Update from Senior Alumni Rev Simon & Hannah Son
Rev Simon & Hannah Son
EAST News caught up with Rev Simon & Hannah Son through a Zoom interview recently. Both Simon and Hannah graduated from the inaugural class of 1995 when EAST was established in 1992, with a Master of Divinity degree and Partners-in-Ministry certificate respectively. Although Simon and Hannah are both Korean Campus Crusade for Christ (KCCC) Staff, they had undergone their Great Commission Training Center (GCTC) days in Manila back in 1984, having to learn English which was not their native tongue. After that, they pioneered the student ministry in Hong Kong where they had to learn yet another language, Cantonese. They were missionaries in Hong Kong for six years before Dr Victor Koh invited them to equip themselves for further studies at the newly established EAST in 1992. Simon had to complete a year of English preparation in 1991 in Singapore before beginning the course at EAST in 1992.
Alumna Esther on Life Lessons at EAST
Alumna Esther & Family
Esther is an EAST alumna who graduated with a Master of Divinity in Christian Ministry in 2017. She came from Indochina to be equipped at EAST. She came as a single lady and has returned to her home country married, and now has a son Josiah who is turning three. Together with her husband, they are pastoring a local church of over 40 members. Below is an interview of her experience at EAST, some life lessons and prayer requests.
God’s Bespoken Blessing to EAST
Blessed Charity Ong joined EAST as an intern in 2019 to complete her Communication Master’s degree and then stayed on as a volunteer. She designed many of our EAST’s collaterals and equipped the Advancement Team with media design and communication skills. She is the design genius who helped to initiate the EAST’s rebranding project and came up with a new brand kit and logo. This happened as we relocated from 110 Middle Rd to our new permanent campus at 118 Joo Chiat Rd. Read about Blessed’s journey in her own words and her motivation to bless EAST for His glory.
Blessed’s Journey in Design & Communications
It is actually a story of creating and developing something out of nothing. My first ministry was being part of the Music Team. But as our church grows and expands its vision to becoming a church that adopts the digital trend, there came a need to fill in that gap. And as a young person at that time, with zero knowledge on all the media tools and softwares, I prayed and asked for my parents’ support to switch from my current college program to Multimedia Arts, to hone my skills and to help further the advancement of our church ministry. So I believe what I have in my hand at that moment is only a desire to serve and with that hope, that I want to be part of something great.
My Missional Journey To and At EAST: MACM Student Hannah Ong
(L-R) Hannah Ong, husband Wong Chee Hoe, son Timothy (18), & daughter Anna (20)
EAST News caught up with a 2nd year Master of Arts in Christian Ministry (MACM) student Hannah Ong regarding her journey to and her experiences at EAST thus far. Hannah joined EAST before the Covid-19 pandemic started but since then, there have been a lot of changes in terms of lessons delivery at EAST too. Still, she has adapted well, and God has continued to equip her through life lessons through classes at EAST.
Welcome EAST’s newest Faculty: Roy Tan
L-R: Roy, Gloria (daughter), Eunice (daughter-in-law), Bee Lay (wife), Ryan (son)
EAST News welcomes Roy Tan (EdD Studies in Child & Family Development) as our newest Resident Faculty Member, although Roy is neither new to EAST nor Christian Ministry. He has joined EAST since September 2019 and served in Navigators for 22 years as staff, was a pastor in a local church (Neighbourhood Church) for 8 years, and even worked as a Clerk of Works in the army all prior to joining EAST. Since joining EAST, he has co-taught the Shepherd Care class with Dr Casey Lok for three cycles and given personal counselling sessions to dozens of students as part of the course assignment to enable students to work through life issues and understand their own temperaments and giftings better.
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