CNY MG Outreach 2023
On 1 Feb 2023, the eleventh day of the Chinese New Year, five Mentoring Groups (MG) together with the Advancement and Academic staff went to the Joo Chiat neighbourhood with goodie bags of groceries and CNY greeting cards as a blessing for the community.
We had opportunities to interact with the residents and shop keepers in our neighbourhood. For our new international students, it was an eye-opening learning experience to be part of this outreach to connect with our neighbours this festive season. This has provided a bonding time to serve together as an MG. Read more
EAST Ministry Weekend 2022
The world is entering a new ‘normalcy’ of living with the Covid 19 endemic. Borders restrictions are lifted in most countries and we are seeing a travel ‘revenge’ after battling the Covid 19 pandemic the past three years. The Office of Mentoring at EAST, which used to send Mentoring Groups (MG) for weekend mission trips, decided that by faith, they will start these trips again. Six MGs were divided into five teams and they were sent to Medan, Batam, & Jakarta in Indonesia, Chiang Rai in Thailand and Sarawak in East Malaysia during the Sept 16 – 19 weekend. These trips aimed to help each group to learn precious lessons in “classroom without walls” settings – bonding with each other, serving together, enhancing the faculty mentors’ and students’ spiritual formation in their lives, relationships, service, and reflection of their walk with God.
Soul Care for Indonesian Doctoral Students
A Mentoring Group (MG) Retreat was held on 21-23 October 2022 at Medan, Indonesia for 15 doctoral-level students with the theme “Soul Care for Ministry Professionals.” It followed an in-person module by Dr Ishak Wonohadidjojo on curriculum design and development as the last module for the doctoral program coursework phase. This is part of the Asia Graduate School of Theology Alliance (AGSTA)—East Asia School of Theology (EAST) Doctor in Education (EdD) program, Indonesia. The program began in end-2020 amidst the Covid pandemic and the cohort did most of the modules online.
“Soul care is what we needed—thank you! How I wish we had MG Retreat at the start of our program. It would have better prepare us spiritually, to be more resilient, and grow in community as we seek to balance our studies and ministry over the last two years,” said retreat participants. This was the first time the cohort could gather in-person since the program began. Mentoring and transformative holistic education are the values and practices EAST brings to the AGSTA-EAST partnership for doctoral programs.