MY BIBLE COLLEGE LIFE

John Chemalan

I greet you all in the blessed name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I am John Kiprop Chemalan from Kenya. I am very thankful to God for the opportunity that I can testify of God’s goodness upon my life. I thank God for saving me from my sins and giving me the assurance of eternal life. Not only did God save me but He also called me into full-time ministry. Furthermore, I thank God for leading me to come to study in Far Eastern Bible College, an institution that has a high view of God and His Word.

My dear friends, allow me to share with you my college life in FEBC. It has now been three years since I joined FEBC. I truly appreciate and treasure all the lessons that I have learned here in this college. It has not been without much trial. There were times that I thought of quitting but I thank God that He did not allow me to quit and that is why I can stand here today to praise Him. What kept me going every time this thought came into my mind was the prayer that I had prayed before the Lord opened the way for me to study at FEBC.

One of the trying times for me was when I fractured my left leg. It was not easy for me to walk with crutches especially when going down stairs and taking a shower. Thank God for all my friends who were always there ready and willing to help. I am very grateful to Mrs Khoo who during this period fetched me from college to church every week.

To be far away from my loved ones sometimes caused distress and homesickness. I remember towards the end of last year I received news that my father’s health was getting worse every day. Whenever I called him on the phone he would keep asking me when I would come home. Why was it taking so long? My only response was “Babaa (father), I am about to finish and will come back soon.” But God took him home last year November 25th. That was my saddest time and the only thing I could do was to pray, and my great joy is that I will see my father again. I really thank God for the many friends in FEBC and the church who prayed and encouraged me.

Another thing I want to thank God for is the training under our Matron Mrs Ivy Tow. In the beginning, I could not understand why she scolded me often but later on I understood that it is for my good and others also. God had placed her there for a purpose. Her training has truly helped me to improve in many aspects of my life which I will never forget. First, it is to be always ready and willing to render our help. One of her words to me was, “Don’t just stand there; find something to do.” These words have taught me to be active and not to be idle. Second, she always encouraged me to do the duties assigned to me as unto the Lord and the Lord will bless me. Third, it is the lesson of being a responsible person. Time will not allow me to list all the lessons I have learned under Mrs Tow, but I personally appreciate her motherly love towards me. I pray that the Lord will grant her many more years of service in FEBC.

In conclusion, I would like to thank God for all my lecturers for teaching me the Word of God faithfully. It is my prayer that I will remember all the lessons learned in FEBC. I know that much has been given to me and much is required of me.

May the Lord help me to bear a good testimony for Christ and of FEBC. All glory be to God. Thank you all and God bless.

John Chemalan graduated with a Master of Religious Education (MRE) on May 11, 2014. He is returning home this week to serve the Lord in his home country Kenya.

MY MISSION TRIP TO MYANMAR

Ong Qiao Yan

Thank God for the blessed opportunity to be able to serve in the VBS in New Life Orphan Centre (Myanmar). This trip had taught me the spiritual lesson of how important and sufficient the presence of God is in His ministries. I was also humbled by the Lord and learnt to rely on Him in whatever task He had assigned to me. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Years ago during one of the church camps, I watched the photos presented by the representatives of the various mission fields supported by True Life B-P Church. I was moved by the testimonies shared. This made me to ponder: With all the spiritual and physical blessings that I have received from the Lord, is there anything that I can do with my limited ability to be a blessing to the brethren in the mission field? I even shared these thoughts with my roommate. However, all these vanished at the end of the church camp. Well, man forgets but God remembers.

Years later, the opportunity to serve in the mission field was opened to me when I followed God’s will to give up a possible expansion plan for my tuition centre. I think that this is the test from the Lord to determine if I am ready for His work. Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

I thank God that I have chosen to serve Him. This has allowed me to have the chance to serve in the Myanmar Vacation Bible School (VBS). At first, I was really very scared as I had no idea what to expect. Moreover, I had no experience in teaching God’s Word to the children as I was just a teacher assistant in the Sunday worship class. Thus using my own efforts, I tried to prepare the lessons and the lesson activities. However, God taught me by giving me sleepless nights as there were no ideas coming out for the activities. This was when I learnt to rely on Him by praying for His help as the worries for the activities had really worn me out. Amazingly, the morning after my prayer, all the ideas on what to do for the activities came into my mind in a very clear manner. Praise the Lord! Through this, I realised that this is God’s work and it must be done according to His way and not by my own wisdom.

On the first day of the VBS when I had to teach the children the first lesson, I was so nervous that I memorised the contents of the lesson and its flow before the lesson started. I prayed and God reminded me of the prophet Moses on how the Lord had guided him and taught him how to speak (Exod 4:11-12). In the same manner, I believed He would guide and help me to speak His words. It was a feeling that could not be explained as I was able to teach saying the words in a coherent manner without needing to follow what I had memorised earlier on.

It was really a blessing to be able to serve in the mission field as I could really witness the presence of the Lord in all areas of the work from the preparation to the actual. I really beseech all of you to serve the Lord with the talents that God has blessed you with. What will be your answer if the Lord Jesus comes back today and asks: What have you done with your talents (Matt 25:14-30)?

Qiao Yan holds a CertRK from FEBC and is active in the Children’s Worship and Young Adults’ Fellowship ministries of True Life BPC.