Ying Kheng (left) & Sonia

Roland and I (YK) spoke twelve times – at church, the YMCA, two Christmas parties, four youth camps, our 400-strong campus conference, and a wedding in Hong Kong (where I spoke for Sonia, a staff I’d mentored for years).

Our church also had three days of gospel campaign where we served as counselors. Praise God that 60 persons received Christ.

But it was not all work and no play.

In HK, Roland and I — Julienne was home serving at her fourth camp for abused kids — hung out with old friends, revisited favorite haunts, and had our fill of “century egg porridge” and “milk tea”, found only in the SAR’s hole-in-the-wall eateries.

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Deep in December, Jumping into January (PDF, 534kB)

The A - Z to EAST

A Note from the Principal
Dr. Ho Chiao Ek

In October, two of our resident faculty members spoke at chapel.

Toe Set, dean of students, shared how his family faced a vicious spiritual attack by the enemy recently. It was a new situation and he was unsure of what to do. But as he spent time with God, he was greatly encouraged that God intervenes on behalf of His people.

Through his meditation on Judges chapter four, he was reminded that God routs (hamam; cf. Judges 4:15) the enemy, giving decisive victory to Israel under the leadership of Deborah and Barak. Indeed, He is our great deliverer.

Then our dean of academics, Dr Mah Yeo Beng, shared from the exhortation of Paul to Timothy to suffer hardship as a good soldier of Chirst Jesus (2 Timothy 2:3).

Through his experiences of suffering during his National Service days, he came to better understand what it means to suffer in his own journey of faith.

The two exhortations are not unrelated. They both focus on the foundational areas of our relationship with God.

As we meet with the challenges of modern living, we need to be careful to nurture the unseen, foundational areas of our lives — time with God, character issues, and learning to see God at work in the ordinariness of everyday life.

Accordinng to David Benner, soul care (cura animarum in Latin) has both the notion of cure and care; it is both restorative and preventative (Care of Souls, 21).

We desire to see both spiritual reformation and spiritual formation in the lives of our students. It is being attentive to the Spirit’s movements in our lives, as we yield to His transformative work.

May God help us to discern what He is doing in our lives individually and as a community at EAST.

Thank you for your interest and financial partnership this past year. We value your continual prayers and fellowship. Emmanuel!

Our family in traditional Cambodian garb (June 2009)

Dear supporters & friends, we want to express our heartfelt thanks to you for your support in our lives and ministry through your friendship, prayers and giving. Thank you for your love for and trust in us that has enabled us to join God in His work at various fronts. The following are three interesting comparisons of changes in our lives and ministry since we last served in Cambodia.

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• With gratefulness, the Mahs (PDF, 628kB)

Roland Tan (2nd from left)

It brings us great joy reaching out to teenagers and campus students (this year I spoke 21 times to youth and campus groups). Teaching seminary students at EAST brings with it another kind of satisfaction. Here we mentor people who have already made that commitment to serve Christ. It’s a special privilege to help shape the hands and hearts of these future shepherds, missionaries, and church-planters.

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• 2009 highlights (PDF, 1.3MB)

Photo at Tomoki's athletic festival

Three weeks ago, soon after Tomoki’s kindergarten activity, Eri had bleeding. We paled and rushed to her personal clinic. Thankfully our baby was okay but Eri was diagnosed with placenta previa. Her doctor advised her not to do hard work. So Taka helps her as much as he can, especially in shopping and taking care of Tomoki. We hope her pregnancy condition will change into normal one during these two months. Please pray for her pregnancy condition.

Tomoki is a hopping boy. He likes playing with school friends. But sometimes he has troubles. Last week Tomoki and Ryosuke (the nearest boy of Tomoki in upper photo) warred over a ride-on in playground. Tomoki first pushed Ryosuke aside and won the toy. Ryosuke fell and cried, and soon he jumped at Tomoki for revenge. Eri and other mothers tried to stop him (Ryosuke is bigger than Tomoki), but they couldn’t…. He did it by getting his teeth into Tomoki’s cheek! Imagine how Tomoki was shocked and painful…. At the night, before going to bed, Tomoki prayed for Ryosuke not to do bad things to him. But he didn’t seem to have an idea that he first did a bad thing to Ryosuke by pushing him badly…. Eri and I are praying that these kids will learn more to be nice to each other.

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• Faith . Hope . Love (PDF, 251kB)

My class on the book of Genesis has just finished. While I enjoyed the content and the students, I struggled with fitting such a lot of material into 10 weeks of two-hour classes. I not only learned much more about Genesis, I also learned how I would teach it differently next time.

