Life is a Journey – Part Three

Life’s journey takes many twists and turns. Over the years since I left Ayr God has taken me to some incredible places and introduced me to many delightful friends along the way. Here are just a few:


- Santa Barbara – We spent seven and a half years in this beautiful Mediterranean-style community about one hundred miles north of Los Angeles. It was our first Corps appointment and we grew to love this wonderful city with the Pacific Ocean breaking on its shore and the mountains standing tall behind. We grew from rookies to seasoned officers here. In January 1999 we were commissioned as “full” Captains in the Corps with the Regent Hall Band led by Stephen Hanover accompanying us – they were in California for the Rose Parade!


- Singapore – Part of our hearts will always be there. It is a magical, enchanting island with everything ancient and modern. In just a few square miles you can be in England, or China, or India, or Malaysia, or Indonesia, or even the USA! We loved the people, the food, the pulsating, driving lifestyle, the convenience for traveling throughout Asia, and the ministry that God gave us among the people.


- Asfirrudin – He was a fourteen year old Malay Muslim boy with a brain tumor who was admitted to Peacehaven, the nursing home we ran in Singapore. When he came in he was not expected to live more than a few weeks. He could not move or do anything for himself – he was literally in a vegetative state. But the constant care and love that was showered on him by our staff saw him begin to respond, first with slight movements of his eyes, then with his hands. Soon he was sitting up and quite aware of his surroundings. I visited him often and was always surprised at the progress he was making. Our chaplain, Jimi, also visited him and kept telling him about the love of Jesus. One day, more than a year after his arrival, Jimi asked him in Malay if he wanted to accept Jesus into his heart. He told him to squeeze his hand once for “Yes” and twice for “No.” Asfirrudin squeezed his hand once and accepted Christ as his Saviour while Jimi prayed. He went to heaven a few weeks later. His doctors said that the quality of life he enjoyed was far greater than anything they expected. He was my special friend and I still miss him.


- Mui Lang – She was the cause of some of our greatest headaches in Singapore, but became one of our best friends! As the Assistant Executive Director for Nursing in Peacehaven she really ran the place. We called her “the matron” since that was her role. It was also her attitude. But we recognized her leadership and potential to help us achieve our goal of making Peacehaven truly a Salvation Army ministry. Over the years we saw her move from adversary to friend. She began attending the Corps, then became a soldier, and finally we commissioned her as our Corps Sergeant-Major! What a woman! A five foot nothing bundle of nuclear energy, she kept us running from morning till night. When we left Singapore, we proudly and confidently handed over the reins of Peacehaven to her, and she still calls us every week with an update!


- Kolok – Captain Tan Guat Hai, or Kolok as he is known, is the Corps Officer in Bintulu, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. I visited Kolok several times and was always impressed by his energy and compassion. One day, while conducting the Corps Review we were interrupted by a phone call. A longhouse belonging to an Iban family had burned to the ground. Kolok told me we needed to deal with this so the review was put on hold and we loaded his van with food, clothing and other supplies. Then we set off on a two-hour trip into the jungle where we found the family living in a makeshift tent alongside the ashes of their former home. We gave them the supplies and spent some time listening to their story. It was only later that I discovered that the Iban people used to be headhunters! Many still have the little shrunken heads hanging on their doorposts to ward away evil spirits. But this young officer and his CineseHong Kong wife bravely and regularly carry the compassion of his Christian faith into the heart of Borneo, because they love Jesus.


- Myles and Debbie – These two are among our newest friends. While we were attending our “home” Corps in California (Tustin Ranch), we met Myles and Debbie after a Sunday morning service. Myles was going through a very difficult work-related trial and although he was a Buddhist, he was looking anywhere to find some peace and help. They were Japanese-Americans from Hawaii who both worked as pharmacists. Isobel talked to them and quickly realized they needed Jesus in their lives. Led by the Holy Spirit, she asked if they wanted a relationship with Christ and to know His peace. They blurted out, “Yes!” and we led them into a small room where they both invited Jesus Christ into their hearts. We only had a few weeks with them before we left for the UK, but saw tremendous growth in their faith, and great joy and peace come into their lives. They now attend the Corps regularly, and we look forward to seeing them in a few weeks.


Throughout this journey Isobel has been my constant companion. She is my best friend, my inspiration, and my soul-mate. Without her I would have been lost. Of course, the same is true of Jesus Christ, who brought us together and has kept us in His love. Together we travel through all the twists and turns and eventually will be united for all eternity. What a wonderful hope! Jesus says, “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). And so we journey on singing the words of Fanny Crosby:

I must have the Saviour with me,

For I dare not walk alone;

I must feel his presence near me,

And his arm around me thrown.



Then my soul shall fear no ill;

Let him lead me where he will,

I will go without a murmur,

And his footsteps follow still.

Major Ian Robinson