His family was so poor, they did not have enough money to add a concrete floor to their attap house.

So struck was Chow Heng Kwang by his family’s circumstances that, as a child, he promised his mum he would make it to university so that they could “have a better life”.

But he did not do well in his ‘A’ Levels.

Heng Kwang (standing, left) with two brothers and their parents.

When he repeated the exams – not once, not twice, but four times – a thoughtful JC (junior college) classmate stepped up to tutor him.

Today, Chow Heng Kwang (also known as Charles), 55, is an entrepreneur with successful automotive businesses in Singapore and Vietnam.

Tee Loon (seated right, in white) and the early Lakeside team in the 1990s.

His kind classmate, Teo Tee Loon, went on to become the first social worker at Lakeside Family Services in 1992. He is now its Executive Director.

Tee Loon didn’t tell friends about how he had helped Heng Kwang achieve his dream of going to university. Neither did Heng Kwang – until a JC class reunion 30 years later when the story emerged.

A few classmates – including Heng Kwang – had accompanied Tee Loon and some Lakeside staff and supporters on an epic 40km overnight walk between Jurong and Changi in 2020.

It was the first annual event organised to raise funds for Lakeside’s work with prisoners and their families.

The cross-island treks symbolise Lakeside’s commitment to walk the long journey with ex-prisoners towards rehabilitation and reintegration by helping them to start a new life, reconciling them with their families and aiding them in their search for jobs and homes.

(From left to right) Tee Loon, Heng Kwang and their former JC mate, Daniel Koh, during the overnight walk from Lakeside’s office in Jurong to Changi Prison in 2020. “The walk is also symbolic of our journey of life,” Tee Loon had told walkers at this year’s event. “During difficult times, we need to help one another. Walking together makes the journey safer and easier to bear.”

Heng Kwang had never forgotten how Tee Loon had helped to change his lot in life.

He told Stories of Hope: “Tee Loon has dedicated his life to helping the poor and underprivileged – and I was one of them.”

Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam (then Deputy Prime Minister) presented Heng Kwang with the Valued Partner Award at Lakeside Family Services’ 25th anniversary gala dinner in 2018. The award was in recognition of his generous contributions to the social service agency.

“He has also inspired me by his example to give back to society regardless of race or religion.”

He was determined to support Tee Loon, just as Tee Loon had supported him all those years ago.

Heng Kwang shares his story not to draw attention to himself, but to show “how a friend’s kindness can give someone a leg up in life – and come back 360 degrees”.

A son’s promise

“From a young age, I was conscious that my family was very poor,” Heng Kwang told Stories of Hope.

Heng Kwang (front row, centre), at age 5, outside the home he shared with his four siblings and his cousins.

“My dad was an odd job labourer. If it rained, he couldn’t work and didn’t get paid.

“My mum worked in an electrical factory and was also a washerwoman for three wealthy families. And if we still didn’t have enough money, she would borrow money from the owner of the neighbourhood hardware shop.

“Other people looked down on us. We were always short of food and space. Our shoes, clothes and books were hand-me-downs,” he shared.

Before Chinese New Year, the children helped their mother to make love letters (rolled wafers), kuih bahulu (egg sponge cakes) and kok chai (mini peanut puffs) to sell at the factory where she worked.

With the extra money, she took the family to Chinatown to buy new clothes and books for the new school year.

“On top of working in a factory and doing laundry for three families, Mum walked far to do the marketing. After work, she cooked for us,” said Heng Kwang, recalling how hard his mother toiled for the family.

“When I was five, a childless auntie told my mum to give me up for adoption.

“But when she came to take me, my mum held me very tight and refused to let me go.”

Later, when Heng Kwang graduated from kindergarten, he promised his mum: “I will wear a mortarboard and gown for you again. I will go to university so that we can have a better life.”

Smiley’s secret

True to his word, Heng Kwang studied hard. He was thrilled to get into Anglo Chinese Junior College (ACJC).

Heng Kwang’s classmates affectionately nicknamed the pleasant boy “Smiley”. But few realised the pain he hid behind his smile.

Heng Kwang (front row, extreme right) made it to the best arts class in ACJC, where he met Tee Loon (front row, third from right).

“Coming from a poor family, a kampung and a neighbourhood school, I had problems adapting.

“Most of the other students came from ‘good’ schools. They were outspoken and confident. Some were driven to school in luxury cars. It was easier for them to fit into the new environment because of their commonality.

“I felt left out even though I was not ostracised. I became more withdrawn and avoided extra-curricular activities.”

The friends training together for Lakeside’s second cross-island walk in 2021.

But Heng Kwang made a few close friends. Among them, Tee Loon, who came from Anglo-Chinese School (ACS).

“Tee Loon befriended those of us who couldn’t fit in well and was always reaching out to us, mixing around with us.

