Thank you for reminiscing and commenting below on a life well spent to the glory of God.
In the comment box, together with your eulogy, please write out your name, unlike Joseph Ng, who posted first but forgot to do so.
(Comments posted upon approval)
Ok, I'll go first if nobody will. Just to share Mom's life in five locations, starting in Batu (Pahat), Malaysia, where she was the Mueh Mueh, the youngest of eight children of a medical doctor from Swatow, China. losing her mom at 12 was painful, but it got worse getting thrown in the deep end as the church pianist, which forced her to learn to play the hymnal in all keys. Trivia item, Chinese evangelist John Sung stayed in their home and they witnessed his eccentric ways while hosting him on his revival itinerary. Mom's diligence on the daily double session of English and Chinese medium school to avoid the cane for dropping out of the top three places in standard soon got her out of ulu Batu to Raffles Girls School, St Andrews Pre-U, and then Teacher's Training College in Singapore.
ReplyDeleteNext location was Princeton, New Jersey, where she cranked through her Bachelor in Music studies in 1.5 years, paying her way through eating raw carrots, babysitting (which gave her paid time to finish her homework), and playing for an evangelical church. As an academic machine, she got to learn under the baton of legends like Eugene Ormandy and play on the organ at West Point. By God's grace, she also resisted the blasphemous prayers of the Liberal chaplain at the college.
Coming back to Singapore, the third great locus in her life, she was the belle of Life Bible Presbyterian Church, and hearts were broken when she married the poor assistant pastor and first lecturer of the church's Bible college, a recent grad named Peter Ng. Together, they set out to reach the slums of Singapore and gave birth to three children. The first was Jesus Saves Mission, in 1964, followed by a couple of biological son, Joseph and Benjamin. As a music specialist in Singapore's Ministry of Education, Mom got assigned to Bukit Tunggal Girls School, where they unexpectedly won at the Singapore Youth Festival. What she earned them went to the support of her "three kids" until reminded of a vow she made during John Sung's campaign to serve in church fulltime. Painful as it was, the music teacher had to take her resignation gratuity to buy a ministry vehicle, a Volkswagen 1300 beetle, and ruin her fingers washing the dishes despite her skin allergies. But she was able to dumb down beansprouts sight-reading to Missionary Music, a method she used to get JSM School of Missions beginners to play hymns. And just as importantly, Mom handled the accounts magnificently under the audit of Alvin Chee, which came in handy when the ministry came under close scrutiny by the authorities in the 1980s. Which brings us to Location Four.
In Birmingham, Alabama, Mom became Mizeng to kids in the black housing project next to the Legion Field stadium. There, JSM USA reached out to street kids, aged shut-ins, homeless vagrants, and people from every wall of life through VBS, overnight camps, kindergarten outreach, etc. Mom augmented her musical offerings with healthy baked, gravies, and tight-budget turkey dishes that fed neighbourhood kids and interns from San Francisco, Philadelphia, Singapore, and elsewhere. While Dad has to leave to start ISOM in Cebu, Mom has to hold the fort for months on end.
Eventually, she returned to Singapore, where the Lord put her into Location Five, Lentor Residence, for enforced rest in her remaining years. Slowly but surely seized by Alzheimer's, mom lost her ability to recognize people and then even music and language as well. Called by her childhood name MUI, she would eventually be tube-fed and go to the ER thrice in 2024, including the second for COVID, before reaching the golden shore.
From Mueh Mueh in Batu to Mui in Lentor, she's served her Master and others in many ways. To me, you'll always be Ma. See you soon, lost in wonder love and praise. Miss ya.
My family and I have nothing but fond memories of the Ng family and the JSM family. Our first acquaintance with Dr. & Mrs. Ng was at the Asia-Pacific Congress of Christian Fundamentalism in 1991. It was a real joy and honor to be part of such a great work for God--to raise up high the banner of Biblical truth over 3 decades ago. Since then, our friendship and camaraderie developed. Our visits to Singapore have all been memorable, including our road trip to South Carolina (with the overnight stop over at Maryland) in 1999 for the World Congress of Christian Fundamentalism. Mrs. Ng has always been there on the side. I cherish those brief exchanges with her as we sought to learn from veteran warriors of the faith. I have never seen any other servant of the Lord in my lifetime who has given the rightful emphasis on prayer.