My class on the Poetic and Wisdom Books of the Old Testament is going really well. I studied engineering, so I am not much of a poet! But I have been learning a lot as we have gone through the books of Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and (whisper) Song of Songs! I particularly enjoyed the last two–probably two of the most misunderstood and ignored books in the Bible. I am actually preaching from Ecclesiastes this Sunday. (You can access the sermon at http://www.cicfamily.com.)

The class I have just started is “Theology of Missions”, which traces the development of World Missions right through the Bible. Again this is an area I had not taught before, so I am gaining much more than my students as I do the background preparation, and then plan how to present the material.

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• Learning More! from TeamOlson.org

Happy 70th Birthday Daddy!

All students at EAST are required to do practical ministry while studying. Every Friday afternoon I have joined Campus Crusade for Christ in reaching out to international students on Singapore university campuses.

What a joy to see a new believer, LiJing, whom I have been discipling, hunger for God’s Word! As we studied about Jesus’ betrayal, death and resurrection, she asked a good question, “Why didn’t Jesus stop Judas from betraying Him if He is God?” Furthermore, she brought her friend to hear about Jesus. It was exciting to see her plant a seed in her friend’s heart. May the Lord use His Word to speak to her friend.

Between mid-May and mid-June, I spent time at home. Attending my father’s 70th birthday celebration was the highlight. Dad beamed as family and relatives sang “Happy Birthday!” My prayer is that the seed of the gospel that has been planted in my parents’ hearts will sprout.

I have sensed God’s presence and help through your prayers during my transition to seminary life in Singapore. May the Lord rain showers of blessings upon you!

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• I Need Grace (PDF, 724kB)

Wai Ling (front row, 2nd from right) with International Student Ministry staff & students

I am enjoying my ministry very much and often I feel that I am on a mission trip every week when I meet students of different nationalities. Missions is really right at our door step! I personally had the privilege of leading 6 Chinese girls to Christ. I am able to connect and relate to the Chinese pretty well but when it comes to sharing Christ with the South East Asia students I lack confidence. I realized that there is so much to learn in sharing Christ ‘cross-culturally’. I need to understand the background of these students and how they are influenced by their upbringing, cultural and educational systems. If I don’t understand their worldviews it would be difficult to engage in a meaningful spiritual conversation with them at the heart level.

Journeying with the pre-believers can be a bittersweet experience. I always see an instant change in the countenance of a new convert … from anxiety, struggle, skepticism or fear to relief, peace and joy. And when I get a chance to talk with these new believers weeks later I will be able to hear heartwarming testimonies of lives that are changed inwardly. On the other hand, we also meet people who remained firm in their unwavering stand that Jesus is not the only way to God, they have to earn salvation to gain entrance to heaven and there is no need for a God to lead their lives. It is sad to see that some are so close to accepting Christ yet they are so far because they choose to continue to live a life of passive indifference towards God. We can only pray that as they continue in their journey of searching, they will encounter God personally and place their faith in Him one day. As for the Christians, we pray that their changed lives will make a positive impact in our culture and society.

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• I Corinthians 2:4,5 (PDF, 324kB)

Class photo (Janice in pink dress, 2nd from left)

I just finished teaching Advanced Evangelism and Discipleship at East (East Asia School of Theology). As I was preparing this course, I asked the Lord for His input as to how I could help to grow the students in the practical aspect of evangelism and discipleship. The Lord impressed my heart to do field ministry with the students so that there would be a mutual observation, evaluation and learning. In the course of ten weeks, we had the privilege to witness to more than thirteen people and five accepted Jesus into their lives! I thank God for giving me the privilege to witness to the family members of some students. Besides witnessing, I also had the privilege to observe some students as they led their cell groups or discipleship groups. It is encouraging to see how God is equipping our students so that they can better equip others.

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• Sowing & reaping (PDF, 174kB)

Jeremy and Dr. Ho in the center, with a couple of students from Hong Kong

Last month, Dr. Ho and I spent two weeks in China teaching the New Testament. The class consisted not only of local students, but also representatives from Singapore and Hong Kong as well. These students remind us of the Bereans “for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). They left deep impressions on us because of their diligence in working at their quizzes, exam, presentation and written papers.

This trip had pushed me a step further because I was required to translate all my class notes, and lecture in Chinese. However, my visit to the Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibition helped me see the dedication of many heroes who gave their lives to the translation of the Bible. For God’s Word to be truly unchained, it must be heard by people in their mother tongue, their hearts’ language.

