Malaysian Alumni: Breakthroughs During Pandemic
(L-R) Dr Tan Sin Guan, Seraphines (18), Dr Voon Yee Bin, Zechariah (20), Matthias (23)
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.
Updates from The Stroks
Imro and Cynthia Stroks are EAST Alumni who graduated in 2017. With their Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry, the couple served in Timor Leste for six months. They had been sent there by their home church under the care of a mission agency. Originally, the plan was to spend a year in the capital of Timor Leste, Dili, to learn the local language. The COVID pandemic forced them to return home in March 2020.
Bangkok Alumnus – Lockdown but not lock out from ministry
Jonathan Yaesung (Son), Rachel Yaerin (Daughter), Jaesoon Kim (Wife) and Simon Chung (Alumnus)
Simon Chung Yongho, EAST alumnus who graduated with a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies in 2011, has started serving in Bangkok, Thailand, with the Thailand Campus Crusade for Christ together with his family since 2012. EAST News caught up with Simon recently and found out how he has been doing in Bangkok. Below is a short write-up that Simon has sent to us.
“Due to Covid-19, Thailand had to be on lockdown for a while. But it was only closed temporarily and I was able to go back to mission on campus. With all the restrictions in Bangkok, I was not able to do all the normal things I did (on the campus) before Covid-19. In addition, we have reduced time spent on the actual campus, and moved a lot of events online. Online Zoom classes and other apps were able to help us become more involved than pre-Covid period. But I cannot say I am totally satisfied with this. We still miss seeing one another in churches and meeting up physically.
Myanmar Pastor, EAST Alumnus: God is Our Help
Myanmar Pastor, EAST Alumnus S Htike Wai Saing
EAST News had a short interview with a recent Myanmar Pastor serving in Judson Baptist Church in Singapore, Ps S Htike Wai Saing. He graduated with a Master of Divinity in Teaching and Exposition in 2019. He has been a full-time pastor with Judson Baptist Church since 2014 but had started teaching Sunday school and serving as a youth leader since 2008. The last time he was back in Myanmar for ministry and visiting family and friends was in March 2020 before the circuit breaker happened in Singapore. The short interview below shows his heart for his people back home in Myanmar.
- What kept you busy in terms of ministry, family and church especially in the past year when Covid-19 happened?
Last year, I was kept busy with near-daily zoom meetings and bible studies. I led nine bible study groups a week including my family and friends in Myanmar. My daily timetable has to be optimised to spread my time as efficiently as possible. Between studying the bible for two hours a day, leading bible study everyday, and praying for my country, I had little free time left. Despite this, I did not feel tired and I enjoyed it very much.
Updates from an Alumnus who served in Central Asia
EAST News caught up with our alumnus Jonathan and his wife Michelle (not their real names) who have been serving in an adopted country within Central Asia for over 5 years. Jonathan had graduated with Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry. Last year, he and his wife returned to Singapore due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Below is an interview with them in regards to how Covid-19 has changed their lives.
- How has Covid affected your work in missions?
Our cell phones beeped! A message from the Singapore Embassy came into our WhatsApp chat group for Singaporeans in the creative access country where we served. What caught our eyes was this sentence, “I would strongly urge all Singapore Residents on non-essential business to seriously consider returning home expeditiously.” Something does not feel right and our antennas went up! That was back in March 2020.
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