PP 6303/09/2010(025407)

TEACHERS’ CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP MALAYSIA | CONNECTING HEARTS AND MINDS | VOLUME 22 ISSUE 1

In Step

Growing with TCF

I urge you to live

a life worthy of the calling you have received. Ephesians 4:1

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For some, 2010 may be just another year but for TCF, it is a significant milestone as it marks the 50th year of our existence. It all started when a group of 40 committed Christian teachers came together to support each other in their calling and witness in the schools. Over the years, God has brought into the TCF family committed leaders and members who have invested time and effort into growing the organisation to become what it is today.

As a fellowship of Christian educators, we want to celebrate God’s faithfulness to us. This issue of In Step is one of a series which will feature stories of our members sharing their own journey with TCF—of lessons learnt, activities enjoyed, friendships made, memories cherished as offerings of thanksgiving to God.

For a start, Hai Bee shares her story of how she has grown and benefited from her association with TCF. We also have a wonderful collection of stories of teachers stepping out in faith to take up a first posting in an ‘unknown’ place, taking up a leadership position in school, serving faithfully till retirement and beyond. A young teacher shares how reading In Step has helped her to stay on her journey as a teacher to students with learning disabilities.

May these stories inspire you in your mission field and may your journey in 2010 be a joyful and fruitful one.

In StepEditorial Coordinators

Indyrany KannaiyaLiew Nyuk Lan

Editorial CommitteeDaniel Gan

Sim Kwan HoonAngela Kwon

Layout/DesignDoris Ng

TCF OfficeC10005

Subang Perdana Goodyear Court 347610 Subang JayaSelangor, Malaysia

Tel/Fax : 035637 5623Email: tcfmy@pd.jaring.my

Website: www.tcfmy.org

PrinterPrintmate Sdn Bhd

16 Jalan Industri P.B. P 7Taman Industri Puchong

47100 PuchongSelangor

IN STEP is a nonprofit Christian newsletter published four times a year by the Teachers’ Christian Fellowship

Malaysia (TCF). It is dedicated to Christian educators and issued

FREE to TCF members. For more information, please

contact the address above.

VIEWS EXPRESSED ARE THE WRITERS’ AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT

THOSE OF TCF.

Contents editorial

Nyuk Lan counts herself blessed to be part of the TCF family.

3 Editorial

4 Growing with TCF

9 From Pasir Putih to Shanghai

12 No Man is an Island

13 With TCF, I Travelled!

14 TCF DIY Man Shares

16 The Harvest Field

18 The Maths Teacher

20 Keeping in Step

22 Enabled to Succeed

24 God’s Divine Appointment

25 Moving On, Moving Out

29 God’s Gift to Me

31 Ways of Wisdom Seminar

35 SOS: 1 to 1

38 Down Memory Lane

39 Logo Competition

40 In Partnership: Jubilate!

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Introduction

The TCF family is about a whole network of people—mentors, friends, coworkers, newly qualified teachers and associate members from a spectrum of related as well as unrelated fields.

My first contact with TCFI joined TCF in 1979, my first year of teaching in Kota Tinggi, Johor. My first contact with TCFers like Nga Johnson (former TCF vicechairman and a retired principal now serving at the ShanghaiSingapore International School in Shanghai, China) and the

late Rosalind Foo Wah Lin in Johor Baru led me to befriend other TCFers like Poh Eng Chuan of Pontian, Koh Kok Tin of Kluang and Soon Kum Leng (a good friend of my eldest sister) of Muar, notwithstanding my own colleague Khoo Ewe Ewe from Penang, now residing in Singapore. They all made my fiveyear stint in Johor, the gateway to the south, a memorable getaway from home and a highway to experience God’s providential care.

My first TCF assignmentIn November 1983, I received news of my transfer back home to Kuala

GrowinG with tcfBy Goh Hai Bee

Lumpur. I clearly remembered Paul Ponnampalam’s phone call to me to join the TCF executive committee. He was then the honorary secretary. Little did I realise then that it would mark my long association with TCF first as a publicity secretary managing In Step and now as a vicechairman. When Kong Nguk Lim became our first lady TCF staff worker (after Koh Gim Lam), we were able to travel to different parts of Johor for more than a week to meet our members at the grassroots level. The need for genuine fellowship and marital relationships for single Christian lady teachers posted to remote areas, like Felda schemes in Johor, were very real then. We tried to establish links between the TCFers posted to remote areas and Christians

living in the nearest town. The TCF ministry then is similar to what we have now. Under Nguk Lim’s purview, we also saw the rapid development of preschool training sessions by a core of committed and competent Christian preschool personnel. They represent the wide spectrum of TCF’s ministry from preschool to teacher trainees in the teaching institutes and local universities. My stint in Johor stood me in good stead. I understood what it meant to be homesick as well as to learn survival skills for soul care as a Christian. Most Christian teachers formed the backbone of the local church where we preached or taught in Sunday schools. Friendships were forged to be renewed later when I returned to KL. I had the joy of seeing Leong Lai Thong, my former head of English panel in my Kota Tinggi school, and now retired principal of SMK L Methodist, Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, become a TCFer and baptised as a Christian. My 10year stint at the Royal Military College (19841993) also led me to visit TCFers in various places

TCF Exco members

Hai Bee with her sister, Kai Lian after a craft workshopNga Johnson (left) and Hai Bee

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Sheena & Cheryl Ng

on work assignments such as selection of students and interresidential college debates. During one such trip, I remember meeting up with Indy in Kuala Terengganu. Koh Gim Lam had earlier spoken to her to join TCF as Nguk Lim was getting married. She was fearful of uprooting herself from the quiet east coast town, where she was much loved in school and the Air Jernih Presbyterian church, to go to the hub of TCF work in teeming Kuala Lumpur. Indeed, TCF has been blessed to see Indy take the step of faith in serving God among the teachers. Her charismatic gift brought her entire network of friends and teachers (such as Tan Yoke Sim, Anne Moses and Liew Nyuk Lan), who were serving in her beloved east coast or the land of the leatherback turtles, to work as “coolies” as well as become staunch supporters of TCF work till today! Indy possesses the extraordinary gift from God to make new friends, such as Lee Sok Yan who served in Segamat, Johor and Helena, Miss Cooke’s niece (editorial assistants

for In Step), to become real partners in the TCF ministry. Her gift is still evident today as she mentors and nurtures the new breed of TCFers like John Liew, Marcus Khoo, Chieng Dih Ting, Sheena Jeremiah, Jan Lyn, Cheryl Ng, Angela Kwon and other new teachers. In her inimitable way, she challenges the young people at youth camps and churches to consider teaching as God’s vocation for them. The fundamental belief is that TCF cannot stagnate. We need to evaluate our existence and stay relevant in challenging times! In the past, working on each issue of In Step, I was often reminded of the struggles and inspiring stories of God’s triumphant grace at work in the lives of our Christian teachers who faithfully supported the TCF ministry. Thus, when TCF considered buying our own officeapartment in USJ Goodyear Court 3, (we started with table space in the Scripture Union office and then renting the SU staff house in Section 5, PJ), our supporters responded positively to our Gideon’s fleece before God. We managed to raise the amount needed without having to touch our life membership fund.