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• God’s Word is not chained (PDF, 685kB)

Two of the men died suddently. Two struggled with long illnesses but accepted the Lord before they died. Roland led one of them to Christ three years ago and baptised him in his home.

The only one who had a non-Christian funeral was the grandfather of one of my (YK) Sunday school students. He had a heart attack. His funeral service — a Hindu ceremony — was unforgettable.

After some chanting, amidst drum beats and incense burning, the deceased’s three sons walked around his coffin three times. One of them held a clay water jug on his shoulder. At the beginning of each round of walk, the jar would be lightly cracked to allow water to leak.

Finally, at the end of the third round, the water jug was dropped to the ground. Crash! A hundred broken pieces of clay, and water splattered all over the floor, spoke vividly of the fragility of life, and the finality of death…

Ecclesiastes 12:6 (NASV) tells us that there comes a day for every man when “the pitcher by the well will be shattered” — and he shall face his Creator. And before that day arrives, whatever our hand finds to do, let us do it with all our might (Eccl 9:10).

Let us live well, love much, fear God, preach His Word, “be ready in season and out of season” (2 Tim 4:2).

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• Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might (PDF, 810kB)

We were not renewing our marriage vows. Just a fun intro to a talk on letting go before we could let others in.

LAST week, Julienne graduated with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts (honors, second upper) degree in Visual Communications. As we watched her walk across the stage to received her degree, we felt very grateful.

That this gentle and talented human being is our child and God’s child.

That our Heavenly Father had provided for all her needs (we had only enough for her first year when she started).

That throughout the four years at NTU, she had lacked nothing: joy in learning, grace through the many lonely nights of projects and computer crashes, and solid Christian friends.

Above all, we are grateful that God has given our daughter a heart to obey Him. Next month, Julienne will spend ten days in Japan to reach out to abused and abandoned children.

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• Go & make disciples of the nations (PDF, 456kB)

This is what Lisa shared: “It is tough to try to sum up everything that I’ve learnt but in my reflection 2 words came to my mind – RETREAT and ADVANCE. I came to EAST with the initial purpose to retreat and rest in the Lord so that I can advance forward in my future ministry. In the process, God showed me that truly I need to retreat, but not from ministry and people but to retreat from myself. That is as I become less, God can then advance forward and reveal more of Himself to me.”

Lisa is now serving in the SOLEAD (School of Leadership and Development) team at Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC). She is excited to be involved in the training and mentoring of the new staff.

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• Lessons in Leadership (PDF, 357kB)

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• To bare my heart before God (PDF, 575kB)

아빠, 왜 예수 님이 다리 꼬 고 죽 었어?

언이에게 예수님을 아니? 라고 했더니 대뜸 언이가 이렇게 물었습니다.

언: “아빠, 왜 예수님은 손 벌리고, 따리 꼬고 죽었어?”
아빠: “응, 그건 언이의 죄를 용서해 주시고 천국에 가도록 하기 위해서 지. 언이 그거 믿어?”
언: “응!”
아빠: “언이야, 근데, 아빠가 하는 말 이해할 수 있니?”
언: “……#$%@*& 응!”

언이가 이해를 하든 못하든 저는 무조건 반복해서 전하고 있습니다. 언이의 머리에 새겨지도록! 신앙은 단순한 진리를 반복해서 학습하며 우리의 마음에 새기고 삶에 드러나도록 하는 과정이라고 믿습니다. 언이는 분명히 예수님을 믿는다고 여러 번 입술로 고백했습니다. (아빠의 강요는 절대 아님!)

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• Sang Hyuk’s May 2009 (PDF, 1MB)

For me (YK, 2nd from right), speaking to 100 teachers in two schools. Most of them were non-believers but they listened to my talks attentively. I'm grateful.

Battsenger said, when I (YK) shared the gospel with her.

The manager of the GoldStar Hotel, where we stayed during our 10-day trip in Ulaanbaatar (UB), was my “man of peace” (Luke 10:6).

Every day, she would check if we had enough hot water (temperature between -3°C and 20°C). One evening she prepared for us Indian curry (she’s married to a Pakistani). Another day, she surprised me by doing all my laundry, and at no cost.

Though she didn’t receive Christ through my sharing, I know Battsenger’s salvation is near. “You have something special,” she told me.

When I replied that the “something special” is Jesus in me, she nodded. “Yes, I know,” she said. “My maid, who’s the purest person I’d ever met, has the same thing.”

“She’s also a Christian.”

