A visit to Kampong Merungin

     If you can cast your mind  back to April when I became a recording artist and was spending my free time burning CD's on my computer, I was in and out of the one shop that sold the blank CD's in Ranau and eventually the owner asked me why I needed so many. I explained and she duly bought one of the songbooks and then later contacted me to see if I would be willing to sing at this very isolated village that they visit from time to time. Sing what? I asked, " Songs from the songbook and maybe some Christian songs" she replied. Help! What do I say? I only know "Kumbaya" and "Give me oil in your lamp" and they are very rusty. I explained to her that I wouldn't call myself a Christian these days however I would be very happy to play the guitar and sing along with the villagers because as you can guess I was intrigued and fascinated to go to the village.

One of the houses in the village

My retirement home!!

    So the appointed day came and I met up with Mr and Mrs Kong and their daughter and we set off towards the "Interior" and after about an hour and a half on a gravel road we arrived. Not knowing what was in store for me I was a little surprised to find that the “Community Hall” had been prepared with chairs just to see me. I thought I was going to be playing the guitar for a sing along but it looked like I was the only attraction. The village Merungin is a small village of about 200 inhabitants with a mix of half and half Christian and Muslim. They very recently got electricity installed and fresh running water will shortly be there too. They have very little possibility of an income and live on what they grow and fish and the children walk an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon to go the nearest school.There were all ages and both religions at “my show” but predominantly children and I basically just sang action songs like I do with the young children at school. The Head Man was there and at the beginning and end he made a speech about the orang puteh (I have no name!) and I was given a  bag that had been made by a villager (sadly in plastic not in bamboo)

The Queen of Sheba!

 Afterwards some of the older children wanted to show me the new suspension footbridge over the  river Sugut close by and so off we went. It was certainly in amazing condition compared to some I’ve seen and they did their best to shake and jump and swing on it as much as they could to make me lose my balance! The next thing in store for me was two boys wanted to take me on their home made bamboo raft for a river trip. I first checked on the crocodile situation and then got on feeling like the Queen of Sheba sat in the middle of this raft while these young boys were punting the raft down stream. They were diving on and off and I couldn’t resist it so went in too. It was more difficult getting up stream again but fortunately the river is very low at the moment and we were able to push it.

     I left these lovely people promising to return again and on the journey back thought a lot about their seemingly idyllic way of life and how much electricity would change all that. We with electricity take it for granted and  know already what the advantages are that it brings but of course with everything there is always the downside too. Whether or not it was providence but my house was struck by lightning on Saturday evening and as I lay in the dark wondering what I could do with just my wind up torch, I realised that I could never go back to a time without electricity and why should I want other people not to benefit too. I just hope it is for the best.