My formative teaching years and association with TCFThe big impact conferences were held in Penang and Singapore, where wellknown Christian figures such as John White (of Parents In Pain fame), the late Professor Dr Ruth Wong (writer of Called To Be A Teacher), Dr Howard Peskett and Peter Yuen of Singapore’s

Discipleship Training Centre (DTC), and Dr Bobby Sng and Datuk Dr David Gunaratnam were our main speakers. Their teaching and preaching sessions were well received. They became our mentors. Our early cofounders, Dr Alistair McGregor and Miss Elena Cooke, the late Mr David Boler, faithful stalwarts like Kua Kun Han, as well as our past chairman, Mr Yap Kok Keong, and his wife, Lily Yap, Dr Chew Tow Yow, Mrs Gloriosa Rajendran, Mr Phua Seng Tiong, Mr and Mrs Chin Yean Leong, Mr Chin Wee Wah and many others all reminded us of the rich and quiet legacy of Christian educators in our country. For instance, the Yaps never failed to show genuine Christian warmth, hospitality and generosity whether they were posted to Kuantan, Temerloh or Ipoh. During the government’s Operation Lalang, Mr Yap’s sterling quality of faithfulness to God amidst severe testing was vindicated by God when he was promoted to another state instead of demoted when expelled from the troubled state. He was then the TCF chairman running most of the time on razor’s edge with his boundless energy and great commitment to TCF. He was also a church elder and principal of three secondary schools. He quietly prepared Lim Boon Chye to take over the chairman’s mantle from him in a predominantly female TCF domain. Smaller conferences with postconference activities such as holiday trips to Bako National Park (Sarawak), Pulau Redang (off Terengganu), Mount

Kinabalu (Sabah), Taman Negara, Tasik Kenyir, Kukup (the south westernmost tip of mainland Asia, near Pontian) and retreats for singles were highlights for TCFers. Exposure trips to the interior of Sabah, Ba Kelalan and Mulu caves were planned with our East Malaysian counterparts for TCF executive members and friends. The annual TCF exco retreats at the former OMF bungalow in Cameron Highlands provided a rhythm of prayers, planning, work and fun times as members bonded together for the common cause to encourage those in the teaching fraternity. Most teachers then and now shy away from TCF activities, giving reasons such as: “I don’t want to meet with any teachers,” “I don’t want to be made to feel guilty,” “I just want to take a break from teaching and teachers!”, “I’ve no friends to go with.” Some Christian teachers have genuine reasons. Others might be burnt out. Nonetheless, as Christian teachers we need to replenish our dried up wells so that we do not lead or teach from empty earthen vessels. Over the past 30 years, TCF has helped me to

The McGregors (left) and Ms Cooke

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Nga Johnson has been an active and committed TCF member since 1974 until she retired in 2006. Here is Nyuk Lan’s email interview with our former TCF ViceChairman.

NL: When did you join TCF?

NJ: In my Dip Ed year at the University of Malaya (1974), I had already heard of TCF via the Varsity Christian Fellowship when David Tow was the adviser of the Dip Ed Fellowship. We were challenged to heed the call to serve in the east coast so when I was posted to Kelantan, I was not surprised. In fact I was all geared to go. As a federal scholarship holder I knew it was my responsibility to serve wherever I was sent. I joined TCF in 1975 in Pasir Puteh. The main reason was because Ma Suat Deng, a TCF member, took a taxi and came all the way from Kuala Terengganu to visit me. She came to see if I was settled in my new posting and this visit was the impetus that spurred me to join TCF. Suat Deng and I remain good friends till today.

NL: Can you share with us about your time in Pasir Puteh?

NJ: God had arranged everything including a Christian roommate, Lee Choon Har. I had four housemates and one of them, Tan Siyu Keak, later became a Christian and a TCFer. I was blessed to have a Christian headmaster, the late Mr SA John, and a few other Christian teachers in Pasir Puteh. We formed a small Bible Study group and this nucleus group later grew to form the present Pasir Puteh church.

NL: Did anyone from SU or TCF visit you then? NJ: Yes, I remember some time in 1974/75, Koh Gim Lam, the then SU executive director, came to visit and

from Pasir Putih toshanGhai

Nga Johnson (left) with her driver in Shanghai

stay focused on God’s calling for me as a teacher. The different layers of contacts and relationships have enriched my teaching experience. Sometimes, they have also helped me to come out of the woods in teaching or lifted me out from the “pity party” or “pitiful dump” that I have unwittingly fallen into. All in all, my association with TCF can be likened to a divine Global Positioning System (GPS) that enables me to find my way back to where I have got off the teaching path or lost my bearing. For a lifetime of growth as a Christian teacher, continual learning is essential. Experience alone will not guarantee learning. It’s what I have learned from my personal experiences and shared experiences of others that have sustained me in my vocation. Through the TCF ministry, God has planted many seeds in my life, and different trees and fruits have come forth.

The expansion of TCF to present dayWhen numbers for annual TCF conferences dwindled and the challenge of planning due to uncertain responses became problematic, the Lord directed our attention to a TCF partnership with our Singapore counterparts. Dr Low Guat Tin and Ding Seok Lin, who became mentors to Indy, our present staff worker, appeared on our radar screen. The first Asian Christian Teachers’ Conference (ACTC) became a reality in 2003 through their vast network in Singapore and was a welcome change.

The idea was first mooted by Koh Gim Lam (our TCF executive director) years earlier when he was the SU East Asia General Secretary. To date, God has enabled TCF Malaysia to sponsor four Cambodian teachers to two ACTCs held at the Girls’ Brigade Centre, Singapore in 2006 and 2008. The TCF exco trip to Cambodia in September 2009 was a significant milestone with the objective to encourage the formation of Cambodian TCF. In recent years, TCF has also played a significant role in promoting the teaching and learning of Bible Knowledge as an SPM subject among students, teachers and churches through seminars and workshops conducted by Moey Yoke Lai, a retired principal and currently the CEO of Methodist College, Kuala Lumpur. In 2009, the number of candidates rose to over 1000. Indeed the field is white for harvest. Let us pray for teachers to be willing to teach God’s Word, the fresh bread from heaven.

Truly TCF has metamorphosed over the years in response to changing needs. TCF also means “Teachers Changing Futures” and God has used TCF to be my compass check and my guardrails when the going gets tough in the teaching arena.

Goh Hai Bee is the ViceChairman of TCF Malaysia. She is also the principal of SMK St. Mary’s, Kuala Lumpur

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stayed to fellowship with the few Christian teachers in Pasir Puteh. My Muslim landlord did not allow male tenants but when he heard it was a paderi, he allowed Gim Lam to stay. I bought a chicken to cook dinner for Gim Lam but it was so tough poor Gim Lam could not even chew himself out of this meal. This lau kuai bu incident remains one of Gim Lam’s favourite anecdotes about me. NL: What was church life like back then for teachers posted to small towns?

NJ: I would travel 26 miles to Kota Baru (KB) to worship and have fellowship with the KB teachers. TCFers like Low Peng Chuan, Dr Hannah Pillay (lecturer at RELC Singapore), Neo Swee Kiang (former principal of La Salle, Sentul) and his wife, Chai Hong, and many others have touched my life in one way or another. I remember the hospitality and the warm hearts of KB Christians like Lim Hong Sang and his wife, Janet. Janet’s family used to open their homes to teachers posted to Kelantan to stay and to fellowship. I remember the time when we had to teach in December and we would have Christmas services at the home of Mr and Mrs John. All the Christians around Pasir Puteh (PP) would come and we would invite our nonChristian friends. My good friend, Letchemy, and her husband, Dr Cheah Swee Poh, the local dentist, were all part of the early Christian crowd in PP. Christmas was a grand social occasion for a small

town like Pasir Puteh and we would dress in our finery!

