Good things don't last forever... in Mar 2000 the land lease at Jalan
Kayu ended and Raymund Wee lost the tender for a new lease of the land
and with that, the rights to continue his good work for the Singapore
strays at NOAH'S ARK.
'When one door closes, God opens another'... how true the belief for amidst
the crisis a godsend Singaporean Mr CK Choo stepped in at the crucial
moment with the offer of a plot
of land at Pekan Nanas, Johore to house the orphans, and with this, NOAH'S
ARK was given a new lease in life.
the
birth of NANAS...
a
new chapter begins
the birth of NANAS was likened to a test of Raymund Wee's willpower and
resilience.
Even basic necessities that we Singaporeans take for granted, like electricity
and water supply had to be worked out... it was a truly suicidal time,
and a test for the mind, spirit and body. The first few months was a battle
against unseen hurdles: the unforgiving terrain, heavy rainstorms that
left soggy marshes, reinventing and designing new concept housing for
the many animals, sourcing new animal food, helping the animals get used
to their new homes... and generally bearing all that came with brave optimism.
the beginnings of NANAS...Raymund and his volunteers fighting the unbeatable foe; all that lallang had to be cleared before any development could start and the animals brought in within a short 2 months. The actual exodus of the animals required 3 days and 2 nights.
though handicapped with no sophisticated land-clearing machinery, the
volunteers worked ceaselessly
this
area is where the 'pondok' stands today, no kidding!
