Word of Mouth, Internet or Google?
Brandon Chan, 2024 MDiv in Intercultural Studies and Theological Studies; President’s Leadership Award and Academic Excellence Award recipient.
It started with a Google Map
Below is the story of how one of our students stumbled upon EAST, took on a visiting class, and how through his journey of faith, he took on leadership role as a Student Council President. In the recent 30th Commencement, he received not just an Academic Excellence Award but also the President’s Leadership Award for being a servant leader during his time at EAST.
A recent survey showed that most students found EAST through “word of mouth”, “internet search” and “EAST website”; 10% came through “others.”
Brandon Chan’s “others” was ‘Google Maps’.
Alumnus Daniel Yeo: Serving the Migrant Workers
Mr Muthupandi (seated) with HealthServe Senior Caseworker and EAST Alumnus Mr Daniel Yeo. Photo credit: Mark Cheong
Daniel Yeo graduated from EAST with a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry and started serving with HealthServe in 2016. It is “a volunteer run organisation that seeks to bring healing and hope to vulnerable low wage migrant workers in Singapore.” This was after his EAST internship with them as a student then. Recently, he has been featured in a Straits Times article where he rendered help to Mr Muthupandi who had undergone several major operations during workplace injuries. EAST took the opportunity to interview Daniel regarding his passion in serving the migrant workers.
New Student: Sebastian Tramitz from Germany
L-R: Dr Joseph Khoo, Mrs Boon Aitee, Issac Do, Sebastian Tramitz
Below is a short reflection of our new student Sebastian Tramitz from Germany. He is embarking on a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry at EAST while relocating to Singapore and embracing a new culture, or many new cultures at EAST and equipping himself here. His short reflection of his journey to EAST is below.
I know about EAST through various people I met on my journey of finding my path to change location to Singapore. One key person was a board member of EAST whom I met at the church I attended. He got me in touch with Cru Singapore through another person on the board of Cru. He then connected me with a Cru ministry leader and alumnus of EAST, which finally led to the meeting of Jonathan Yao and a site visit on which I made a decision that I want to apply.
Why go for Theological Studies? Why consider EAST?
Why EAST?
When considering formal theological education, a couple of important questions need to be answered. First, should I even go in the first place? If so, then the next question becomes, where should I go?
Regarding the first concern, it should be asked, are there other and better ways to be trained and developed or is getting a formal degree the best course to take? It is also good to ask, what is my motivation? Do I want this degree for the status and respect it will afford, or do I see it as a genuine opportunity for growth and development that will open new doors of Christian service and a deeper level of love for and knowledge of God?
Clare Chen: God of Possibilities
A slice of Japanese life – mother with daughter. Photo credit: Clare Chen
Ms Clare Chen, a final year MA in Intercultural Studies student, recently went for a mission trip to Kyoto, Japan, a most unlikely place for her. Clare’s initiative to spend her term break for missions resulted in a mindset-changing missional experience for her. Read her reflection from the trip – why not Japan, what she had learned more about God, the Japanese people and herself.
“I would go anywhere for missions, but Japan” was the mentality I held for many years because it is a place of hard soil. But we all know too well what typically happens when you claim a “never” statement such as this: God laughs, and things happen. This December, I was led to go on a mission trip to Japan with a few schoolmates. Despite the challenges, God reminded me of his sovereignty. God is a big God and is there anything impossible with Him (Luke 1:37)?
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