NL: Did you join any TCF activities and annual conferences?

NJ: Oh yes, I remember my first TCF conference at the Christian Highland Centre. I must give credit to Mr Yap Kok Keong, the TCF chairman for many years, for faithfully driving me all the way up the winding Cameron Highland roads from Muar. I think a role model like an older Christian teacher is very important for young teachers. Mr Yap’s generosity in driving me up Camerons set a fine example for me in my later years when I had a car to encourage and bring others to TCF conferences. My most memorable TCF conferences were not the ones in some fancy hotels but those where teachers came together to share and touch base with Jesus. The late Dr Ruth Wong stood out as one of the most impactful speakers to me.

NL: How were you involved in TCF in the 70s and 80s?

NJ: When I was in Pasir Puteh, I was

the unofficial Kelantan TCF rep and I started gathering Christian teachers to meet in Pasir Puteh and Kota Baru. It was easy as all of us Christians used to worship at the only English Gospel Hall. We used to have gatherings in Pasir Puteh and invited the Jerteh teachers to join us. One of them was Jeyasingh Rajiah, who is now director of Bethany Home. We used to meet in my spacious house and besides the Bible Studies we also had makan, scrabble and even macrame sessions. Terengganu teacher Chan Chong Leong became the official Bible Study leader and even though he was a young Christian at that time, he would read up one chapter ahead of us and lead us. I also remember starting a students’ group in my house, a kind of informal Christian fellowship. I don’t remember any of the students now but I hope they are still walking with the Lord. I love my halcyon days in Pasir Puteh where the warmth and simplicity of friendship still remain God’s blessings for serving in Kelantan for five years.

NL: What was your role in the TCF exco in the 70s?

NJ: I started serving as secretary and those were the Jurassic days of typewriter and cyclostyling on black ink printing machines. I remember sending out inksmudged minutes and calling people on public phones! But I think I benefited the most when I started serving other teachers by visiting or keeping in touch with them.

NL: What was a significant milestone for you as a TCF exco member?

NJ: That would have to be the time when TCF helped to organise the Penataran for SPM Bible Knowledge in Pulau Pangkor in 2000 when 100 Christian teachers were trained to teach Bible Knowledge on government funding.

Continue on page 12

NL: What were your major contributions as ViceChairman of TCF before your retirement?

NJ: I don’t think I contributed a lot. I am amazed at the way the Lord has enabled TCF to grow from a loose informal group started by Miss Cooke to the structured organisation we have today. We have a fantastic staff worker, a building of our own and a newsletter that links everyone. I had great joy serving in TCF and the benefits in terms of the friends and experiences I have gained are immeasurable.

At BK Penataran

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I joined TCF in the late 70s. Since then, I have always looked forward to joining the activities organised by TCF. For me it was a time to share the joys and problems in teaching. Meeting fellow TCFers was also a time for mutual encouragement and sharing of ideas in problemsolving as well as looking at educational issues from a Christian perspective. I also remembered all the fun we had going into and exploring the interior of Sabah and Sarawak. I remember our long boat ride to Mulu where one of our boats suddenly hit a sandbar and we thought we were going to drown! We jumped out of the boat and discovered much to our amusement that the river was only knee deep! I remember the TCF annual conference held at Bundu Tuhan in Kota Kinabalu in 1993. The post conference activity was a climb up Mount Kinabalu and many of us managed to reach the peak! I know for sure that I would not have made it without TCF! As a retiree, I still support the TCF ministry as it is a channel of blessing and support to Christian teachers in Malaysia. I thank God for TCF. Keep up the good work, TCF! Poh Eng Chuan started teaching in 1971 and has not stopped teaching since.

with tcf, i traVELLED!By Poh Eng Chuan

Our express boat was grounded after hitting a log

Thank God the water was only knee deep!

Long boat ride to Mulu

no man is an isLanDBy Mary Rajendran

Hi! I have fond memories of my time with TCF. True to the saying “No Man Is an Island” it was thus very natural for me to join the Fellowship upon graduation in 1976 and I am now a Life Member.

In the early years, the annual conferences were usually held in Port Dickson or Cameron Highlands. I found the conferences very helpful and made it a point to either attend alone or with the whole family (two young daughters then). It was a time when I was ‘recharged’ and challenged to be a more effective and creative teacher. Besides academic workshops like ‘The many ways of using the OHP’, there were also hobby workshops and even one on car mechanics and maintenance (attended mostly by ladies!). The speakers shared from their experiences and listening to them motivated me to strive to be like them. How privileged we are to have the mission field right at our doorstep. One of my teachers sowed the seed and laid the foundation and a few years

later the seed bore fruit. She made an impact in my life and I believe we, as Christian teachers, can impact lives for His Kingdom. (Recently, my teacher and I reconnected again after 40 years and I was able to thank her for her labour of love.)

Then there was this brilliant idea that TCF could play “matchmaker”. So off we went to Pulau Redang for a camping holiday. It was a funfilled holiday and my husband and I were one of the chaperons. This activity continued for many years and my hope is that it can be revived.

Mary is now ‘retyred’ for prayer counselling ministry.

Lydia, Rajendran, Mary and Phoebe

NL: What is your message to our members as we enter our jubilee year?

NJ: We must not forget the early pioneers of TCF and their contributions. We must remember our call as Christian educators to share Christ’s LOVE to all in the school and community we are posted to. I would urge all

TCFers to participate in as many TCF activities as possible so that they too will be inspired by the stories of their fellow comrades.

Nga Johnson is a global player, vibrant, vivacious, versatile, full of verve and vitality. Currently she is the Deputy Principal of Shanghai Singapore International School, Shanghai.

Continued from page 11

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tcf DiY man sharEsBy Tey Choon Beng

I joined TCF in 1978 during my second year of teaching. In 1980 my wife, Jenny, and I together with two other TCFers drove down all the way from Penang (in a car borrowed from my pastor!) to Changi Point, Singapore to attend a TCF conference. At the conference we were so blessed to hear inspiring messages from the late Professor Ruth Wong and EN Poulson, principal of the Singapore Bible College. Every year my wife and I would look forward to attending the TCF conference because we got to meet new friends and visit new places. The conference was held at a different venue each year and for us it was a time of listening to invigorating theme talks—a time of refreshing after a year of school. Each and every conference was unique and hearing testimonies from teachers all over the country warmed our hearts and gave us the zeal and encouragement to look forward to the next year. As I recall, we learned puppetry from an Australian at a conference in Port Dickson. We also had a very good session with the late Anthony Yeo, a professional counsellor from Singapore, who had just written and launched a book entitled “A Helping Hand”. He even autographed the book that we bought.