ReplyDeleteDr. Peter Ng, and now Mrs. Ng will surely be missed. It seems to be it will be very difficult to fill in their shoes. Thankfully, God's grace is always sufficient to meet our needs. We are confident that they both are in a far better place than any of us: "absent from the body, present with the Lord," 2 Cor 5:8. For them, as it should be for us, living means Christ, but dying is gain, Phil 1:21. May we all find great assurance and comfort in our Lord's unshakeable promise to all those who belong ti Him: that nothing, not even death, "shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord," Rom 8:38-39.
Your fellow servant,
Dr. Roberto Jose Livioco
Your parents and Benjamin stayed in our apartment when your Dad was our Bible Conference in Metro Manila years ago.
ReplyDeleteLearned alot from her about ministry and family life… it is always a blessing to hear from her for added wisdom as I serve the Lord… the answered prayers, challenges along the way… Thanks for all the words of wisdom and the fellowship as well.
She even introduced me to a footwear … SCHOLL … quite pricey for me but she explained the comfort in it 😊
Mrs. Ng … not a goodbye; just until we meet again❤️
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteDavid Bennett - International Director SWM
ReplyDelete“Without A Veil I See Him”
Without a veil I see Him,
And now I bow the knee
To thank Him for grace given
And faith His Light to see.
Without a veil I see Him –
O precious, joyous thought;
To think – I now behold Him
For Whom I long had sought!
Without a veil I see Him –
The likes earth’s never seen –
For faith has turned to seeing
Where there’s no veil between!
Without a veil I see Him
In glory bright and fair;
I see Him in such beauty
That on His face I stare.
Without a veil I see Him
More dazzling than the sun –
And here my heart doth worship
God’s vivid, veil-less Son.
Without a veil I see Him
Now and eternally;
I see Him in His glory –
The One Who died for me!
Without a veil I’ll see Him –
I’LL SEE HIM AS HE IS! –
In Heaven robed in splendor
Where glory all is His!
Dedicated to the blessed memory of a life well lived by Mrs. Tow Siew Mui
© Written by WDB
on June 22, 2024
while meditating on
“In Immanuel’s Land” 1857
by Anne R. Cousin,
See I John 3:2.
Meter: 7.6.7.6.
Thanks to the Lord for using late Mrs. Ng for training me when I was a
ReplyDeleteyoung missionary in Cebu, Philippines.
I never forget what she told me: be sure there is enough funds to support
the pastors & missionaries when there is emergency. She told me that I must
keep some cash on hand for emergency use as the banks would closed when
there would be emergency.
I followed her instructions.
When we were in emergency, like supper typhoon, earthquake, fire...
we were able to went thro without been getting hungry & discouraged.
She loves God's servants & cares for us.
We miss you Mrs Ng & your wise instructions, plus your cares & love for
God's servants.
Regards,
She Kwan | benjaminsalado@yahoo.com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI first got to know Mrs. Elizabeth Ng on my first day of work in the JSM office. It was an honour for me to be working under her supervision and guidance. She was a meticulous, quick-thinking and efficient administrator, but more so a missionary at heart. She cared and reached out to the unsaved and yearned for their salvation.
ReplyDeleteMrs Ng was a good cook. For a period of time I had lunch at her house on every Monday when I went there for some account works. I enjoyed her cooking - home-made Otah, herbal chicken soup, stir-fry liver with ginger, delicious stir-fry vegetables and many more.
Mrs Ng was good in drawing and picture illustration, and a good teacher. I remember her beautiful water-colour painting. It reminds me of our Creator who made all things bright and beautiful. Mrs Ng's Christian Reader Course had benefited many young mothers then in the church.
I recalled the memorable moment when both of us sat in the almost vacant hall of her Toa Payoh house. Every time thinking back, I thank the Lord that it was only by His enabling grace that with just two of us, we managed to clear the whole house before Mrs Ng left for the U.S. to join the late Rev Dr Peter Ng in the ministry.
Mrs Ng, till we meet again! Maranatha.
Sis Mary Ho-Tan
Dear Joseph and Benjamin, i first met your Mum and Dad as a 17 year old boy, fresh out of New Zealand, never before had i been out of my home country, that was in September 1967.
ReplyDeleteYour Mum very graciously took me into your family, both Yourself and Benjamin called me " big brother calvin."
In the first week of being on Singapore Your Mum took me to places to buy clothing suitable for Singapore weather, i had arrived wearing a woollen suit.
I was blest to know Your Mum, she was like a " Mum," to me.
Your Mum taught music in SOM and i was one of her students playing the Accordian and the Anklong.
