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
Alumnus Zoloo Damba – Mongolia Campus Crusade for Christ’s new National Director
Left to Right: Bataa Juvaa (former MCCC National Director), Muugii Namgildorj (wife of Zoloo), Zoloo Damba (Current MCCC National Director)
On 9 October 2023, Zoloo Damba (EAST Alumnus, Master of Arts in Leadership, 2020) was installed as the 2nd Mongolian National Director of Mongolia Campus Crusade for Christ (MCCC). It was a significant milestone for Zoloo and MCCC as there is a transition of leadership from the first Mongolian National Director Bataa Juvaa (EAST Alumnus, Master of Divinity, 2011) to another Mongolian, both EAST alumni.
EAST news managed to get Bataa Juvaa to share some thoughts regarding both Zoloo’s and his own time of equipping at EAST.
Graduate’s Story – Kang Hye-Won, Grad Dip ICS 2023
“The journey toward self-discovery is life’s greatest adventure” (Arianna Huffington, author, columnist and businesswoman).
Upon graduating from university in Korea, Kang Hye-Won moved to Sydney, Australia, and worked in the city’s ubiquitous sandwich shops to support himself.
Purpose? To become someone God could use.
New Graduate: Japheth Chew, Malaysia
Japheth Chew, Grad Dip in Intercultural Studies (2023)
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page” (Saint Augustine).
Japheth Chew is no stranger to road trips.
Before EAST, he had lived in Brisbane (Australia), Kansas City (USA), and Swansea (Wales) for missions, worship and prayer training.
Besides serving for three years in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with YWAM and Open Doors, he ministered among the disadvantaged in Darjeeling (West Bengal), and Mother Theresa’s “Missionaries of Charities” in Calcutta for three months. He also served for a year in missions at Cornerstone Community Church in Singapore.
This early exposure has given him a hunger to “keep learning new things.”
New Graduate: Sarah Angela Ong Pantaleon, Philippines
Sarah Angela Ong Pantaleon, MDiv Christian Ministry (2023)
“Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn’t mean to take” (Angela N. Blount, award-winning author)
Many classes at EAST have blessed Anj.
“Amy Lau’s ‘Bible Study Methods’ taught me to study God’s Word contextually,” she says, “and Dr Jeannette’s ‘Teaching’ class showed me how to write lesson plans.”
“These and many other classes are important for my future ministry,” she says.
But to move forward, Anj also discovered that she had to take a few steps back to “unlearn and learn.”
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