Graduate’s Story – Lee Poh Chin, MAICS 2023

Lee Poh Chin (Singapore), MA Intercultural Studies (2023)
“The journey, not the destination matters” (T. S. Eliot, poet, essayist, Nobel Prize Literature laureate in 1948).
“I’m here for the ride,” says Lee Poh Chin, principal-mentor of an international school ministry in Kampong Speu, Cambodia, before she came to EAST. The PhD holder in Human Movement and Exercise Science from University of Western Australia wanted a school that prepares her to serve among Khmer people. “EAST has not disappointed me,” she says.
EAST Express Tabao Theology Podcast: How to suffer well
How does one have hope amidst trials?
Suffering is experienced by every person who has ever lived or is living on earth. In this episode of EAST EXPRESS Tabao Theology podcast, Rev Jacob Li, Dr Lewis Winkler, and Ms Anj Pantaleon sought biblical and theological responses to the questions on suffering together with personal and practical responses to issues pertinent to Christians & non-Christians today.
The podcast brings us to examine how as Christians, we fall back on the example of Christ who suffered for the hope set before Him of God’s greater glory ahead. Moreover, we have the comfort of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us as we go through various challenges on earth.
Do visit the links below to either view or listen to the podcast in video or audio format.
EAST YouTube video podcast: www.east.ac/podcast-video
EAST Spotify audio podcast: www.east.ac/podcast-audio
Ministry Outreach 2023
Ministry outreach is carried out annually by all Mentoring Groups (MGs) at EAST where students, faculty and staff launch out and minister to various sectors of our community with the love of God. It is an opportunity for MGs to take faith steps, reach out, bond together, and experience “classrooms without walls.” Students are also able to observe and learn from faculty mentors as they serve together.
Launching out – Jacob & Josephine Li

Photo credit: Deborah Quek
Jacob and Josephine (Josie) Li arrived in Singapore from Vancouver in 2015 to join EAST as Faculty members. Together with their young children in tow, Josiah and Jesse (5 and 1 year old respectively), they began their lives in sunny Singapore. Both of them graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary, Jacob with his Master of Theology (ThM) and Josephine with her Master of Arts in Biblical Studies (MABS). Prior to entering seminary, Jacob was involved in real estate development while Josie was into interior design. Due to their desire to honour and serve their aging parents, they have decided to return to Vancouver to be with them at the end of June 2023 after serving in EAST for the past 8 years. While being back in Vancouver, they will still be very much involved in the ministries they are in since EAST. As well, for Jacob, he will continue to serve on the leadership team of Asia Theological Association while Josephine will run her Sisters in Ministry (SIM) Toolbox that offers online workshops for sisters from different nations.
Partners in Ministry Graduation 2023
God is raising labourers. As we celebrated the graduation of many women in the Partners In Ministry (PIM) program, we are truly recounting and rejoicing in the mighty work of our Lord sending out His spiritual multipliers into the harvest field throughout Asia. What a joy to hear the same refrain over the many testimonies given – “God is equipping me to better serve alongside my husband, and build up other women!” What a privilege to see God sending them out to different pockets of Asia where solid biblical teaching might be lacking! What an encouragement to know that their hearts are burning to use what they have learned in PIM program to further equip more spiritual multipliers!
These ladies whom God brought into the PIM program love the Lord and are passionate to make Him known. Many are already actively leading groups and shepherding younger women locally. We are so grateful that God uses EAST to help them gain a strong conviction to serve visionally alongside their husbands in full time ministry, and to train them with tools which will benefit them as ministers of the gospel.