She will be missed, but it brings joy to know She is with Her Lord and Master, Whom she loved and served Her whole Life.
Cherish her memory and Her love for you both and the many lives she touched.
Humbly, calvin channing, ( big brother)
I came to JSM in 1978 and got to know Mrs Ng through the years. In my early years in JSM, I was able to see Mrs Ng serving in various outreach ministries (e.g. Vietnamese refugee camp EM and Botanic Gardens Filipina EM). Her dedication to God's work and her love for souls were evident for us to emulate. I learnt a lot from her by observing and conversing with her. She played the piano and organ beautifully for worship services and other occasions. We in the choir and JSM as a whole were privileged to have benefitted from her n the late Ms Ng Chiau Kong's music ministry. She conducted a Christian Reader course teaching many young mums how to teach their kids to read using Phonics. This was of tremendous help to us mothers. Mrs Ng used to laugh heartily with us during times of fellowship. I will remember fondly the happy times we spent together. May we follow her good example of living for the Lord.
ReplyDeleteFarewell Mrs Ng for now until we meet again at Jesus feet.
Sis Alison Wong
Mrs Ng was a woman of many talents, one of which was the ability to turn even the simplest of ingredients into something delicious. Once, while visiting her, we were waiting for Pastor to return and have lunch together. Then Pastor called, saying he was bringing home two or three extra guests - and was less than half an hour away. Straight away, Sar Kim took out a can of tinned corn, some eggs, chopped up some veg - and before Pastor arrived, she had already created three more delicious dishes!
ReplyDeleteAlthough this incident took place more than 40 years ago, it has stuck in my mind because of the lessons I learnt from her actions: 1) always be ready to serve, 2) serve with joy, without any hint of complaint, 3) be faithful in the smallest things - even the simplest things we do can glorify God.
Thank God for her example!
Bee Lee
A year after we married, Rev. Pastor Peter Ng invited us for Saturday lunch at his place on Marine Drive. Pastor Ng greeted us warmly, and my wife kept the conversation lively. I didn't see Mrs. Ng at first; she was busy in the kitchen. Soon, she appeared with trays of delicious, simple dishes like spicy ikan bilis, tofu, and Peranakan-style long beans. Mrs. Ng moved gracefully, always smiling but saying little. Her quiet strength and dedication were evident, embodying a dutiful, supportive wife. She left a lasting impression on me, demonstrating submission, honor, and the joy of serving loved ones.
ReplyDeleteJerry Tang
I am very privileged to know Mrs Ng , the wife of our beloved founding pastor rev dr Ng Eng Hoe when he started the mission work near my home in Circuit Road in my youth days.
ReplyDeleteGod had specially blessed her with many gifts - a woman of prayers and of His Word.
A very able administrator, musician, very effective educator, cook, counsellor and a very efficient homemaker.
A woman of action, resilience and strength working quietly and supporting our founding pastor in all his endeavours locally and in overseas.
The gospel was very close to get heart as she interacted with others.
She had been a blessing to many, many peoples.
Her life had magnified the Lord.
Praise the Lord !
Will see her again in Glory Land, together with all our beloved ones to worship our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
andrewseet
Mrs Ng, whom I called Sa-Cheem, was a grateful person. When I was 19, we spent a rare night together in a
ReplyDeletecamper van as guests of church members where my 3rd uncle had been invited to preach. Besides teaching me how to do pin curls on my hair, she spoke of her gratitude towards my mother when Joseph's baby clothes were soaked through from the rain. (Their car had a luggage roof rack and wicker baskets were used to store stuff).
'Penny was so generous; gave me so many of your baby clothes'. Attire of choice then were white cotton tops & bottoms and cloth diapers - Nong Nong, no worries about floral prints!
In Alabama where I accompanied her into the dark bowels of public housing corridors lit by single
naked bulbs into even darker rooms which stank, I admired her courage to reach out to often emotionally unstable black women. Even till this day, I get goose bumps thinking about her physical safety.
Extremely resourceful, she made do with little money, cooking nourishing meals, and creating reading primers and storybooks with plain paper and crayons.
She showed me that a wife could make a conscious effort to submit to her husband. When a church member was delayed in picking us up after the red-eye flight from California, she 'complained' to her husband about the long wait. (Probably instigated by my grumblings and complaints!) Uncle chided her and told her to set a godly example for the watching niece, or else 'in future, she might also do the same thing to her husband.'