“Even though he came from a different background, he never differentiated himself from us. He tried his best to make sure we didn’t feel out of place.”

Heng Kwang recalled an incident during a donation drive when, in front of the class, the students’ names were read out, along with the donations they had collected.

“Do you know how embarrassing that was? We felt so low-class,” said Heng Kwang.

Not even Tee Loon knew that Heng Kwang often did not have enough pocket money for recess.

“Why are you helping me?”

But Heng Kwang shared with Tee Loon his childhood promise to his mother.

“I struggled with literature and poetry appreciation. He and a few friends tried to help me with it.”

But one week before the ‘A’ Level exams, tragedy struck.

“My cousin committed suicide on his birthday,” recalled Heng Kwang.

Heng Kwang (front row, extreme left) with his cousins.

“I was heartbroken because he was like a brother to me. I didn’t know how to control this emotional grief.”

Heng Kwang didn’t do well enough to get into university.

There were other academic routes he could have taken. But he was determined to re-take his ‘A’ Levels as a private candidate to fulfil his childhood promise to his mum.

He did not qualify for university on his second, third or fourth attempts at the national exams.

Throughout these attempts, Tee Loon tutored his friend in Literature once a week, or once every two weeks.

Heng Kwang attempted his ‘A’ Levels twice while they were serving National Service. He retook them another two times while working at an electrical store in Holland Village (where he became their top salesman). By that time, Tee Loon was studying social sciences in NUS (National University of Singapore).

Every year, the two Literature books in the ‘A’ Level syllabus changed. So each year, Tee Loon would read the new texts so that he could help his friend unpack them and spot exam questions.

In short, Tee Loon studied ‘A’ Level Literature five times along with his friend.

“Tee Loon was such a dedicated and compassionate teacher. He coached me well, and I fell in love with the novels and Victorian writers we had to study,” said Heng Kwang.

“When I asked why he was helping me, he said it was because of his Christian faith, what God wanted him to do.

“He never looked down on me. He showed me that giving was not about class or family background.

“I was very encouraged by his upbringing and by his Christian faith even though I am not a Christian,” said Heng Kwang.

“He showed me how a human being can be kind.”

Fulfilling his promise

After his fifth attempt at the ‘A’ Levels, Heng Kwang scored a place at NUS. His results included an ‘A’ for History and a ‘B’ for Literature.

“Mum and Dad were so happy. You can’t imagine my joy. I couldn’t sleep for a few days.

“I did my family proud and I have Tee Loon to thank for it.”

Heng Kwang studied political science at NUS, where he was able to coach others. He threw himself into the student activities that he had missed out on in junior college.

To supplement the $300 a month his mum was able to contribute towards his school fees and expenses, he took on jobs in his spare time and during the term break. They included auctioning Middle Eastern carpets and working in an electronics factory.

Tapping on his gift for selling, he started a business with friends after graduation.

Graduation day: Heng Kwang fulfilling his childhood promise to his mother to wear a mortarboard and gown.

Later, he identified a business opportunity in Vietnam, predicting a rise in the demand for passenger cars and commercial vehicles.

His mum, who had since retired, was reluctant to let him go and cried. But he was determined to provide a better, more secure life for her and his extended family by being his own boss instead of working for others.

When Tee Loon’s wife, Serene, was diagnosed with late stage cancer in 2021, Heng Kwang showed his care by buying Serene the best cod he could find, and delivering homemade meals to the family three times a week. Serene passed on in June 2022.

Heng Kwang’s desire to provide extends beyond family, business partners and staff.

“I want to do well in business so that I can redistribute wealth. I tell my partners we need to give back to society,” said Heng Kwang.

In Vietnam, his company gives back by building homes, schools and libraries for those who fall between the gaps, and building bridges to enable villagers to travel between mountains. They also donate to families affected by Agent Orange.

“There is this phrase in Chinese: 舍得 (pronounced “she de”). You must 舍 then you can 得. Tee Loon showed me very clearly that he was willing to give without expecting anything in return,” said Heng Kwang.

Walking with Lakeside

When Tee Loon put out a call for friends to accompany him on Lakeside’s inaugural cross-island walk in October 2020, a few JC classmates responded.

They included Heng Kwang, who told him: “I want to do this with you”.

Heng Kwang, who was suffering from Bell’s Palsy, had not trained for the walk as his mum passed away from pneumonia in June, and his dad was dying from stomach cancer.

With MP for Jurong GRC, Shawn Huang, who has been Lakeside’s guest-of-honour at the cross-island walk since its inauguration in 2020.

Heng Kwang “walked like a duck” from the blisters all over his feet – but he completed the 40km trek.

Heng Kwang couldn’t walk for three days after that, revealed Tee Loon.

