New Student Rebecca Liow – A heart for Japan, Led to EAST

Below is a brief introduction of a new student Rebecca Liow, a Singaporean who has a heart for Japan. She is enrolled in Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies and she is a member of Covenant Evangelical Free Church in Singapore. She shares about being led to study at EAST, the EAST Aleph immersion experience, and her plans after her studies.

⁠What led you to study at EAST?
The straightforward answer is that the Lord called me to study in this season and He opened the EAST door for me.🙂 I had been in discussion with my coordinator regarding the possibility and necessity of going through a minimal 2-year programme at a registered bible school and really only came to a definite conclusion on the last week of May or first week of June. I knew that the start of the new academic year will be in July and I assumed that there would not be a chance for me to get enrolled this year. So my very first email to EAST was to request for an application for January 2027 intake.

When I received an unexpectedly speedy reply, something prompted me to just be bold and asked to be admitted in July 2026 instead. I subsequently managed to complete the application form together with all my documentations uploaded and references received with no obstacle within the required 2-day deadline. I only contacted 4 people and all of them responded within the hour, agreeing to be my references and eventually submitting what was necessary within a day. It was an experience that I knew was not something I could orchestrate with my own strength—it is the Lord who provided for me in a very real way.

⁠How do you find the experience at Aleph (EAST immersion and orientation exercise for new students)?
I have to admit that the travel to EAST campus was more intense than I had thought. Thankfully, I was able to adjust my body for this rigour during Aleph, before the semester actually starts! I also appreciated the fact that at Aleph I learnt how to use the various online platforms and tools that would be part and parcel of my student life—Populi (learning management system), DTL (Digital Theological Library), and Logos (Bible study app). Most importantly, being able to get to know my other batchmates during our free time and lunch helped me make new friends in EAST community (and not be lonely in my studies!).

⁠What’s God’s call upon your life and what do you plan to do after completing your studies at EAST?
To reach the Japanese people in Japan! How exactly I have not figured out completely but after living in Japan for a period of time, I do see the need for ministry to church workers and pastoral staff, so that they are not running on empty. They shepherd and feed others with spiritual food, but how well are we doing in helping to strengthen and feed God’s shepherds holistically?

Please pray along with me to manage my studies well as it has been a while since I was in formal education.🙏

 

For more information about EAST program of studies and student applications, please visit the Admissions page or email admissions [at] east.edu.sg.