TCF conferences also took us to Kuala Terengganu and Tasik Kenyir, which I discovered is larger than Singapore! On this particular trip we had a scary experience when the boatman dozed off. To our great horror, we suddenly saw a dead tree stump jutting out from the surface of the water. It was right in our path! We shouted “Pokok! Pokok! Pokok!” but alas it was too late! The boat crashed into the tree stump. There were no life jackets on board but fortunately the boat did not capsize! Only the life boat attached to the rear was damaged. The impact had caused it to split right through and the rudder was broken. So instead of moving straight we were moving in circles. After a few hours of very innovative repair work, we arrived late at our destination. As it was dinner time, we missed the muchanticipated hike to the waterfall. Such was our ‘adventure’! TCF also organised a camping holiday trip to Pulau Redang in 1991. Pulau Redang was such a beautiful island back then. It was undeveloped and unspoilt—no jetty, no resorts, only a school building. There was no electricity and piped water. The sea water was crystal clear and I remember when I went snorkelling, the magnificent coral gardens and incredibly shaped reefs simply took my breath

away! We spent hours in the water enjoying the fabulous abundance of marine life that paraded past us in an endless kaleidoscope of vivid colours! It was simply an awesome sight to behold! As for accommodation, we just picked our own place to pitch our tents. There weren’t any toilet facilities so the natural surroundings became our ‘toilet’ (one just had to be imaginative and discrete!). We had delicious meals cooked by the fishermen staying in a nearby kampung. On each of the three days, our boatman took us to different snorkelling spots and we even had the option of night snorkelling. As we grew older and had children, we continued attending the TCF annual conferences as a family to places like Kuala Terengganu and Fraser’s Hill. Since I taught in a vocational school and my option was automotive skills, I was invited to conduct short workshops on “How to Maintain Your Vehicle”. Being the DIY and handyman that I am, I enjoyed conducting those workshops. As TCF comprised many single ladies, my workshops were well attended and many of the ladies were grateful to pick up tips from such workshops. I retired from teaching on 8 March 2008 but I still join the Penang TCF prayer meeting. I also attend some TCF activities like the Penang regional meetings and TCF seminars held in Penang. TCF is so much a part of me that it’s hard not to be involved in one way or another. Both Jenny and I have been enriched by the various TCF activi

The Tey family

Nature Lodge – Boat House

Dead tree trunks — in Tasik Kenyir

ties and we have certainly been blessed by the larger TCF family. In fact many have become our lifelong friends. We thank God for TCF!

Choon Beng is currently a service manager in a motor vehicle workshop.

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thE harVEst fiELDBy Dr. Tan Juat Ngoh

Matthew 9:3738The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

John 4:35 Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest.

As I ponder these Bible verses, I ask myself, “Where is the harvest field for me?” I think of exotic places such as

Africa, Cambodia and Australia but it dawns on me that my harvest field is my workplace—the Teacher Education Institute Malaysia (TED). Here, the harvest is indeed plentiful—young, bright, enthusiastic student teachers who are ready to be moulded and who will in future impact primary schoolchildren. There are 27 TEDs and I am teaching in the Technical Education Campus. TED trains preservice teachers for the postgraduate Diploma in Teacher Education, degree of Teaching preparatory programme and the degree

of Teaching programme as well as conducts inservice courses lasting from a few days to a year. The number of Christian student teachers in TEDs is low but the Christian Fellowship is a good start to sow the seeds of Christian fellowship and the sense and meaning of what a Christian teacher is. In my workplace, Christian student teachers are few but I praise God for the government’s East and West Malaysia integration policy. Since 2002, this policy has brought many Sabahan and Sarawakian student teachers to our Christian Fellowship. How do we look out for these Christian student teachers? When they register for their courses, we will enquire whether they are Christians and then we personally invite them to the CF. We meet every Friday, 12.45–2.00 pm, in a room at the institute. The CF is not registered as a society but I tell the administrators and other lecturers we meet to serve the needs of the Christian students. For me, the Christian Fellowship can be fun. It challenges the Christian student teachers and lecturers to come up with exciting activities during the 12.452.00 pm “siesta” slot. These student teachers may be from different denominations but we meet because we love the Lord. There are about 20 of them but only about 10 faithfully attend the meetings. As for the Christian lecturers, there are about 11 of them in my workplace but only one or two can make it for the CF meeting. It is all right. It does not matter who can or cannot attend but

be there when we need you. Praying for each of the student teachers is crucial for they are highly sought after as “girlfriends” or “boyfriends” by other races. The transition from late adolescence into early adulthood and student life is also an issue for these student teachers. They need our guidance, encouragement and prayers to be confident teachers for tomorrow. I always feel relieved when the student teachers are able to enter the teaching field at the end of their courses without compromising their faith. As we start a new year, we need to pray for more Christian teachers to join the teaching field. We need to nurture, mould and motivate student teachers through the Christian Fellowship. It is worrying to know that if there are no Christian student teachers in the TEDs, there will be no Christian teachers in schools, no advisers for school Christian Fellowships and no pool of Christian school administrators to head the mission schools. TCF Malaysia will become a distant memory. God bless those who have faithfully served the Lord in Christian Fellowships but I urge those who have yet to set up a Christian Fellowship in their workplace, to arise and shine for the Lord. Let us do our best and let God do the rest. To God be the glory for all the things that He has done.

Dr. Tan Juat Ngoh is a senior lecturer at the Technical Education Campus, Kuala Lumpur of the Teacher Education Institute Malaysia

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thE maths tEachEr By Helen Ong

One morning in October 2006, Puan Aminah entered her Form 5 Bestari class for the Intensive Mathematics Programme to prepare her students for the upcoming SPM exam. She gave out the papers for her students to work on and then walked around the class. When she came to Kim Huat’s table, she was shocked to find that he was not working on the Maths Paper but doing something else.

“Kim Huat, what are you doing? Why aren’t you doing your Maths Paper?” asked Puan Aminah.

To her astonishment, Kim Hock stood up, shouted some profanities and stomped out the class.

“Hey, why are you leaving the class? If you don’t come back, I’ll report you to the PK HEM!” Puan Aminah threatened, as she called after him.

“You can report to her. I’m not afraid of her!” Kim Huat retorted, as he disappeared down the staircase.

Poor Puan Aminah! She was almost in tears. She saw that the rest of the class was equally shocked at Kim Huat’s outburst so she steadied herself and said, “OK class, leave Kim Huat alone. Let’s get back to work and finish your Maths Paper.”

After class, Puan Aminah brought

Kim Huat’s case to the attention of the PK HEM, Mrs Ng.

“I just don’t understand what Kim Huat has against me. He has been giving me trouble since the beginning of the year, when I started teaching Maths in this class. He never pays attention when I teach. He is either talking with his neighbour or doing something else. I’ve tried to coax him and threaten him but to no avail.

“Today was the last straw! I have no choice but to bring his case to you.

Please, Mrs Ng, help me to solve this tension! He is not like this with the other teachers. SPM is just next month. With his stubborn attitude, he has never passed

his Maths in my class. I want all my students to pass and do well in their Maths. Please, Mrs Ng, call him and ask him what his problem is.”

The PK HEM duly called Kim Huat to her office and insisted that he apologise to Puan Aminah, failing which she would call his parents to school to report his misbehaviour. Kim Huat stubbornly refused to apologise to Puan Aminah. So, the PK HEM called his mother, who promised to come to school the next day.

Early next morning, the PK HEM dropped by at my Counselling Room to

talk about Kim Huat’s case. She hoped I could persuade him to apologise to Puan Aminah.

But before I could go to Form 5 Bestari to call Kim Huat to my Counselling Room, the PK HEM phoned me and asked me to go to her office as Kim Huat’s mother, Mrs Tay, was already there.

My Counselling Room was situated at the other end of the block and by the time I walked to the PK HEM’s office, Kim Huat was already there, looking glumly at the floor. The PK HEM phoned Puan Aminah to call her to her office. While waiting for Puan Aminah, the PK HEM reminded Kim Huat that he should apologise to Puan Aminah in our presence, failing which he would be expelled from school.

When Puan Aminah appeared, the PK HEM prodded Kim Huat to apologise but he refused to budge. Then his mother tried to persuade Kim Huat to do the same but also failed.

