God Was Directing Me

I received two unconditional offers to study in England (in Sheffield and Liverpool), and needed travel documents. God led me to an English lady who was worshipping in the Anglican Church. I did not know that she was working at the offices of the British High Commission. She commented that I looked very familiar and suddenly she recalled that I was from the church where I had served as an altar boy. She asked “What can I do for you, young man?” I explained my situation, showed her all my documents and asked her about the possibility of getting permanent residency. She took my documents and went to see her superior. Fifteen minutes later, she came back to inform me that I might have a claim to British Overseas Citizenship based on my father’s status. She not only helped me to write a letter to the Foreign Office in London, but also helped me apply for a British passport through the Brunei Immigration. However, it was stated in the passport that “the holder had no right of abode in Brunei.”

God Opens and Closes Doors

God opened one door (Sheffield) and shut the other (Liverpool) as the travel documents were not ready on time. I did not know why He wanted me to go to Sheffield. But upon arrival, I found out that the food and local transportation there were the cheapest in the whole of England. With my meagre allowance from a local businessman in the Anglican Church, I managed to survive including paying my rent.

During my second year in Sheffield, through the advice of some students, I approached a solicitor to help me apply for UK citizenship. I was concerned about the cost and I committed the matter to God. The solicitor assured me that he would first write to the legal aid adviser to seek financial assistance before he would write to the Home Office. After a few weeks, the legal aid adviser wrote to my solicitor to say that my case was a local one and therefore I was entitled to financial assistance. Praise God!

God Was Humbling Me

Through waiting, God was humbling me and strengthening my faith. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee”. God is faithful and true to His promises. I completed my 10-year stay but was fearful that I would still not get British permanent residency (PR) as I heard that staying for 10 years does not automatically guarantee PR. But lo and behold, thank God, God granted me a PR status in the UK! This allowed me to go back to Brunei for the first time after

10 years of waiting and hoping. After completing one year as a PR, I could apply for British citizenship. During the 10-year period, I tried to get a Belgian visa to join Operation Mobilisation, a Canadian visa to accompany my brother to Canada, get into Warwick University for an MBA programme and jobs in London but they were all rejected. I realised it was not God’s will to move at all as He wanted me to stay put in Sheffield until my citizenship was settled.

Meanwhile, many church members in Sheffield and some English families in Exeter were praying for me. Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” Without their prayer support and encouragement, I would not be able to sustain myself. Soon, I got my British citizenship but there was a backlog in the passport section as the old British passports were being phased out. Lo and behold, the Lord diverted the backlog to different locations based on where one lived. The nearest Passport Office for me was in Liverpool. Instead of a long wait, I obtained my passport within two months. Romans 8:28, “And we all know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

God’s Timing Is Perfect

Now as I look back and ponder over God’s purpose in my life, His timing was always precise and right. It was as if God was telling me, “Since you had wanted to move earlier on, get ready to move now.” Within six months of getting a job in Singapore, I moved here. I thank God for the valuable lessons learnt because He is sovereign and He knows what is best for His children. All glory to His Name! In Jeremiah 9:23-24, we read, “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise loving- kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”

[Bro William Teo serves as chairman of the Adults’ Fellowship which meets in his house every month. His wife is Rachel and they have two children, Sarah and Jeremy.]

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Radio Ministry in Kenya

An Email from Philip K Lagat

Receive Christian greetings from Eldoret. We are getting on in the Lord’s work. Thanks to God for the open door to study at FEBC. For sure it was the Lord’s doing for He was preparing us for His work here in Kenya. My family are fine and children are getting on in their schools.

I thank the Lord for the open door to preach His Word over the Radio. Many have been blessed through it. They send text messages to me and even call me. The Lord led me to start this ministry in November 2009. The people who are reached are thousands weekly, every Thursday. The programme is in Kalenjin, and most of the listeners are in the Rift Valley province, including Kericho and Bomet. For those years the Lord has enabled me to meet the expenses. It costs Ksh 1,500 per month. But now they have raised it to Ksh 8,000 per month which I am not able to pay.

I would appreciate your prayers and assistance where possible so that this programme might continue. We realise that many people are being reached through the media. And many who are reaching the people through radio and television are propagators of the social gospel and the Charismatics. Many who are seekers of the truth have been misled. It behooves us therefore not to be silent, but to preach the sound doctrine in season and out of season. Thank God that I introduced the radio programme to Pr Nelson, and he is preaching in Swahili in the programme called “What Sayeth the Scriptures?” The one in which I am broadcasting in Kalenjin is Kas-Ng’olyot (“Hear the Word”).

Say hi to the True Lifers and FEBCians, not forgetting Mrs Tow and your family. Thanks and God bless you all. We are praying that the Lord will continue protecting FEBC that many servants of God may be trained there. Continue upholding and honouring the Holy Word and the Living Word. Amen!

[The Rev Philip Lagat is an FEBC graduate (MRE 2007). True Life will support his radio broadcasting ministry with 8000 Kenyan Shillings (about US$100) a month. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” (Rom 10:18-19).]