EAST News 2009 issue 3

A Note from the Principal
Dr. Ho Chiao Ek

In October, two of our resident faculty members spoke at chapel.

Toe Set, dean of students, shared how his family faced a vicious spiritual attack by the enemy recently. It was a new situation and he was unsure of what to do. But as he spent time with God, he was greatly encouraged that God intervenes on behalf of His people.

Through his meditation on Judges chapter four, he was reminded that God routs (hamam; cf. Judges 4:15) the enemy, giving decisive victory to Israel under the leadership of Deborah and Barak. Indeed, He is our great deliverer.

Then our dean of academics, Dr Mah Yeo Beng, shared from the exhortation of Paul to Timothy to suffer hardship as a good soldier of Chirst Jesus (2 Timothy 2:3).

Through his experiences of suffering during his National Service days, he came to better understand what it means to suffer in his own journey of faith.

The two exhortations are not unrelated. They both focus on the foundational areas of our relationship with God.

As we meet with the challenges of modern living, we need to be careful to nurture the unseen, foundational areas of our lives — time with God, character issues, and learning to see God at work in the ordinariness of everyday life.

Accordinng to David Benner, soul care (cura animarum in Latin) has both the notion of cure and care; it is both restorative and preventative (Care of Souls, 21).

We desire to see both spiritual reformation and spiritual formation in the lives of our students. It is being attentive to the Spirit’s movements in our lives, as we yield to His transformative work.

May God help us to discern what He is doing in our lives individually and as a community at EAST.

Thank you for your interest and financial partnership this past year. We value your continual prayers and fellowship. Emmanuel!