Eventually, Puan Aminah moved to Kim Huat’s side, gently took his hand, and said, “Kim Huat, look at me. Why are you so angry with me? What is your problem?” But Kim Huat yanked his hand away and turned his face.

There was a stifling silence as I watched the drama unfold before my eyes. As a Counsellor, what was I to do? “Lord, help us to solve this problem!” I silently shot a prayer to God.

Finally, I broke the silence and decided to confront the problem head on. “The problem is Kim Huat never respected Puan Aminah as his Maths teacher as he thinks Puan Aminah, being

a Malay, is not good at Maths. He thinks only the Chinese are good at Maths. Am I right, Kim Huat?” What a bombshell!

Kim Huat did not reply. Puan Aminah’s tears rolled down her cheeks as she said, “I never discriminate against my students, whether they are Chinese or Malay or Indian. I treat all my students like my own children.”

Kim Huat’s mother tried again to ‘force’ her son to apologise. The pressure was too great for Kim Huat and he ran out of the office. Mrs Tay tried to run after her son but he had already disappeared down the staircase.

Kim Huat’s mother returned to the office and told Puan Aminah, “Cikgu, on behalf of my son, I apologise to you. When I go home, I will talk to him to respect you. I know you are a good teacher. Please forgive him.”

Puan Aminah heaved a sigh, and said, “It’s OK.”

Kim Huat never apologised to Puan Aminah but neither did he, from then on, stir up any trouble and gave his full cooperation in her Maths class. He scored a strong credit in his SPM Maths, much to Puan Aminah’s pride.

I have just retired from my service in school. During the recent Hari Raya, I called up some of my former colleagues to wish them “Selamat Hari Raya!” One of them was Puan Badariah.

“Puan Helen, so nice of you to remember me. What have you been doing since your retirement?”

“Nothing much. Just some charity work and some travelling. How is school?” Continue on page 23

20 21

KEEPinG in stEPBy Audrey Lui

One of the benefits of a TCF member is being kept informed about events and happenings concerning Christian teachers in Malaysia through In Step. I’d have to confess that in my early years, I was not overly excited about receiving In Step. When I received the magazine, I read it and that was it. I did not find it helpful. In fact, it sometimes even made me feel down. As a Special Education teacher, I felt quite lonely. Even in school, my classrooms are far away from the rest of the “world” and the “normal” teachers and since most of the In Step articles were mainly for

“normal” teachers in general, I felt quite left out.

I could not relate to stories of teachers who testified about how rewarding their vocation was when their normal students gave them presents when they did well in public examinations and sometimes would even return to school to meet and thank them. I’m sure these students are a source of encouragement to their teachers. However, the situation is quite different for me. At the end of each school year, when we say goodbye to yet another batch of students, we just let go of them, not knowing what

the future holds for each one.So, most of the time, In Step did not

really interest me despite the many good articles there. I would just read it and put it aside, not remembering much of it after that. As I went on in my school life, the work load increased, colleagues became more difficult and the authorities became more demanding, making my whole teaching life very challenging, stressful and frustrating.

One day, I needed some information which I had come across earlier in In Step, so I dug out all my old copies and starting combing through them one by one. Finally I found what I wanted and left the whole stack of In Step on my writing table.

I can’t explain why but I soon found myself picking up a copy of In Step from that stack every morning and reading them. Although I had read the articles before, I found that each one seemed to have a lesson for me and a few really spoke to me at that point of my life. I started to understand what people were writing about and to value their sharing. I realised that I was not alone in this world of teaching. I began to see that many share my vision and mission. My view on teaching began to change. Reading about teachers who touched many lives and who taught till their retirement age also encouraged me and helped me to see the need and importance of encouraging Christians to join the teaching world. I had this new passion for teaching because I saw how Christian teachers could make an

impact in the lives of students. Through the articles, God helped

me to handle many issues I was facing as a Christian teacher and as a child of God. One of the things I learned was the need for Christian teachers to pray. I began praying for my school, my colleagues and particularly the school authorities.

God answered my prayers. Instead of changing the other person, God changed me. He changed my mindset and my heart. Problems were still there, people were still difficult but I managed to see things and find solutions in a different and positive way—from God’s view and His way.

My “special” students are still the same but I have begun to value the time I have with them and realise it is my privilege to be able to teach them and guide them as they go through their 7 years in school. Even though they will give nothing back to me and they will not have good grades to show me, I know my work is done solely for God. He sees and remembers all that I do. I have come to realise that every child, good or bad, clever or not, rich or poor are all created by God. They come into my life not by mistake but for a godly purpose. I have therefore learnt not to despise any child that God sends but to do everything I can to bring them a step closer to the Creator—to show them how much they are loved by God and how precious they are in His sight.

Audrey teaches students with different abilities in Miri, Sarawak.

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EnabLED to succEEDBy K.J. Mary

Rise to the call… be a leader. Daniel and Joseph are leaders in the Bible we can emulate. They allowed God to use them for His purpose. As a result they had His blessings to be great leaders and bring glory to His name.

One of my prayers for Christian teachers is that they would choose to be leaders in our education system. Many reject the call to take on leadership roles by giving excuses. I think very often the reasons need rethinking. Inexperience, misplaced humility, fear of more work and, many a time, indifference, are the reasons given for not wanting to become administrators. Yet, when we are not promoted we feel some disappointment and we blame the system for being biased. We must remember that “No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings

one down, he exalts another” (Psalm 75: 67). If God is prompting you to be an administrator then He will see to it that you will get the offer—only be ready to accept it!

Rise to the call… be a leader. Daniel and Joseph are leaders in the Bible we can emulate. They allowed God to use them for His purpose. As a result they had His blessings to be great leaders and bring glory to His name.

One of my prayers for Christian teachers is that they would choose to be leaders in our education system. Many reject the call to take on leadership roles by giving excuses. I think very often the reasons need rethinking. Inexperience, misplaced humility, fear of more work and, many a time, indifference, are the reasons given for not wanting to become administrators. Yet, when we are not promoted we feel some disappointment and we blame

K. J. Mary (right) with a TCF member, Molley

Continued from page 19

the system for being biased. We must remember that “No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another” (Psalm 75: 67). If God is prompting you to be an administrator then He will see to it that you will get the offer—only be ready to accept it!

Christian teachers must take on leadership roles because we are enabled to succeed. God says in Ephesians 1:17 that He gives us ‘a spirit of wisdom’ to do things well. Armed with this confidence and so many promises and examples in His word, we are able to become good Principals, Headmasters and Heads of Departments. Human wisdom is what many rely on and they do what that wisdom prompts. How much more we, who can claim godly wisdom, can do.

Why do I say this? I guess my experience as an administrator taught me how wonderful our God is who can make us into what we can never even imagine. At every point in my journey towards becoming a principal, I never

“Oh, school is as usual. But, Puan Helen, I have some good news to share with you. You remember Puan Aminah? Just a few weeks ago, she was made the Master Teacher for Maths!”

“Wow! That’s good news! Please give me her contact number. I want to send her my congratulations!”

When I called Puan Aminah to congratulate her, she responded, “Thank you, Puan Helen. But I’m afraid of the

thought that I could do it. But God enabled me step by step. We were the first batch of Heads of Departments to be appointed. I did not have a clue as to my job description but God gave me insights and a will to do well. I was then made PKHEM and I found the wisdom to do the job i.e. to reflect the love of God to my students. It worked most of the time! As PK1, I sought God to give me love for the staff and He did. Finally when I became principal it was as if the place was prepared specially for me! I was amazed at how quickly I adapted to the environment. It was the best two years of my career and it was all because He enabled me.

