Rev. Bahalu Hassan's Message at His Thanksgiving Retirement Service on March 5, 2005 at Kampar Wesley Methodist Church

His First Call
It was towards the end of 1960, during school holidays, Rev. Dick Babcork invited Bah Tillah, Bah War and me for a holiday to the manse at Ekland Heights, Raub. At night I could hear the carolers in the church practicing Christmas carols. One in particular, “Silent Night Holy Night” was so beautiful and enchanting. That carol touched my heart. I felt so attracted to that tune, I wanted to learn and sing that carol. Jesus came into my life at that moment. I began to believe in Jesus. This is my Christ. He is my Lord and Saviour.

The Methodist missions work to the Sengoi people resumed in 1961. The mission work had a dual strategy;

• To extend help in education to the children of the “Orang Asli”
• To declare the Good News of the Lord to the Orang Asli.

In January 1961, 30 Orang Asli children from the villages nearby the Kampar was brought into Methodist Afternoon School of Kampar. Hostel facilities for the pupils was built in Kampung Batu Berangkai. The Methodist Church supported by providing school fees, medical treatment, clothing and other necessities. I was selected to supervise the hostel.

I formally accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and my Saviour in 1962. Since then I have actively involve in the programmes and activities of the Methodist Church. Initially, I attended the Kampar Wesley Thursday Bible Study class, MYF on Saturdays and participated in the Boys Brigade.

The Methodist Church recognized that I needed to gain formal education and the necessary qualifications. So subsequently together with Bah Chimpok, Bah Dengal Nuyup and Bah Jegap (from Ulu Geroh, Gopeng), Bah Dayak (from Chenderong Kelubi) Bah Betin dan Bah Yah, both of them from the Temiar tribe (from Port Chabai, Besut, Kelantan), we attended the Methodist English School in Bentong and later in Kuantan, Pahang. Mr. Ted Miles was the school principal and our mentor.

In Bentong we attended Sunday worship at Wesley Methodist Church. The pastor was Rev Tan Chi Keong. Later when we continued our education in Kuantan. All of us joined the Kuantan Wesley Methodist Church. Rev David Hilton was the pastor then. We enjoyed participating in all the programmes and activities organized by the church.

God’s Second Call
In 1968, just before the end of my secondary schooling at Kuantan, I had dreams for two nights. In those dreams there was a distinct voice that said, “Go back and help your people.” I kept asking the voice, “How can I help?”

I returned to Kampar in the same year. The Methodist Board of Mission assigned me to become;

• Assistant Warden under Rev. Jerry Rabbu to take care of the Orang Asli children at the hostel.
• Office boy at Methodist English School office under Mr. Yip Yat Sun, the school principal and teach the Standard One class Bahasa Malaysia.
 
In the evening I assisted the Orang Asli children with their school work. At night, I led the vespers for the children at the hostel. On Saturdays and Sundays, I followed Rev. Jerry Rabbu to visit Sengoi villages to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. At that time, together with Bah Daniel Napitopoloe, we assisted Dr. and Mrs. Paul B. Means in the translation of the Bible into Bahasa Sengoi-Semai.

In 1969, I was sent by Dr Paul B. Means to attend a seminar about “Ways of Translating Bible” organized by the Bible Society held in Ooty, South India.

Later that year I went to Trinity Theological College, Singapore. I only lasted 6 months in the college. The academic level there was too high and I felt much of what was taught and discussed was so distant to the Sengoi people living in the villages.
.
In 1970, Dr. M Bolton, a medical doctor attached to Hospital Orang Asli in Gombak, Kuala Lumpur invited me to join his staff. This hospital gave medical services exclusively to the Orang Asli. My responsibilities was to provide some formal education in the children’s ward and to teach the Orang Asli medical attendants, English and arithmetics. I have the opportunity to attend a course on malaria in Institute Medical Research and assist in some research about malaria. After that I assisted in the dental clinic. While engaged in this medical work, I started a Christian Fellowship at the Gombak Hospital and it is still active today.

God’s Third Call
Whilst with medical service in Gombak, I suddenly fell ill. My entire body was in pain. I was unable to move and could only rest on the bed. From one who gave medical assistance, I was now a patient in the Gombak Hospital. I was sick, weak and worried. I could do nothing but just cry out to God in prayer.

While in pain and receiving medical treatment, out of the blue I receive a letter from the Secretary of the Board of Mission requesting me to return and work for the Board of Mission. I was to share God’s love and his Good News to my people, the Sengoi. I prayed and I sought God’s purpose for me. My simple prayer was, “God, you know my condition. If it is your will to use me, I will obey you. Amen.” I immediately felt peace. I returned to Kampar. This was God’s third call in my life.

In May 1972, I began service with Board of Mission in Kampar. This call to serve God confirms the call I received 4 years previously to return and to help my people in villages.

My Service
1960s        God’s Mission and Evangelism to all the Sengoi.
1970s        Board of Sengoi Mission formed. Rev. Bah War & Rev Long Merdi sent to the BEM Bible School in Miri & Lawas
1972          I start to work fulltime with the Board of Mission as a manager serving in Sengoi work.
1974-1976 Studied at the Sumatera Utara Bible School, Medan
1980-1983 Taught at Sengoi Workers Training Centre
1984-1987 Studied at All Nations Christian College in London, England.
1991         Formation of the Persidangan Misi Sengoi Methodist (PMSM), I was selected to be the Pengetua
2004         Retired from PMSM. Rev Bah Uda Aman is now the Pengetua.
2005         Involved in Bible Translation to Bahasa Sengoi-Semai.