Alumni Asung & Nim: Ministry Updates May 2024
Alumni Asung and Nim Pharung from Manipur, Northeast India, has sent their ministry updates below.
I am writing this update after 11 months. Some of you might still remember the last update sent by my nephew last year in place of me as there was no internet in my region. We are slowly getting back to normalcy now after curfews, police sirens, bombings and guns. The Lord is our Shepherd. He led us on a safe path.
Word of Mouth, Internet or Google?
Brandon Chan, 2024 MDiv in Intercultural Studies and Theological Studies; President’s Leadership Award and Academic Excellence Award recipient.
It started with a Google Map
Below is the story of how one of our students stumbled upon EAST, took on a visiting class, and how through his journey of faith, he took on leadership role as a Student Council President. In the recent 30th Commencement, he received not just an Academic Excellence Award but also the President’s Leadership Award for being a servant leader during his time at EAST.
A recent survey showed that most students found EAST through “word of mouth”, “internet search” and “EAST website”; 10% came through “others.”
Brandon Chan’s “others” was ‘Google Maps’.
A Small Act of Kindness
Graduate Haimi Horam (right) with his fellow classmate Kim Hak Soo (left) from South Korea.
Haimi Horam (Manipur, North-East India), 46, who completed his last school modules back in India reminisces about the ones who made the difference to his EAST journey.
I still recall how I felt when I first touched down in Singapore in 2018. Everything was fast. New. Confusing.
At my first class, I did not even know how to set up a Word document. But with help from my classmates and teachers, I progressed to creating Powerpoint and videos, and conducting Zoom outreaches (when Covid-19 hit).
India has 1,400 unreached people groups (1.4 billion people); no way we can reach this country without also using online tools and approaches.
Alumnus Jacob An: Global Aid Network Korea Director
EAST Alumnus Jacob An JangRyoel, currently director of Global Aid Network (GAiN) Korea, graduated from EAST with a Master of Divinity in Teaching and Exposition in May 1998. He recently visited EAST Campus at 118 Joo Chiat Road and EAST News had an opportunity to catch up with him. He had many wonderful memories of the old campus at 1 Dorset Road and he shared a few anecdotes, “In those days, the library staff would assign the library key to a student to open and close up the library in the mornings and evenings. I became the key man. I used to be the first to arrive at the library to open the door, and the last to leave who shut it up. I learned and practiced about sincerity, hard work, and responsibility during that time.”
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
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