“The walk, beginning in the evening from Jurong and ending at dawn at Changi Prison is symbolic of walking from darkness to light, from despair to hope, from brokenness to restoration,” said Tee Loon, pictured with Lakeside staff and supporters at the end point of their walk this year.

The social service agency’s services for the incarcerated and their families has a special relevance to Heng Kwang as two of his relatives have been in prison.

He is also one of Lakeside’s major donors.

“It is because of the help that Tee Loon gave me and my family that I am able to do what I am doing.

“Tee Loon never gave up on me,” said Heng Kwang.

“The credit goes to Tee Loon and Tee Loon’s God! Till my dying day, I will never forget this.”

God loves you

Tee Loon shared that he befriended Heng Kwang and others after “a faith crisis” in his first year of junior college.

He had become a Christian four years earlier while in Secondary 1.

“I was only 13 in Sec 1, when a Sec 4 boy approached me during recess,” Tee Loon told Stories of Hope.

“He sat me down and he told me, ‘God loves you and has a plan for you, and He’s here for you.’

“He then proceeded to share the Gospel with me using The Bridge Illustration by The Navigators.

“That day, the Scriptures spoke to my heart that I was a sinner and I needed God’s forgiveness. I also knew that I needed Jesus to save me and to give me a place in Heaven.

“After I said that prayer, I felt God’s assurance that I was saved and I was His child. I was ‘born again’ in the words of Jesus.” (John 3:3)

“All this happened during a 20-minute recess break at Anglo-Chinese Secondary School (now ACS Independent),” said Tee Loon.

Tee Loon (fourth from left, with JC classmates) was in Secondary 1 when a Sec 4 boy he didn’t know told him about Jesus. During that 20-minute recess break at ACS, Tee Loon gave his life to Jesus. Heng Kwang is second from right.

Every Friday after school, Tee Loon met his senior for an hour.

“He taught me the basics of Christianity and how to understand the Bible. After he graduated, he handed me over to another senior. During the four years I was in secondary school, I was discipled by three different mentors.

“By the time I got to JC, I had been a Christian for four years but was not attending church because of parental objection,” he said (Tee Loon’s mum became a Christian later on.)

“I had a faith crisis. I thought, ‘If Christianity is true, I should give it my all. But if it isn’t true, then I shouldn’t waste time and might as well spend my life doing other things.’

“I spent the next few months refusing to pray or read the Bible. Instead, I searched for answers from history, archeology and what others who had written, both for and against Christianity.

“I interviewed people around me whom I thought were good Christians. But they couldn’t give me satisfactory answers.

“But over the next few months, God spoke to me. I reached three conclusions.

During his faith crisis, Tee Loon (right, in glasses) searched for answers from history, archeology and what others who had written, both for and against Christianity. Heng Kwang is seated diagonally behind him.

“First, there was overwhelming evidence that the Bible is the most historically reliable book in the world.

“Second, it became clear to me that the resurrection of Christ was a historical fact that could not be refuted by his fiercest opponents, whether in ancient times or the present. This pointed to the truth of the Gospels and that Christ was indeed whom He claimed to be – the Son of God who came to die for the sins of the world.

“Third (and this is completely my personal experience), I sensed the reality of God deep in my soul and a corresponding anguish when I was not near to Him. I keenly felt this during the few months that I intentionally stopped praying and reading the Bible. It was as if life itself had been cut off from me.

“So I came back to God and told Him, ‘Okay God, I know you’re real.’

“With new resolve, I committed myself to serve Him wholeheartedly with my whole life.

“That included telling others about the precious message of Jesus Christ and the salvation He came to bring to all who believe.”

When asked where his kindness to Heng Kwang stemmed from, Tee Loon said: “It came from wanting to share the love of God with someone else through my actions and lifestyle.

The friends at Changi Chapel and Museum in 2020 – the end point of the cross-island walk.

“It was true that I had a passion to see my friends know Christ, and I was always praying for them and helping them in any way I could – whether through school work or anything else.

“But I would never force them to listen to me talk about God if they were unwilling to listen.

“They knew that I genuinely cared for their well-being, and that included their academic, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.”

And so the friends’ journey with each other continues.

A version of this article first appeared in Stories of Hope. 

If you would like to help Lakeside transform lives

Lakeside Family Services is a social service agency which has served the community since 1993, regardless of race, language, or religion. They develop resilience in disadvantaged children, mould troubled youths into contributing individuals, empower active seniors to help lonely seniors, assist ex-offenders in reintegrating into society and help women with unsupported pregnancies.

Lakeside hopes to raise $3,000,000 (from May till end December 2023) in their 30th year of changing lives.

Click here if you would like to find out more or to donate.

RELATED STORIES:

Rising tension in the home during Circuit Breaker? Here’s how to diffuse friction

What if parents use ang baos and reunion dinner to share about God?