was brief, we made the most of our time together. Livvie was comfortable and at ease with us, likely because it had only been a month since we last saw each other in Singapore. Her familiarity made our interactions natural and warm - but it also reminded us that, even with close family, there are boundaries that should be respected, and some topics are better left untouched.

One evening, while having dinner at a local hotel, we casually suggested that Livvie spend the night with us so her parents could enjoy a little private time - perhaps even catch a movie together. The moment the idea was floated, her demeanor changed completely. She immediately withdrew into herself, going silent and visibly disengaged. It was as if a switch had been flipped.

That reaction made it clear to us: she’s still not ready to be apart from her parents, especially in an unfamiliar place. It was a gentle reminder that even with the best of intentions, emotional readiness - especially in young children - can’t be rushed. And sometimes, love means recognizing those limits and giving space for comfort and security to grow at its own pace.

At the grandparents home.

 

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A very observant kid and she  imitated her gung-gung at the lajin bench.

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 At the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park or Lok Kawi Zoo as some like to call it.

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At the Sabah Arts Centre.

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Coffee break and playtime at One Roof Cafe.

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At Kokol Haven to enjoy KK sunset. Our visit coincided with a wedding going on at the resort.

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Dinner at a local hotel.

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Trying out the famous bau at Chakitiam.

Eating pao at Chakidiam Coffee Shop in Damai Plaza.

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First encounter with terap at Foh Sang shops.

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Her Chinese proficiency is improving fast.

Rest in Peace - Alene Moris

An ex-Lok Yuk schoolmate posted in his Facebook on 3 September to inform the passing of Alene Moris. Alene or Mrs Moris whom her students liked to address her was my English Literature teacher in Lok Yuk School way back in 1966. Her passing on 31 August coincided with the Independence Day of Malaya.

Her husband, Pastor Walter Moris was sent by the Lutheran Church of America in mid 1960's to pastor the English congregation of the Church of BCCM KK. Alene and their children too joined him for this overseas mission. Mrs. Alene Moris was assigned to teach in Lok Yuk Secondary School, first at the old school in Signal Hill and later on at the new school premise in Likas.

She was one teacher I just could not forget. She was the only teacher I can remember who wept for her students. Her desire to see her students genuinely understood her teaching and excelled in the subject she taught was unprecedented. In those days, many of us had just transitioned from Chinese primary school to English medium secondary school and had difficulty conversing in English. Trying to understand English Literature taught by an English speaking foreigner (with American accent) was at best understood at a score of 2 out of 10 in most occasion. In the end, she wept in front of her Form 2 class when she felt so helpless to teach a bunch of "ignorance" and "mediocrity"!

In the end, her teaching was not in vain. Not long ago, a few of the classmates reminisced the old days of learning from Mrs. Moris.

One commented: "That sweet gracious lady Mrs. Moris, I remember her. She has a beautiful voice when she sang".

Another commented: "I was in her choir and we were champion in the inter-school competition. I sang tenor. She was very serious in our practice. I remember she cried when some of us were not paying attention". This chap could even recall her teaching the class the poem, "The Donkey" by G.K. Chesterton.

Alene Moris

1928 - 2019 

(Photo downloaded from Alene's FB)

Part of the teaching staff of Lok Yuk Secondary School, 
Likas (Photo taken between 1966 & 1967).
Arlene Moris is 3rd from left.

Arlene Moris is at front row, 2nd from right.
Her husband, Pastor Moris is at front row, 1st left.

I lost contact with her since she left Sabah in 1969. It was only in late 2017 after a lapse of 48 years that I was able to link up with her again. Her email on 30 October 2017 summarizes her life since she left Sabah in 1969.

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Alfred:

I am glad we were able to connect through e-mail. I have used e-mail since the early nineties and Google for the last ten years. I must become a learner again! I am going to be 90 years old next March. My husband, Rev. Walter Moris died in 1996 at the age of 70. For the last 12 years, I have been the "special friend" of Floyd Jones, a very generous philanthropist here in Seattle.

My four children all remember Sabah very fondly. My two sons, Erik and Karl, took me to visit Kota Kinabalu in 1998. It was wonderful to see Lok Yuk still flourishing though very different! My daughter, Kristina has her own company in New York but she works many times on assignment in Europe (she is there now). My older daughter, Karin, lives with her family just 40 miles north of Seattle.

We attended the English service while we were in Sabah. It has a different style of worship from the style we had when we were there. But I was excited to see the energy and enthusiasm of  the members. I remember well when I led the church choir and the choir at Lok Yuk. Shortly before we returned to the States in July 1969. I had the thrill of directing the massed choir of the male singers from three Christian senior schools. We sang Dona Nobis Pacem which is Latin for Give Us Peace. (The terrible Viet Nam War was going on.)

After doing graduate work in psychology, I have had a very busy professional life for almost 47 years. I am still doing public speaking at the University of Washington and many other places. You can "Google" me if you wish. I have concentrated on getting women into leadership positions because I know that they will work very hard not to have war.

We have a very bad president right now, Donald Trump. I am afraid he could lead us into another war.

Americans have been much too quick to go to war. God forgive us all! My latest speech was entitled "Women Leaders: Will They Make a Difference?" and the conclusion is that we need 50% men and 50% women to have the wisdom (Lao Tze) needed for peace. I use the yin/yang expression to express what I hope will come about. Probably not in my lifetime. We will keep on having what I call a "distorted reality" where we don't use the intelligence and compassion of ALL the citizens. Our Congress in Washington D.C. has only 19% female members and the Congress is a disaster and very dangerous and ugly in its behavior.

I must stop discussing this difficult topic. I usually am more cheerful!

Thanks again for contacting me and helping me to recall those happy years in Sabah 1965-1969.

I enjoyed seeing the photo of your family. What a good looking group of people. You must be happy to have such a clan!

For now    Alene Moris

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Alene is a woman of exceptional quality. Her perseverance, unrelenting pursuit of knowledge and empowerment of women are truly an inspiration for all. The blog of Alene's friend's granddaughter is an apt tribute to her long and fruitful life (Tap and Read Here).