Alumnus Yutaka Gakiya – Shy Person to Ordained Preacher
Rev Yutaka Gakiya’s Ordination at Sakai Evangelical Church (October 2021)
EAST News caught up with Rev Yutaka Gakiya who graduated last May and has since returned to serve in his home church, Sakai Evangelical Church, Osaka. He was ordained as a Pastor in October 2021. It was a significant milestone for Yutaka as the ordination denotes the official start of his duties and responsibilities as a minister of God’s Word. It was also a proud moment for his father, Rev Akira Gakiya, who is the Senior Pastor of the church to witness Yutaka following his footsteps in serving God full-time.
Update from Senior Alumni Rev Simon & Hannah Son
Rev Simon & Hannah Son
EAST News caught up with Rev Simon & Hannah Son through a Zoom interview recently. Both Simon and Hannah graduated from the inaugural class of 1995 when EAST was established in 1992, with a Master of Divinity degree and Partners-in-Ministry certificate respectively. Although Simon and Hannah are both Korean Campus Crusade for Christ (KCCC) Staff, they had undergone their Great Commission Training Center (GCTC) days in Manila back in 1984, having to learn English which was not their native tongue. After that, they pioneered the student ministry in Hong Kong where they had to learn yet another language, Cantonese. They were missionaries in Hong Kong for six years before Dr Victor Koh invited them to equip themselves for further studies at the newly established EAST in 1992. Simon had to complete a year of English preparation in 1991 in Singapore before beginning the course at EAST in 1992.
Alumna Esther on Life Lessons at EAST
Alumna Esther & Family
Esther is an EAST alumna who graduated with a Master of Divinity in Christian Ministry in 2017. She came from Indochina to be equipped at EAST. She came as a single lady and has returned to her home country married, and now has a son Josiah who is turning three. Together with her husband, they are pastoring a local church of over 40 members. Below is an interview of her experience at EAST, some life lessons and prayer requests.
New Beginnings: Adjunct Faculty Ng Khim Fatt
Adjunct Faculty Ng Khim Fatt with his wife Chan Wei Har
EAST Alumnus Ng Khim Fatt graduated with a Master of Divinity in Teaching and Exposition in 2016 and his wife Wei Har graduated with a similar degree in 2018. Khim Fatt recently joined EAST as an Adjunct Faculty and will be teaching an evening course on the Exposition of Matthew this semester.
After Khim Fatt’s graduation from EAST, he felt the conviction to pursue further studies in a ThM in New Testament Studies at Trinity Theological College as he wanted to fulfill God’s calling in his life to reach out and equip Christian workers. He felt that teaching with EAST Extension Centers (EECs) aligned with his God’s call upon his life and just before the Covid-19 pandemic started, he had the opportunity to teach a New Testament Narratives class in South Asia through the EECs. During the pandemic, Khim Fatt was able to teach New Testament Foundation and co-teach Greek online for the EECs, in Mandarin even.
Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year!
Design by Blessed Ong
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EAST
WISHES ALL
A BLESSED ADVENT
AND A FRUITFUL NEW YEAR
F R O M
THE PRESIDENT,
FACULTY, STAFF
AND STUDENTS
Here is a carol sung by our students reflecting the multi-cultural origins of our community. Enjoy!
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