It is with a pang that I remember her, for the long goodbye since the onset of her illness. However, I take heart that she is in a better place with Jesus.
As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. - Psalm 17:15
Yolanda
For all the saints - I remember Mrs Ng
ReplyDeleteIt was a year after we got married when I received a call from Rev. Pastor Peter Ng. He invited my wife and me over for a Saturday lunch at his place on Marine Drive.
When we arrived, Pastor Ng greeted us warmly. We sat down, and the conversation flowed easily, mostly revolving around how we had been and other light topics. My wife helped to keep the conversation lively, preventing any awkward moments.
I didn't see Mrs. Ng at first, but Pastor Ng assured me she was busy in the kitchen. Before long, Mrs. Ng appeared, first with a small dish and then with more, which she placed on the table. Pastor Ng said grace, and we began our meal. The dishes were simple yet incredibly flavorful—like spicy ikan bilis, tofu, and long beans cooked in a Peranakan style. I had never imagined these humble dishes could taste so delightful.
Mrs. Ng moved gracefully in and out of the kitchen, bringing dish after dish, always smiling but saying very little. Observing her, I realized I had misunderstood her. She was the epitome of a dutiful wife, devoted and supportive, complementing her husband's role in every way. Her quiet strength and dedication left a lasting impression on me. As social beings created by God, life revolves around relationships, and hers exemplified submission, honor, and the joy of serving those she loved. A truly good wife is the most precious treasure a man can find!
Proverbs 31:10
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Esther Cheong
Tribute Notes on Mrs Ng - 8/7/24
ReplyDeleteIntroduction: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to pay tribute to our late Mrs Ng.
A How late Mrs Ng’s life inspired me? (1 gifted & great teacher 2 practical & prudent woman 3 supportive & submissive wife – GPS)
B .My journey with the late Mrs Ng for her last 15 years
A)1 G- a gifted and great teacher in the School of Missions ( SOM) & JSM ministry -She taught us how to play the organ and accordion and sing correctly although all of us Somers did not have any musical background . The first song she taught us how to play on the organ was’ I am happy.’ Through this song we could reach out to the little children in the village and led them to Christ. In church she trained the children’s choir and the children could sing with angelic voices and they performed so well in the Christmas pageant every year. She also trained the adults choir to sing for God’s glory. During the World fundamentalist conference in 1980, there were more than 100 members in the choir. She & late Ms Ng trained a very powerful choir. Remembered one of the great hymns we presented was a mighty fortress is our God. The other 2 hymns were the fight is on and God so loved the world for the gospel night on the last day.
She also trained the young mothers in church how to teach children to read at a young age of 2 years old. As a result, jsmers children were able to perform and excel in the schools and even the children could read the King James Bible. Praise the Lord.
2 P -a practical prudent woman ( as in Proverbs 31)- our late Mrs Ng was always thrifty and she knew how to budget well in the finance. For eg the church kindergarten. With the low fees collected, it was able to pay all the kindergarten teachers’ salaries.
In SOM, She taught us how to cook healthy meals using low cost ingredients such as ikan bilis and steamed Kuning fish. Her signature dishes were stewed ox tail and chicken soup. She also trained us how to cook for hundreds of people at church camps. Remembered the church camps at St John’s Island and Penang Hill. We cooked the meals using big pots & pans and there was no catered buffets. Yet the people enjoyed all the meals without any complaints.
3 )S- as a supportive and submissive wife to our late founding pastor in the jsm ministry. Late Mrs Ng travelled with founding pastor to USA , UK , Korea, Indonesia, Philippines ,Malaysia & many other places. She was also very hospitable She always invited us to join her for home cooked meals at PK mission upstairs and later at her Toa Payoh home. Though it was just a simple meal but it was so delicious & satisfying.
Late Mrs Ng was a great inspiration to my life. Through her life she had inspired me how to be a good Pastor’s wife.
Shared by: Sis Rhoda Koo
THE LATE REV PETER & MRS ELIZABETH NG
ReplyDeleteAs a young teenager in the late 1960s, the under referenced left-hand
writer could recall the late Rev Peter Ng who was the LORD's messenger,
delivering God's word many a time from the pulpit at Life B-P Church.
Fast forward to recent years with the privilege of recalling from his last
vigil service and most recently "zooming" into the memorial service of Mrs
Elizabeth Ng, it then dawn on the writer that both of this couple have
truly shared and embraced a common denominator.
