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This continued for over 10 years until her children became adults and got married.
When her second son was in his 50s, she went to live with him and his family. Her two sons have since passed on.
“I could not get along very well with the younger generation in my family,” Mdm Loh recalled.
“There always seemed to be disagreements and miscommunication. I was frequently very upset and had many worries.”
Neighbourhood friends
On her regular walks around the neighbourhood, Mdm Loh got to know friendly neighbours – staff at Living Sanctuary Brethren Church – who stopped to chat with her. She soon invited them to her home and became good friends with one of them – a woman named Lin Park.
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“One day, Lin Pak told me, ‘You look very worried all the time. Could you share with me why?'”
“One day, Lin Pak told me, ‘You look very worried all the time. Could you share with me why?’,” recalled Mdm Loh.
Mdm Loh visited a place of worship related to her faith every week. She was worried because she had no offspring to perform religious rituals on her death, as her only surviving child, Jennifer, is a Christian.
Over time, Lin Park gently introduced Mdm Loh to the teachings of Jesus, explaining the peace He offers and the promise of life after death to those who trust in Him.
Mdm Loh said: “I did not know about other religions until Lin Pak spoke with me.”
Man of peace
One day, Mdm Loh told God: “If You are real and want me to accept You, show me a sign and prove it to me.”
Shortly after, she had a dream. In it, she saw the back of a man. It astonished her. She instinctively knew that He was Jesus.
Mdm Loh asked Him to give her peace if He wanted her to be His daughter.
She felt peace (John 16:33) replace fear, and so she asked Jesus to come into her life. She was 95 at that time.
Mdm Loh’s family surprised her with a two-tier version of her favourite rose lemon sponge cake on her 100th birthday. The Bible verse (Psalm 91:16) acknowledges God, who has blessed her with a long life.
In her desire to openly express her faith, she decided to get baptised. Just before her baptism, she had another dream of Jesus. This time, she saw His face.
When she shared her dream with her family, they thought that Jesus had come to welcome her into heaven.
However, Mdm Loh’s time was not up yet.
No longer afraid
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Praying to Jesus has helped Mdm Loh overcome her fears.
Recently, when she was about to fall asleep, she felt someone touching and disturbing her. Physically, there wasn’t anyone else in the room with her.
In response, Mdm Loh prayed: “Lord, help me to not be afraid.”
That sensation went away and she was able to sleep.
On and off, this still happens. But Mdm Loh is no longer scared, as she knows that Jesus will protect her.
When Mdm Loh prays, she finds herself worrying less.
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Mdm Loh (second from right, with Jennifer, fourth from left) prays daily for her family’s well-being. She has four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren (between the ages of 2 to late 20s), and one great-great grandchild.
She has let go of things that have hurt her in the past, and has a better, loving relationship with her family.
When she feels tired, she prays for strength and finds herself feeling better and able to function for the day.
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Mdm Loh’s daily routine starts with prayer and is filled with regular meals and rest. As she now requires a wheelchair to get around, she spends most of her time at home – chatting with her pet bird or admiring her plants.
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“My memory has also surprisingly become better,” she said. “When I pray, God helps me find things I have misplaced.”
Sharing is caring
“I also pray for our nation’s peace, so that everyone will have peace too,” said Mdm Loh.
She also enthusiastically shares the peace she’s found in Jesus with others, including people she meets in the lift.
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Through Mdm Loh, her niece-in-law, Mdm Chue Foon Yin, 98, came to know Christ.
Mdm Loh (right) enjoys the company of her 98-year-old niece-in-law, Mdm Chue.
When Mdm Loh was more mobile, she used to attend Mandarin services at church on Sundays, and seniors’ meetings on Wednesdays. She enjoyed picking up the weekly church newsletter to read.
These days, a representative from church visits Mdm Loh once a month to pray with her and give her Holy Communion.