It can happen to you too. Let God use you to raise our schools to His excellent standards. We have everything we need to do this. Let us do it!

God bless you as you seek to do His will.

K.J. Mary is a retired principal, wife of a pastor with three Godfearing daughters. She is now on the Board of Governors of I.J. Convent, JB.

challenges and expectations of the post. Do you think I can do it?”

“Don’t worry! With God’s help, you can do it.”

“Puan Helen, will you pray that God will help me?”

“God will help you, Puan Aminah!”

Helen Ong is a retired school counsellor from SMK Maxwell, Kuala Lumpur.

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GoD’s DiVinE aPPointmEntBy Chia Wee Chin

It seems like only yesterday when I was sent to SMK Canossian Convent, Segamat from SMK Paduka Tuan to be the Pembantu Pentadbir 1. That was in 1989. I suppose I was in the right place at the right time. Canossian Convent needed a Senior Assistant who knew the ethos of the school and I happened to be an ‘old girl’ of the school. The Sisters were happy to have me and I was more than glad to be serving in my Alma Mater. Five years later in 1994, the principal, Sr. Theresa Yeo, was transferred to Malacca Convent and I was asked to take over her position. I remember how I felt like Queen Esther of the Bible when she was asked by her Uncle Mordecai to approach the King to plead on behalf of the Jews. I was not quite 40 then and had only been teaching Geography and English for nine years in SMK Keat Hwa, Alor Setar before I was transferred back to my hometown in Segamat. In SMK Paduka Tuan, I was Ketua Panitia Geografi for two years and then I was sent to Canossian Convent. I felt really inadequate and unprepared for the job! Mordecai’s word to Queen Esther was, “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another

place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:1314). So, I agreed to allow my name to be put up for recommendation and the nuns and I also agreed to pray and put the matter before the Lord. Meantime, I was acting principal from 1 January 1994 after Sr. Theresa left for Malacca and I received my letter of appointment dated 1 March 1994 two months later. I believe our God is a sovereign God and nothing happens to us by chance. Since He has put me in such a position, He would surely also prepare and enable me to do the job. That was more than 15 years ago, and all those years God has proved Himself faithful as I served as principal in Canossian Convent. How time flies when one is kept busy and although at times the responsibility is heavy and the going seems hard, the Lord pro

Continues on page 30

moVinG on, moVinG outBy Goh Kai Lian

Happily working in Wesley Methodist School Kuala Lumpur (WMSKL), a private Christian school, since April 2006 and planning to retire in the same school when the time came was what I thought was God’s will for me. Little did I realise that He had another plan for me—relocation to Ipoh! It all started with an invitation on 15 November 2008 to have a dialogue session with the then task force of Wesley Methodist School Ipoh (WMSI) which was being remodelled after WMSKL. I was asked to bring along Mrs Monica Moorthy, past VicePrincipal of WMSKL. The moment we

arrived at WMSI, which is located on the premises of the former Methodist High School, we were drawn by the beauty of the distant hills and the spaciousness of the school grounds. As we were shown around the dilapidated facilities undergoing renovations,

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Mrs Moorthy whispered prophetically to me, “Kai Lian, this is your mission.” At that time, I just laughed it off. That first visit was followed by subsequent ones in an advisory capacity to help the school receive the pioneer batch of students on 4 January 2009 and put it on a firm footing. From January to March, I shuttled between KL and Ipoh to render monthly support. Soon, it became apparent that my shuttling to and fro was not the ideal approach to replicate the WMSKL model in Ipoh. I had to be there physically to implement all that WMSKL stood for. Yes, there was the repeated call, “Come over to Ipoh and help us” but I had to be sure of the divine call because it involved major adjustments to my life.

God spoke to me through different means:1. Rev Dr Ong Hwai Teik, president of

TRAC. We met for the first time when he attended the daily morning prayer in WMSI on 20 January 2009. Over a drink, he challenged me to consider WMSI as a ministry. According to him, WMSI, established as a Christian school, would give me the opportunity to put many things in place. When a highly respected Christian leader like him spoke, I had to sit up and take note.

2. two sermons on two consecutive Sundays in my home church, Jalan Imbi Chapel.• 8 February 2009—Jeremy Den

mead of International Needs shared on Gen.12:14: “Leave … your people and your father’s household and go to the land that I will show you.. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing” and Matt.28:19: “Therefore, go and make disciples … and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

• 15 February 2009—My church elder, Ezra, speaking on the names of God, touched on Gen. 22:14: “The Lord will provide” (Jehovah Jireh) and Phil.4:19: “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

I had to heed God’s call as I knew that I would not be happy outside of God’s will for my life. I was mindful that I had only a few more years of service left under the Methodist setup and it was thus a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in a new mission field. Furthermore, although I had been interested in missions all this while never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be called into mission work! I went to Ipoh with the blessings of my family—my 87yearold mom and my two sisters. My sisters, who initially had some reservations, eventually gave their blessings and support. My mom reluctantly released me to answer God’s call although she is still finding it hard to fathom why I should leave the familiar for the unknown. She still believes that we should stick together

as a family, especially in times of need. Time and time again, I have to remind her that it is God’s call and He will supply all my needs. I also have to trust Him to take care of my mom. He has challenged me with “Whoever loves his mother and father more than me, is not worthy to be my disciple.” With all the socalled obstacles removed, I had to contend with my own struggles and fears. I had never left home all my life. (Prior to my first posting, even though I deliberately did not indicate my choice of posting in the form, the Lord was gracious to send me just to Kajang. I shuttled to and from KL for five years until I was posted back to KL, and had been serving in schools in KL up to my retirement.) So, going up to Ipoh was a personal challenge to me even though mercifully, it was only three hours away by train. Living alone appeared daunting. I had to get used to a new place, new roads, new people and a new school. A few friends expressed sur

prise that I would even consider relocation at this stage of my life when most people would have opted for ease and comfort. It has been five months now in Ipoh and I am overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness and goodness! He has provided me with a lovely house with six rooms. I stay in one of the airconditioned rooms with an attached bathroom. My companions are a mentally challenged man who is harmless and his two maids. One of the maids irons my clothes and cleans my room while the other sends me to and fro the railway station. I need not return to an empty house! God’s ways are definitely better than our own ways. He’s certainly my loving Heavenly Father! I am also thankful for the many loving brothers and sistersinChrist in Ipoh whom I have got to know and who have been very helpful, offering their friendship and opening their homes to me. Being ‘alone’ in Ipoh forces me to seek God’s face. I have to battle with

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homesickness and loneliness. Yet His promise is “NEVER will I leave you, NEVER will I forsake you. The Lord is my helper, I will not fear” (Heb.13:5, 6). He is my constant companion. I am experiencing His allsufficiency and faithfulness. I found that every time I trusted Him, He would provide for my needs and level the path for me. He has given me a song in my heart. As I leave my ‘comfort zone’ to a phase of challenges and changes, I just cling on to His word in Joshua 1:9: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” WMSI is an open door and a new mission field. God has opened this door for His people, not just the Methodists despite its name. WMSI allows the Christian teacher to concentrate on your core business: teaching and learning. How often we have been saddled with burdensome programmes by the MOE, JPN and PPD. It is a place where you can touch lives and impact them with the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christian teachers who are available, no matter where you are (as in my case), should come out of your comfort zones to be partners with our Lord in the expansion of His kingdom, by providing quality teaching and establishing the Christian ethos for any Christian school including WMSI. Having been trained as teachers, this is a work that ‘none by you can do.’ We are the ones who

can provide a quality and holistic education, a product that is in great demand by parents and students. Nonteachers, especially couples who have grownup children and an empty nest, can open your hearts and your homes on a weekend or holidays to students from troubled homes. We also need prayer supporters and generous donors to help us achieve our vision of “ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE … TRANSFORMING LIVES.” I urge brothers and sistersinChrist to join hands with us in WMSI to impact the next generation with the gospel. The time is urgent! Other parties are intensifying their efforts to win people over to their side. Should we do any less, knowing that we have “the words of eternal life”? “The fields are already white for harvest, but the labourers are few. Pray that the Lord would send His workers into the harvest field.” May God awaken His people to the mission at hand and open our eyes to the great work He has initiated in WMSI. Let us care for the interests of the Lord Jesus Christ, not merely our own interests.

