Indonesian Alumni’s Recovery from Covid-19
Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the world for over a year and EAST Alumni have been directly affected as well. EAST News caught up with two families from Indonesia, two families from Mongolia and one family from India who have suffered from Covid-19. Below are their brief updates from two families in Indonesia. More updates will follow next week.
Left to Right: Hendra Bagun, Eugenia (4), Lavisha (6), Hanna Sylvia Sitompul
Hendra Bagun, who graduated in 2017 with a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies, is currently pursuing an EdD and is currently the President at Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Injili Bethsaida, a seminary in Medan, Indonesia. He suffered from Covid-19 from the first week of January this year, but thankfully his wife and children were spared. He experienced the loss of the sense of taste and smell for about two months. The senses were only fully recovered from March to April. The seminary currently runs all their classes online.
The situation in Medan is still quite serious, under red alert. Hendra shared about a Chinese student named Su Beity who also suffered from Covid-19 and is in a serious condition.. She is taking Master of Christian Education in his seminary and currently is also suffering from fibrosis on her lungs due to Covid-19. Please keep Su Beity in prayers for her recovery.
Prayer Pointers – 17 June 2021
”If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” – James 1:5, ESV
We have a perfect Father in Heaven who creates, knows, and grants us the best for our lives so that we can bring glory to Him. As we are beset by a world still grappling from multiple waves of Covid-19, O Lord, bestow upon us Your wisdom and guidance to live wisely and serve faithfully to glorify You.
All things are for Him and through Him
“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” – Colossians 1:16-17
Christ was present during creation, as part of the Holy Trinity. This verse adds that not only was Christ there but all things are created through and for him. Paul’s reason for making these claims is to demonstrate Christ’s power and love. To convince his readers to glorify God, as in Romans 11:36 “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”
If all things are through Christ and for Christ, we must remember to give glory to Him no matter the circumstance. Reality is the result of God’s plans for us, and though we may not understand due to our limited sinful human understanding of things, we know that he loves us.
“Now, I’m ready to go home and bear fruit.”
(Left) Mr Tan Eng Kwang, EAST Admissions Officer. (Right) Mr Vitou Ngeth, 2021 graduate, Master of Divinity in Christian Ministry.
Ngeth Vitou (Cambodia), MDiv Christian Ministry
“First we clean the land and let the cows soften the soil; then we let the land rest and heal, add in fertilizers and plant rice.”
Vitou, 33, speaks like a pro because from the young age of seven, he was already helping his parents on their three-hectre rice fields.
First, we clean the land
Vitou’s spiritual growth path started at 21 at a Bible School in Sihanoukville (western Cambodia), four hours from his hometown in Takeo. “I wasn’t a believer then,” he says. “I enrolled at the school only because it was free.”
The fifth child of a family of six children confesses that he grew up very angry about being poor. “I dreamed of finding a better life for my family; my father died early and my mother lived a hard life,” says Vitou. “But when I accepted Jesus in my first year at the college, my dreams changed to helping others find eternal life.”
Prayer Pointers – 10 June 2021
“And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” – Ezra 3:11a, ESV
We have much to thank God for: He has blessed us with EAST Mission Hub (EMH) and moved hearts of ministry partners in envisioning with us to “develop Christlike servant leaders for the Great Commission in Asia and around the world” at the recent online EMH Thanksgiving & Envisioning 2021. All glory to our mighty God!
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