As God's ever faithful servants and trusted stewards – like two peas in a
pod – this common denominator is about honoring and fearing the LORD,
demonstrated by their utmost love for and knowing God – having accorded Him
with much due reverence and respect.
As in the eulogies delivered on the couple's unfailing commitment on those
separate occasions, they have dedicated substantially their entire lives at
JSM fully devoting and immersing themselves in the LORD's work, with their
energy and commitment channeled to the local and overseas mission fields,
all in good faith – notwithstanding their extremely limited financial means
with whatever “earthly treasures” they ever possessed, all laid up in
heaven. Above all else, their signified selfless love for the LORD has
truly translated into their greatest compassion for the slum community.
In thanking God for this couple, both of them "have finished the course"
and "kept the faith". It is the greatest privilege, and God’s richest
blessings and assurance that the late Rev Peter and Mrs Elizabeth Ng are in
the presence of the LORD for eternity.
All praise, glory and honor to the Almighty God!
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: But fools despise
wisdom and instruction.
Prov 1:7 KJV
Peter, Clara & Adriel Leong
July 12, 2024
Eulogy to Mrs. Ng
ReplyDeleteThank God and glory to His Name.
Mrs. Ng is now in God’s present, she was His faithful maid, serving Him sacrificially as wife to founding pastor Rev. Dr. Peter Ng, she was his capable, faithful and sacrificial help mate.
This unworthy self felt unqualify to share, as there are many other who life that were touched by Mrs. Ng’s living testimonies of a humble, kind and helpful person. Thank be God, praise to His Name for blessing JSM with His handmaid.
I would like to expressed my family our heartfelt gratitude to our dear late Mrs. Elizabeth Ng Tow Siew Mui, she was a blessing to our family and many of us. I want to share three qualities of her character, she had shown during her earthly ministry, such as her resiliencies, resourcefulness and respectfulness.
We all knew she was the youngest daughter of Toh’s family, married into Ng’s family, both family are well known in the Chinese Christian fraternity in Singapore, namely the Methodist and the Presbyterian in the early thirty of twentieth century.
Our late Mrs. Ng was a school music teacher before, then giving up her teaching career to become a founding pastor to serve JSM and her two boys. From a stable income as a teacher, giving it all up into a living by faith as a poor pastor’s wife.
Praise and glory to God for her resiliencies, she stood by our founding pastor as an understanding, faithfully doing her duty through faith and by grace of God, taking cares of the family, raising up her two sons, managing church administration as well as a teacher, teaching music to ‘Somer’. She stood firmly by JSM, when its goes through many problems, crisis and attacks, from within and from without, even attack by Satan - through her very own dearest and closest family member (of which I personally witnessed on numerous occasion). She bears all the hardship and suffering together with pastor, when they took advises from well wish “kind hearted’’ people (but with hidden agenda – used by evil one). I believed and trust that all these had happened under the sovereign and permissive will of God (for His own glory and for blessing upon JSM). Many of us who knew the history of JSM will understand (but too sadly, many still don’t).
Glory to God for blessing her with the blessed spiritual gift of ‘resourcefulness’. JSM is not a church filled with rich people, but its existences was in serving God with the moto of ‘serving the poorest of the poor’. Mrs. Ng had through her resourcefulness find ways and means to provide for all that are needed in her service to God and His people in JSM and also during their tenures (escapades and calling) in USA and other part of the world. Many of us do understood and witnessed that our founding pastor was ‘a man of faith’, Rev. Peter Ng was also a man of action not in words only, when he decided on a mission he will goes all out to fulfill it according to God’s leading, so the heavy and arduous task of meeting the missions need fell on the shoulder of Mrs. Ng, she got it all place and in time by the grace of God and she does all meticulously to the Glory and praise of God.
Praise to God, Mrs. Elisabeth Ng was a role model for pastor’s wife (I personally think so) for many, she was well respected among Christian fraternity (churches that holds the stands of biblical separation) local and oversea. She seldom spoke in front and made things difficult for founding pastor in church and in public. She earned her respect from the Ng’s family, her own family and from the church, she had shown it through her’s testimony of godly living as a submissiveness, caring and loving pastor’s wife.
With praises and thanks to our God for such a wonderful soul like our late Mrs. Elisabeth Ng Tow Siew Mui, through her earthly ministry, she had been a blessing to JSM and my family. She is now in eternal blissfulness in the present of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She was free from sickness, hardship and grieves, I believe, she is now praying for us in God present, see you again Mrs. Ng when our Lord’s returns.
Unworthy
Koh Hock Heng.