Seek God for the Future

 

Listening to Daniel Yoncer speak about his past, present and future plans, one gets a peek into a tender heart for people. “Back in uni days, my sis and I invited people to our home a lot, even people we hardly knew,” says Daniel, who tells you he can whip up a decent escargot a’ la Bourguignonne for his guests.

And the self-professed ‘introvert’ enjoys listening to people. “During the pandemic, God led many with needs to my path, and used them to grow my empathy.”

In 2021, when travel continued to be restricted, Daniel decided to study to equip himself to help others. It has only been ten months and already much has happened, he says. “Mostly, it’s been a journey of rediscovering my passion,” he says.

Ten years ago, when his father passed away, Daniel and his second brother took over his family’s “desserts and escargots export” business. “Work, in turn, took over my life; with time, I lived for me and my comforts.”

God used “the small school, which is its strength” he adds, to take him back to his first love for God and people. “I learned to care for people again.”

The Indonesian national who grew up in Singapore and did Computer Science undergraduate studies in California chuckles as he recalls his first week at EAST. “I was very disturbed when I was told to join a mentoring group,” he says. “But the fellowship changed my priorities.”

He is also grateful for teachers who sat down with him to offer wisdom, “especially Roy Tan,” he says. “When I told him I needed to find my next step, he advised me to go back to the past, reflect on what God had done in my life, and seek Him for the future.”

“He showed me how to find God’s will for myself. It was what I needed.”

Daniel Yoncer will pursue a Master in Counselling upon graduation. He hopes to continue to minister to youths in his home church in Jakarta and offer counselling to those in need in the marketplace.

“It is with great pleasure, Daniel, that I get to congratulate you upon your graduation from EAST. May the Lord use you in ways beyond what you can imagine as you continue to take steps of faith and walk with him.” – Rev Jarred Jung, faculty mentor

The above article is written by Dr Lau Ying Kheng and published in 28th EAST Commencement Magazine, May 2022. Curated and reproduced with permission. Graphic design by Blessed Ong.