Sis Kolka called Home

It was with deep sadness that we learned yesterday from Tepa that Sis Kolka was called home to Glory on 2 May 10. She was 98 years of age. The world has indeed lost a great saint and a missionary to the East. She was one of the last remaining missionaries associated with Praise Evangelical Church, Singapore.

Sis Kolka was one of the missionaries together with Sis Rasi, who pioneered the work in Sembawang, Singapore. She came to Singapore in the late 1950s, one of the first few missionaries to come to Singapore from Finland. While Sis Rasi concentrated on the Indian community, Sis Kolka focused her attention on the Chinese community in Sembawang. Even though she was a Finnish, she learned to read and speak the Chinese dialects and was even able to preach on Chinese. Both she and Sis Rasi would walk the dusty streets in Sembawang and Naval Base reaching out the Chinese and Indian communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I remember her as a soft spoken and gentle lady, always ready to share the good news of Jesus Christ to the dying world. Never seen her lose her temper but always excuding the graces that flows from a life that is full of the Spirit. Her life was exemplary, full of passion, full of love. I am one of the products of hers and Sis Rasi's labour.




With Sis Kolka at PEC lawn in the early 80's.





The only epitaph I can write is what is found in Heb 11:33-38 : who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

The last few years, she was bed ridden, yet her mind was alert and strong, her faith did not waiver. Yet her labour was not in vain, many souls have been added to the kingdom though her life and effforts. Today her missionary legacy continues in the various states in India and Bhutan. Today she rejoices at the feet of her Master whom she served with all her life. What a homecoming it must have been. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant,enter thou into the joy of thy lord". One of her favourite hymns, My Faith looks up to Thee:

When ends life’s transient dream,

When death’s cold sullen stream over me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love, fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above, a ransomed soul!

I want to follow her example and serve Jesus with every breath of my life and the day will come when we shall meet face to face at the feet of the One who died and lives for us. We will together lay all our crowns at His feet as a tribute to His great love for us and sing the STORY SAVED BY GRACE.