“Only one life, t’will soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Goh Kai Lian is a retired principal who is still passionate about impacting the lives of young people with the love of God, and is privileged to be given the opportunity to do just that in Ipoh.

GoD’s Gift to mEBy Sarah Harathi Peters

Sarah, our posting is out, do you want me to check it for you?” asked my friend on the phone. “Yes,” I answered, with much anxiety in my heart and soul. All I could do was pray: “Please Lord, let me be where you want me to be.” My friend called me again informing me that I had been placed in Sabah. The rest of what she said to me was a blur.

I only found out the day before leaving that I had been posted to Sandakan. Where was that? (It was then that I regretted not paying attention during my Geography lessons in school.) My family members were more

thrilled than I was and my brother immediately did what most people posted to East Malaysia would do—he Googled the map of Sandakan! We noticed little greenery but lots of sea. Praise the Lord!

When I reached Sandakan on 30 August 2008, everything seemed to move so fast. My colleagues were really nice and my senior assistants were more than helpful. God had really blessed me. My headmistress informed me that I was actually meant to go to a rural school but because she needed an English teacher, the Education Department of Sandakan sent me to her

“

At the English Tea House overlooking Sandakan Bay

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school instead. Later during the week I learnt that SK Saint Mary’s Convent is the oldest (established in 1700) and one of the best primary schools in Sandakan. In my spirit, I knew I truly belonged here.

TCF was God sent and before I left for Sandakan, my lecturer had given me Indy’s phone number. When I called Indy, she gave me a contact in Sandakan. Being a very shy person, I only phoned Madam Chin after postponing the call twice. She became my guardian angel literally and invited me to stay with her until I could get a place of my own. She fed me and took me to school and taught me how to use the public transport. She brought me to her church, Calvary Charismatic Centre, where I now worship. God just worked out everything for me.

When I first stepped into my class, I did not understand a word my students spoke. They kept touching me! I suspect they had never seen an Indian lady before. After being class

teacher for a year, I have learned many local words such as bahai: plastic bag, buyuk: lie, bubut: chase, melalat: wait in boredom.

On the last day of school, I gave my students (more like my children) a heart to heart talk. I told them to never give up and to never look down on themselves. Everything is possible. I also apologised for any harsh words or actions which might have hurt them. Then we all cried. I knew then that God’s love had worked through me to my young charges. I am glad I’ve touched them but more importantly they have touched me. For me, being a teacher is to love, nurture and care for my young charges. I am so grateful to God that He has enabled me to impact my students. This is God’s gift to me in my calling.

Sarah teaches English and is into her second year at SK Saint Mary’s Convent, Sandakan, Sabah.

Continued from page 24

But another new chapter of my life awaits me and I believe the Lord will go before me. He has said, “I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

Chia Wee Chin is enjoying her retirement in Segamat.

vides the strength and protection. On 21 May 2009, the staff and students of SMK Canossian Convent gave their Pengetua a grand sendoff. Although it’s a relief to finally lay down the responsibilities and burden as Head of School, it was also a sad moment for me because they have become like family and I know I’m going to miss them.

Dr. Jacob Lee

On 15 January 2010, Indy sent an SOS email to TCF members: “We have invited Dr Jacob Lee from Singapore to conduct a seminar for TCF on 23 January in Petaling Jaya. We need at least 100 teachers to attend but we only have 40 so far! Ninetyfive per cent of our teachers can’t attend because they have a replacement class in school on Saturday. Please pray!”

Under such circumstances, wouldn’t it be wise to cancel the seminar? However, Dr Jacob, I believe, practises what he preaches about ‘Ways of Wisdom’. At the seminar, he said that even if there was only one person attending, he would still have come. He is not bound by man’s old belief (not enough participants, therefore no seminar) but by a new belief that God may want to do new things. So we moved forward in faith! Praise the Lord! The number of participants who turned up at the seminar was 239 and most of them were not teachers!

Mr Yap Kok Keong started us off with an opening song ‘The Steadfast Love of the Lord’ which was so befitting and uplifting. Great is our Lord’s faithfulness to those who have faith in Him. The senior pastor of DUMC, Dr Daniel Ho, said that to transform society, we first need to transform people. The mind has to be transformed or renewed.

According to Dr Jacob, the secret of a transformed life is not prayer, doing good works, fellowship with other believers or bible study but a renewed mind (Romans 12:2). How we see a situation will determine success or failure. If we see a situation as a crisis we become fearful but if we see it as an opportunity from God, we will move forward in faith. Out of the 12 who spied on the Promised Land, 10 saw themselves as grasshoppers and only two saw themselves as conquerors. So they behaved in the way they thought. If we wish to change how we feel about people and difficult situations, we need first to change the way we see or think about these situations.

Example: When you are driving and a driver cuts into your path, would you immediately get angry? You try to control your anger. Actually, you should control how you see things. Could you think that maybe this driver

‘waYs of wisDom’ sEminarReported by Fong Lye Choo

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has an emergency and needs to overtake?

Is it God’s will for His people to feed only on manna?

In Deuteronomy 8:2, the Lord told the people of Israel that He wanted to bring them to the Promised Land but because they disobeyed, He had to humble them in the wilderness eating manna for 40 years. Manna is poverty food (Deut. 8:2). The Lord wants to bring us to a good land with good food. We accept our situation when it is not God’s will for us. We need to repent and confront the giants in our life otherwise we will end up forever in the wilderness, eating manna. Do we have giants in our life we dare not confront (our fear, insecurities etc.)? To confront these giants, we must renew our minds.

Three examples of the need to change one’s mindset:

Situation Old Mindset New MindsetI. Controlling mother and

rebellious sonMother: ‘My son must change and submit to me.’

Mother: ‘I need to change and be less controlling.’

II. Job hopper who can’t get along with his bosses

Job hopper: ‘Any time I stop work in one job, God provides another.’

Job hopper: ‘I need to repent and forgive my father, so that I can submit to authority figures.’

III. Poorly paid ‘faithful’ employee

Employee: ‘My job is safe and gives me contentment.’

Employee: ‘I must be willing to learn new things.’

Giant to Confront:Situation I: Controlling mother’s fear of losing sonSituation II: Authority figure of father whom job hopper needs to forgive (his father left him in an orphanage)

Situation III: Fear of learning new things e.g. computer

We have the power to change the situation. Although it is tough to admit our fault it is good to do so because when we admit responsibility, we have the power to change. Look for the things we have done wrong and take corrective action.

