Jalan jalan 4 - Taiping 走透透 4 - 太平

Church of our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Taiping (137 yrs old)
太平圣心圣母堂 （137年）

25-2-2012 Saturday.

We left Penang for Taiping after breakfast.

Taiping is the wettest town in the country, receiving 4000 mm of rain annually compares with the rest of the country between 2000 - 2500 mm. It rains more than 250 days of the year.

Taiping is a historical boasting many firsts, such as the first port in the country, the first prison in the country, the first zoo in the country, the most beautiful lake garden .... however, the most famous of them all : the Kemunting detention center where many political prisoners were detained without trial under the dragonian Internal Security Act (ISA). Notable ex-detainee .... Lim Kit Siang, Lim, Karpal Singh, Anwar Ibrahim, Theresa Kok..... and many Chinese education activists.

We came to Taiping not for sightseeing, but making visit to some legendary people...some sort.

We went to the home of Pauline Dorai, believed to be the longest serving legionary with 58 years of Legion membership.

Not meeting her for more than 15 years, she was surprised and touched by out visit. She was the Taiping Curia president during my tenure of my Regia presidency.

She is a retired Convent school head and still attend legion weekly meeting regularly.

After our visit to the most senior member of the Legion, we met the most junior member (in term of membership) in Taiping too.

Mary Wong is the president of 3-month old Chinese language preasidium ( a unit of the Legion) in Taiping. I was very impressed by her enthusiasm and zeal and pray for God's blessing on her and other members in their new mission.

We met Fr. Jude Miranda, the energetic parish priest, who is very supportive of the Legion of Mary.

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Pauline Dorei (center 中）

黄凤玉姐妹（前右一）米兰特神父（后中）
Mary Wong （front right)， Fr. Jude Miranda (back center)

25-2-2012 星期五。

早餐后， 我们就离开槟城，前往太平。

太平是全国雨量最多的地方。平均每年的雨量为4000 mm，而全国的平均雨量为2000-2500mm。全年大约260会有下雨。

太平是座具有历史性的市镇，有多项全国之最，如：第一个码头，第一条铁路，都在太平。第一座监狱，第一个钟楼，第一个动物园，最美丽的公园。。。当然最著名的，该是甘文丁拘留营！

甘文丁扣留中心是马来西亚恶名昭彰的【内安法令】下，无需审讯就被拘留的政治犯拘禁地点。著名的拘留者有反对党领袖林吉祥，卡巴星，安华，郭素沁。。。及好多的华教活跃份子。

我们到太平不是观赏风景，而是到了拜访几位深具历史性的人物。

宝玲杜拉，军龄58年，相信是圣母军服务最久的团员。

我已经整十五年没见过她了。在我的区域团团长任期时，她是太平区团的团长，我们还曾组织一个40人的旅游团，到太平探访她及团员。

她非常的感动及惊喜的看到我们的到来。她目前仍然参加支团的周会。

探访了军龄最长大团员，我们接下来是探访最年幼军龄的团员。

黄凤玉姐妹是仁慈之母支团的团长。该支团是在三个月前成立的，在三个月的试验区过后，将在三月十一日，正式成立。我对她的热忱非常的感动，祈望上主祝福她及所有团员，指引她们在这新使命的路上，充满平安喜乐。

我们也会见了太平圣路易斯堂上主任米兰特神父，他充满干劲，也很支持圣母军。

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胡光贞修女 Sr.Hu (left)