On our last evening, I introduced Battsenger to Boggii, a local worker who would follow her up. Here’s the amazing thing: when the two women met, they realized they were neighbors 30 years ago in Hovd, a village 1,500km from UB.

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• “I’m 31 years old; can I be a baby again?” (PDF, 700kB)
• Jeremy Chew: Open door for the Word (PDF, 532kB) The Mongolians not only opened their door to welcome the Word of God. They also opened their hearts to us. They received us with warm friendship, food and gifts that were beyond their means. We might have taught them the New Testament, but they showed us how to live it.

Hiking with EAST family group members at MacRitchie Reservoir

Mentoring has been God’s blessing in our lives. We praise God for people who have faithfully mentored us in the past at various points in our lives. These include not a few of YB’s Sunday School teachers who proudly came forward to reconnect with him (after more than 30 years!) when YB spoke at different churches.

We are also thankful for countless people in Singapore, Cambodia and Canada that God has enabled us to disciple. Presently YB is mentoring two key young adults in church — John & Alethea. At EAST, he mentors Andrew (Singapore), Bataa (Mongolia), Christopher (Korea), Kwang Sik (Korea), and Sang Hyuk (Korea). These are members of YB’s Family Group (a ministry where each faculty coaches a small group of students). Elaine mentors Angeline, Gerlynn, and Joyce in church and takes care of a group of students’ spouses as part of EAST’s holistic ministry to the family of each student.

… One of our greatest statisfaction in mentoring is to see spiritual multiplication. It’s thrilling to first teach John and Alethea, and then to empower them to teach the teens which include our very own boys, Caleb and David! It has also been a rewarding time to assist them pioneer the teen ministry in our church.

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• Reaffirming God’s Call (PDF, 1.6MB)

Jeremy & Jane's tribe

Growth… is a mystery. It happens all the time, yet often goes unnoticed. Sometime back, my 8-year-old daughter remarked as we were walking across a basketball court, “Daddy, the net seems to be lower now!” I smiled, knowing that she had grown taller. Sometimes we don’t even realize we have grown. What used to seem unattainable suddenly comes within reach. That’s the mystery of growth.

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• Growth (PDF, 300kB)

This may, I (YK) will be returning to Mongolia with Roland and Jeremy, a colleague from EAST (Julienne can’t go this time as she’s preparing for graduation). We will conduct a New Testament Survey course for 50 local workers and speak in several meetings. In fact the day after we arrive, I am scheduled to address 600 school teachers at an evangelistic meeting.

Pray for us. While the Lord is encouraging us to go by faith, He also reminds us this is a spiritual warfare. We need your prayers.

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• Back to Mongolia (PDF, 650kB)

Caleb is growing 1lb a week, almost cooing, and smiles often. Ethan loves his brother, but is still getting used to less individual attention, as is to be expected.

This semester they faced the re-occurring challenge of nearly half the student leaders moving on to jobs or 4 year schools. They continue an emphasis on prayer for their ministry and God has been working. Fred and the faculty advisor both felt led to invite the new Orlando Police Chief—a professing Christian—to speak on leadership and her faith for a campus outreach. It was a bold request and would she even have the time? Fred shared this about the outreach:

“We had about 85 people (students and faculty) come to our CCC meeting, which was up from our normal 10 students. Some of the students took the initiative to invite some friends. The school also let us send an email to every student… and do lots of publicity around campus… Chief Demings did a great job of connecting with the students, and told us to invite her back. I believe that lots of seeds were planted… and although there was some spiritual battle, I think our prayers eliminated most of it. This was the largest attended Christian event we have had since I’ve been there.

“There is a monthly faculty bible study that has started and the next meeting is in a few weeks. Prayer is the topic.”

I think of the saying “When man works, man works. But when man prays, God works.” It can be a real challenge for us, even in ministry. But when our staff and students grow in dependence on God He is invariably gets honored in the events and lives changed.

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• A New Sheriff (Chief) in Town (PDF, 102kB)

Julienne's 22nd birthday

The weather was cold, YK had a bad cough, and we were exhausted from a busy season of speaking and teaching. But right from day one, we tasted God’s favor and goodness during the 10 days of ministry in Hong kong. Here’s how: (read full letter).

We enjoyed our time with the HK staff. The young ones loved our stories of the ‘beginnings’; the older ones wanted to know how they could stay fruitful and passionate in ministry. We are very thankful. God loved us so much that He allowed us to serve in HK during the 80s, and now to spend the first week of 2009 with the HK workers, many of whom we feel very close to our hearts.

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• 10 days in Hong Kong (PDF, 2.5MB)