Jelutong Revisited

 

The villagers have added a new construction...a place to burn their joss sticks and incense

 

My favourite "Jambu" tree or what is called "Rose apple". The tree is now about
80 years old! It is still bearing fruits but the fruits are often attacked by worms and insects.

 

Jasmin, posing outside the gate of our home in Jelutong. The tenant is a dog lover. She has over ten dogs!

 

The temple which is over a 100 years old. It was our dog, Bobby's favourite haunt as he enjoyed lying down on the cool tiles!

Whenever I go back to Penang, I must visit our old home. Plans have been made to develop Jelutong Village, and second brother Kee Seng has moved to his new condo at Vista Ria, in Sungei Ara. It is the village that I grew up in, until I left for my tertiary in Canada. How I love the "big playground". Indeed the whole village was one huge playground for my siblings and I. We would run around, playing robbers and policemen. We would play games, where holes were dug in the sand in one straight row and every player would be given one hole on the ground. When the ball was thrown, the owner would have to quickly pick up the ball and try to hit a participant. The loser would have his face drawn with black ink!! Once I played and ended up like Justice Bao, with my face all painted with ink.

I loved to climb the fruit trees in our compound. However, as I was the youngest with the shortest legs, I was always at the lowest part of the tree, and second sister would be the one plucking all the fruits as she was agile like a monkey! Sometimes we would play from morning to evening, with our faces black and sweaty but it was fun, growing up in Jelutong Village.

I am thankful that despite being raised in a notorious village, my siblings and I grew up fine. Our immense gratitude to God for He is the one who protected us from harm and danger. We were like the wild flowers growing on the hillsides, exposed to so many elements, but the Creator has blessed us. I believe that we were richly blessed because of papa. Our home was often filled with guests as our friends loved to listen to papa's stories. My parents would often invite strangers, especially tourists on a shoe string budget to stay at our home for a few days. Papa had always reminded us to treat others with respect and kindness.....then our generations will be blessed. I am delighted that my nephews and nieces are all doing very well, in health and in their career.

I remember how I would often share stories of our childhood in Jelutong, and my students would listen with awe and rapt attention. Now I am glad that I could put the pictures and stories in my blog.

Gan Chau