Alumna: “Soft Hearts and Childlike Faithfulness”
“I see people serving God with soft hearts and childlike faithfulness,” says Fang Fang, 41 then. “That really touched my life.” The psychotherapist who worked among mentally-ill people in a mountainous region in East Asia for nine years as a missionary always knew that God made her for “hard places.” Yet, there is a hard place that she is terrified of – “the hardness of heart.”
“I often prayed to God that I would not grow old and cynical in ministry,” she says. “God led me to EAST to answer that prayer through the many models I have met, e.g. Dr Langston and Dr Lewis, my first teachers, impressed me as very intelligent and humble people, and Dr Roland exemplifies childlike wonder and pure joy for life.”
Coming to EAST was not part of her plan, admits Fang Fang, “I don’t know how to plan,” she says as a matter of fact. Many important events in her life, she shares, from doing her masters in psychotherapy in the UK to serving in East Asia, happened as the Lord led her through relationships and circumstances.
“When I came home from the mission field due to unforeseen circumstances, I happen to sit next to an EAST faculty member during our church camp,” she says, “She invited me to come and see, and I did. And stayed.”
Fang Fang continues to serve with her church and through her gifts in teaching and counselling in Singapore. She graduated with a Graduate Diploma in Christian Ministry in 2016.
Read more alumni stories at www.east.edu.sg/tag/alumni/
#EASTAlumni #EASTLifestyle #Faithfulness #Joy #Missionary
Song for SG55 – One
Enjoy this newly composed National Day song by HeartDriven Music, words and music by Ryan Kong.
Taken from the Song Story, shared by the composer, Ryan Kong:
This National Day, HeartDriven Music, Project Providence and the Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach (AGWO) are collaborating to release this song, ONE, as a rallying cry for every one of us to play our part in whatever capacity we can, as one nation. While we look forward to resuming our normal lives again, let us not forget the life lessons which Covid-19 has taught us. Let us not waste this opportunity to go the extra mile, to reach out in love beyond what is convenient for us.
Project Providence helps to house homeless and stranded foreigners in Singapore. AGWO aims to reach out to all guest workers in Singapore – to care for them and cater to their essential needs, while also adopting a spirit of hospitality for a welcoming environment that is free of discrimination and prejudice.
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
An American in EAST
“The shocking hot weather”, and “pedestrians waiting for traffic lights to turn green even when there are no cars coming.” These are some of the “cultural shocks” Jessica Yi (USA), then 23, first experienced in Singapore. And her favourite thing to eat? “Bubble tea,” she replies, “Sure we have it back home but the bubble tea here is a whole new level!”
Jessica came to Singapore to intern with the ACTS Ministry International (AMI) “Since I would be here for a year, I decided to study at EAST, which I found on the internet, to equip myself,” she says.
Am I a Racist?
Recent conversations with youths locally have shown heightened interest in race related issues. Local political discussions and decisions (even election) often have to face such issues too. Dr Lewis Winkler, an EAST resident faculty who teaches theological studies, shares his thoughts as our resident Theologian.
Growing up in the USA in the 1960’s, because of men like Martin Luther King, Jr., there was a lot of talk about racial equality and the Civil Rights Movement. I’m deeply grateful that my parents and the church we attended repeatedly and insistently taught that all people are made in God’s image and are of infinite value and fully (not separately) equal. More than fifty years later, it’s easy to forget that those were also times of deep anger, unrest, and social upheaval. Looking back now, it feels like in some ways like we have made real progress while in others, we have only come full circle.
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