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)?
Let’s #GO
At EAST, students have the opportunities to go overseas for short term mission trips either as part of their Field Internships, Cross-Cultural Team Internships or even Mentoring Group Ministry Weekends. In all of these experiences, students come away with life-changing experiences and often in a team environment, they form lifelong friendships through the bonds fostered over the period of 3-4 weeks of living together and ministering daily together.
In the most recent Cross-Cultural Team Internship experience led by Taivan Tuya ( MA Leadership) from Mongolia in June, the team consisted of Mikeel Arana (MDiv Christian Ministry, Philippines), Jane Ding (MDiv Teaching & Exposition, East Asia), Worchuirin Horam (MA Leadership, India) and Chakriya Sok (MA Christian Ministry) as they spent 19 days together in three different parts of Vietnam – a city area, by the mountainside and by the seaside reaching out to the people there and sharing the good news whenever the opportunities arise.
No Perfect Time to Serve God But Now!
L-R: Toe, Mag, Annie with Noa (11 months), Siyi with Eli (2yrs 8mths), Gus
EAST News caught up with one of EAST’s longest serving Resident Faculty Toe and Magdalene (Mag) Set who have served in EAST since 2006 and joined Cru since 1986. They have just received their 35 years long service award from Cru Singapore. Toe and Mag have two adult children Gus and Annie, a daughter-in-law Siyi and two grandchildren: Eli (boy) and Noa (girl).
Below is an account by Mag of how the Lord led both of them to serve in Myanmar and began serving in the Cru ministry there in the early 1990s. They were there for six years and began the Campus ministry and new Staff Training Centre in the mid 1990s. They also started local staff training in campuses over three different cities during that time. Also, in 2014, they were back in their beloved Myanmar for sabbatical, teaching in Myanmar Institute of Christian Theology. In 2002-2006, Toe went to Dallas Theological Seminary to obtain his Masters of Theology and soon returned to join EAST afterwards as resident faculty. However, his ministry to the staff in Myanmar continues to this day via digital means. Do continue to pray for their family and ministry.
Getting to know Samuel & Agnes Too
Samuel and Agnes Too joined EAST in May 2020. Samuel has been a visiting lecturer previously and has taught a number of classes on Missions Foundation at EAST. He is now a full-fledged resident faculty at EAST and Agnes joins us with years of missions field experience from Japan and East Asia. Due to recent Covid-19 situation, the interview with them was conducted over Zoom. But their warmth and authenticity still came through.
Loving Singapore Block by Block
On the eve of Singapore’s National Day long weekend, the Day of His Power event was held online for the first time. A number of notable church leaders in Singapore shared from their hearts about the state of the church and missions in Singapore. Pastor Lawrence Chua from Living Sanctuary Brethren Church shared the strategy of “Loving Singapore Block by Block” as his church has sought to be a good neighbour over the years.
Jason Wong from the fathering movement, Elijah 7000, also pondered about Singapore as a land of beautiful houses yet with broken homes. Truly, today more than ever, as believers, we need to be sharing the hope we have in Christ to rebuild the broken homes in our beautiful nation. Happy National Day Weekend to all Singaporeans!
Watch the full Day of His Power event recorded “live” here and read the article published by Thir.st for more insights on a segment of the event that focused on the family here.
#SaturdayGoodRead #EASTLifestyle #LoveSingapore #SGUnited
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