Malaysian Alumni: Breakthroughs During Pandemic

Recently, EAST News got in touch with Dr Tan Sin Guan and Dr Voon Yee Bin who graduated from EAST in 1999 with an MDiv and an MA respectively. They have many sweet memories of EAST. Their eldest son Matthias was even born while they were both here. Matthias learned to walk in the school library at Dorset Road when he accompanied his young parents to EAST. Fast forward to today, Matthias has graduated from Messiah University in the USA and is preparing to enter the workforce. He has a younger brother Zechariah, 20, and sister Seraphines, 18.

Both Sin Guan and Yee Bin have been on the staff of Malaysia Campus Crusade for Christ since 1990s. Sin Guan is currently serving with Leadership Development Human Resource (LDHR) department since 2015 and Yee Bin is the national prayer coordinator and has a ministry to the mothers. EAST News congratulates Yee Bin on her earning the Doctor of Ministry degree with a dissertation on “Building a Communal Helping Culture Through Shalom Approach” in 2020.

When asked about their favourite professors at EAST, both Sin Guan and Yee Bin mentioned teachers like Dr Bob Singleton who was their mentor back then. Sin Guan also said Dr Tan Hock Seng was one of his favourite lecturers. Dr Walter Steitz, who has already gone back to the Lord, was also given a special mention as a humble family man.

Yee Bin shared that the COVID-19 situation in Malaysia is getting worse after two rounds of Movement Control Orders (MCOs) since March 2020. She said that even before the pandemic, the Malaysian churches and ministries have started using digital platform to share Christ, but it was slow moving. The pandemic has helped to accelerate the adoption of digital means for outreaches. It has pushed the ministry to another level of effectiveness which is beyond their expectation.

“Most of our staff is using the digital platform to do ministry, and we see a great breakthrough. It enables us to reach people we can’t reach previously, and it goes beyond local boundaries.” Yee Bin shared.

Prayer Requests:

1. Each family member continues to stand firm and walk closely with God despite the challenges of the environment.
2. God will watch over our children’s education and future, as this pandemic may greatly impact their school life and work opportunities.