Alumnus Tak: Light & Hope Amidst Disaster
Below is the current newsletter from EAST alumnus Tak Funatogawa who has been serving in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, for the past decade. Read about how God’s light and hope still shine in Japan amidst all the recent challenges – do keep him, his family, and ministry in your prayers.
Dear family and friends,
Blessed Lunar New Year to all our friends celebrating the Chinese New Year! Furthermore, Blessed New Year to all our other friends too. We are always grateful and appreciate deeply your continued support and prayers for us.
“Magnitude 7.5 struck the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan causing a Tsunami 6.58m high along the Sea of Japan coast.”
“A runway collision occurred at Haneda Airport in Tokyo.” Read more
Overflowing Blessings from above
Design by Blessed Ong
You crown the year with Your goodness;
Your ways overflow with plenty.
~ Psalm 65:11, HCSB
May you and your loved ones experience God’s abiding presence and abundant grace in the Lunar New Year!
The Chinese couplet
新年蒙恩，
福杯满溢。
expresses the following:
May you experience abundant grace in the New Year;
May your cup of blessings overflow.
Shalom blessings from all at EAST!
New Student: Sebastian Tramitz from Germany
L-R: Dr Joseph Khoo, Mrs Boon Aitee, Issac Do, Sebastian Tramitz
Below is a short reflection of our new student Sebastian Tramitz from Germany. He is embarking on a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry at EAST while relocating to Singapore and embracing a new culture, or many new cultures at EAST and equipping himself here. His short reflection of his journey to EAST is below.
I know about EAST through various people I met on my journey of finding my path to change location to Singapore. One key person was a board member of EAST whom I met at the church I attended. He got me in touch with Cru Singapore through another person on the board of Cru. He then connected me with a Cru ministry leader and alumnus of EAST, which finally led to the meeting of Jonathan Yao and a site visit on which I made a decision that I want to apply.
Why go for Theological Studies? Why consider EAST?
Why EAST?
When considering formal theological education, a couple of important questions need to be answered. First, should I even go in the first place? If so, then the next question becomes, where should I go?
Regarding the first concern, it should be asked, are there other and better ways to be trained and developed or is getting a formal degree the best course to take? It is also good to ask, what is my motivation? Do I want this degree for the status and respect it will afford, or do I see it as a genuine opportunity for growth and development that will open new doors of Christian service and a deeper level of love for and knowledge of God?
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)?
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