Celebrating Mongolian New Year in Singapore

Mongolian Community celebrating Tsagaan Sar “White Moon” (Mongolian Lunar New Year) on 18 February 2026 in Singapore.

 

Chinese all over the world, including Singapore, ushered in Chinese New Year on 17 February with most families gathering on the eve of the New Year for Reunion Dinners. The Mongolian Community at EAST ushered in their Lunar New Year a day later on 18 February, celebrating Tsagaan Sar “White Moon” together by making beef dumplings called Buuz. Traditionally, each family back home will make 1000 to 1200 Buuz to last for three to four days of their Mongolian New Year.

A few hundred buuz in Mongolia

In Singapore when the community gathered, they just made enough for themselves to consume for a meal. Below are some pictorial journal to showcase how they came together to make the dumplings in a slideshow.

This Mongolian traditional instrument called Morin Khuur was also being skilfully played while another member was singing.

This was the special celebratory performance they had during their gathering.

The performance ended on a high note.

EAST has a special connection with Mongolia since we graduated our first Mongolian students in 2011, Bataa Juvaa (MDiv GS) and his wife Ganaa Ganbold (PIM), and Bataa returned to Mongolia to be the first local National Director of Mongolia Campus Crusade for Christ at that time. The current National Director of Mongolia Campus Crusade for Christ, Zoloo Damba (MALD) and his wife Muugii Namjildorj (PIM), are also alumni of EAST who graduated in 2020. We also have an EAST Extension Centre in Mongolia headed by EAST alumni Bataraa Baatarsuren (MALD, 2015) and Zulaa Badamzul (MABS, 2016), another husband and wife team. Another couple, Tuvshuu Tsogtbaatar (MALD, 2018) and Burnee Jargal (PIM & GDCM, 2018) are church planters in Mongolia.

For Mongolian students interested to be equipped at EAST, please email us at admissions at east.edu.sg for an online application link.

 

EAST 34th Anniversary & 4Twelve Academy Soft Launch

 

By God’s grace, EAST will soon be celebrating God’s faithfulness on our 34th Anniversary together with the soft launch of our 4Twelve Academy, the micro-credential lay institute of EAST.

Over the past three decades, EAST has equipped over 500 ministry practitioners who are currently serving the Lord in mission frontiers, and in marketplaces far and near.  Join us in-person for this joyous occasion (lunch is provided) on

Please RSVP here for your attendance and catering purposes. See you at EAST campus!

 

Blessed Lunar New Year 2026

 

The EAST President, staff and students would like to wish everyone a Blessed Lunar New Year 2026!

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” – Jeremiah 17:7, NIV

May God’s everlasting love and sustaining grace enfold us in the coming year.

 

New Student Kristian Peace: God’s Grace is Sufficient

Peace is the fourth from the left, together with his wife Luisi (black tee) and his son Yohan.

 

Mr Kristian Peace Braquis is one of our new students from the Philippines this semester. He is in the Master of Arts in Leadership program. Below is his reflection of how the Lord has led him and his young family to EAST.

“So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33, ESV)

When my friend, Mikeel (an EAST alumnus) returned to Philippines after his study at East Asia School of Theology, we invited him for lunch to hear his story. Amazed of what God has done to him and how He equipped him to be of help in his church and ministry, I also desired to study in a theological school to serve the church and to minister to those who are in need. But I did not consider going to EAST as I was aware of the cost of living in Singapore and I was just starting a family with a one and half year-old child at that time. However, God was already setting us up for one of the best seasons of our faith journey.

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New Student Ai Tam’s Faith-filled Journey to EAST

  • Ai Tam is second from the left.

 

How did the initial rejection by the immigration authorities to study in Singapore become a spiritual exercise of faith affirming God’s call for one’s life? Ms Do Thi Ai Tam, a Vietnamese new student with East Asia School of Theology (EAST) Master of Divinity (MDiv) program, shares of her eventful and faith-filled journey of His provisions coming to EAST.

Reflecting on the year 2025, I cannot stop giving thanks to the Lord for every milestone I have gone through. I have truly experienced His faithfulness in my academic journey to EAST and Singapore. Earlier on, I applied to join EAST as a program student and was duly accepted. I then applied to the Singapore immigration authorities for my Student’s Pass in April 2025. I had not expected any problem as I have a high level of confidence in my qualification and education. After submitting all the needed documents, however, my application was rejected. This left me greatly disappointed and confused. It also raised a question of whether God wanted me to pursue theological education at all.

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