Causes of wrong mindsets in making decisions

å Wrong Focus: Dr Jacob proved this by showing a

video clip of players passing a ball and asked the participants to note the number of passes. Some were so focused on counting, they missed seeing the gorilla who was walking among the players.

Situation: When we focus too much on one thing, we can miss out on

a boy named Teddy) When the teacher saw Teddy as a

hopeless student, she only looked for his faults but when she delved into his background, she understood the cause of his failure.

Situation: From a mindset of prejudice, she changed it to praise and encouragement and saw Teddy improve by leaps and bounds.

é Wrong Associations: Dr Jacob gave the participants a

memory test. He showed a list of words associated with sleep, e.g. pillow, night dream, pyjamas. When the participants had to recall all the words they saw, some included the word ‘sleep’ even though it was not in the list because all the words were associated with ‘sleep’. Similarly, we must not associate people who have tattoos with gangsters.

Situation: Wrong association may give you a distorted opinion and lead to a wrong conclusion.

Process for Renewing the Mind1. Identify our old mindset that blocks

personal transformation.2. Challenge this pattern of thinking

or old beliefs whether they are true, false or partially true. Get information from scripture, your own experiences and experiences of others that support or contradict the beliefs.

3. Create new beliefs by renewing the mind.

4. Practise all the above until your mind is renewed and transformed.

Application of the above steps with the following examples:Example I: Fear of Change

Old Mindset:Why must I change? Why can’t I keep doing what I have always been doing?

Old beliefs:(i) Doing what I have always been

doing is good.(ii) I am not able to handle anything

new.

New Beliefs:(i) Doing what I have always been

doing can be disastrous.(ii) Doing what I have always been

doing is good but doing this new thing could be very much better.

Yes, I saw the gorilla Participants

others. So, we do need the fellowship of others to have complete information.

ç Prejudice: (Story of the teacher and

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(iii) I should be able to handle most things if I am open and willing to learn.

Example II: Dr Jacob’s own experience: Negative labelling from others.

Step 1:Identify current Old belief (hopeless in studies) because he did badly in Mathematics. His teacher told his mom, “Your son, no hope in study!”

Step 2: Challenge Old belief by:

(i) Getting information: (Am I a hopeless case, or only weak in Mathematics?)

(ii) Check the source: (a) Is the teacher’s opinion reliable? (b) The areas where I went wrong were not taught in class. Is it the tea

cher’s fault? Then, how did most of my classmates pass when I failed?

New Belief: “Maybe I was playful, not stupid!”

(iii) Test out New belief: Take tuition and work harder.

Result: His marks went up the following

year. He topped the school in Mathematics!

Thank God that Dr Jacob used the process for renewing the mind to set himself free from being trapped in his old mindset and turned his failure to success. As a result, he is able to share with us the ways of wisdom that can take us out of the wilderness of our own problems. Let us renew our minds by putting into practice all the ways of wisdom God has shown us.

The captivated audience

SOS: 1 to 1SHARING #1

Should Christian teachers give tuition, especially to your own class students? How about the idea that if you deliver and teach ‘properly’ in class, students shouldn’t need to go for tuition?

For every ‘grey’ question, the answer would generally be ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. ‘Yes’ in the sense that Christian teachers can offer further remedial guidance to weak students with or without payment depending on needs. Some students must be made to pay so that they appreciate help given sacrificially or at a cost. Our own class students must never think or feel that we’ve shortchanged them in class. Conversely, we might unintentionally cause others to stumble. But the reality is that nowadays, some slower students may not be able to follow some lessons in school. As such, these students will need additional structured help so tuition could be a viable option. Conversely, “No” if it is with the intention of “making money” for oneself or building our own little kingdoms. Some clear indicators would be:

– the teachers’ school work ‘suffers’ because they have to rush off immediately when the last school bell rings

– they become very tired and cannot deliver their best during teaching and learning sessions in school

– they purposely don’t deliver in school so that the students will go to them for tuition after school.

There’s a real example in my school where a senior teacher, John, (not his real name) is able to juggle school commitments and tuition after school. John shows dedication and commitment to the students in the school and even gives extra tuition to a small group of very weak students from the school for free! He sacrifices his time, energy and effort to teach the weak students. Under these circumstances, why should John be denied of earning a little bit more so that he can improve his quality of life? At the end of the day, it all depends on a person’s heart relationship with God when He examines our inner motives. Generally, if we have taught well in class, our students should be less dependent on tuition. We must encourage them to ask good questions so that they can become better learners. However, there are students who require paid/extra tuition classes to enable them to clarify matters, reinforce learning or even to motivate them.

Lifebuoy 1 is an administrator in Kuala Lumpur

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If a Christian teacher can help students during tuition, of course she should be allowed to give tuition. For some students who want more than what classroom time can offer, tuition from a good teacher is a good option. Sometimes, their teacher in school may not be so experienced and the student may feel the need to look elsewhere for better coaching. Nothing wrong with that! However, I think some tuition teachers must rethink their motives for giving tuition. Is it to sincerely help students or just a way of making lots of money? I know of tuition classes that are packed with 50 students (worse than in school) and all the students do are exercises and exercises. It is like they pay money to do more exercises. I have also heard of tuition teachers renting shop lots and running two classes at one time. They alternate between rooms—explain in one class, give exercises, then repeat in the next room! This is outrageous! Some tuition teachers are always shirking from afternoon or Saturday cocurricular activities in school or attending courses because tuition is their fulltime job and school is parttime. No Christian teacher should even think of doing the above. However, students keep on coming for tuition classes because (i) the teacher is good; (ii) the teacher leaks exam questions; (iii) their friends come; (iv) it is an opportunity for boyfriend and girlfriend to be together, without parents knowing; (v) parents want them off the streets; (vi) parents cannot help at home so have

to send them for tuition. As the teacher, you can reject students who show no interest in learning. Don’t take their “free” money, don’t become “child minders”. As for teaching your own class students, this is a sensitive question. I think it is alright to do so but the teacher should practise integrity and honesty. In class the teacher has to take care of 35 to 40 students but during tuition there are probably only 1012 students. So the students get better attention and if the teacher is good, then they get double doses of good teaching. However, the Christian teacher should not withhold good classroom teaching and induce his students to go to his tuition classes to get more. This is not pleasing to God. Jesus taught everyone who wanted to listen to Him. The Christian teacher must give the best he can in class, and the best he can during tuition too. If he knows that he has his own students for tuition, then he must also prepare separate work and materials for them so that they are not cheated of more learning experiences. What about the idea that if you deliver and teach ‘properly’ in class, then students wouldn’t need to go for tuition? Yes, I strongly believe in that. The classroom teacher must teach as if he is the only academic instructor for his students. He must be the one to carry them through the examinations. Not every student has the money and the time to attend tuition. Some are poor, some stay far away and some may have to help with home and family responsibilities. It is not fair and not right to “just teach lah”, knowing that your

SHARING #2students can attend tuition somewhere and will pass their exams in the end. What kind of role model will this teacher be? Probably one who will give a bad name to the profession. As a dedicated Christian teacher, we should teach the best way we can and know how. If, in addition, the students go for tuition, then it is a bonus for the students, not the teacher. So if the Christian teacher wants to give tuition he must first check his motives for doing so. Is it to make lots of ‘tax free’ money? Or is it to help make a difference in the students’ learning experiences and get paid as a bonus? After all, it is

hard work and takes commitment to give tuition. Beware that tuition classes do not overwhelm school responsibilities. Tuition is good money but it is not everything. I know of a Christian teacher who was posted to a remote area and gave extra English classes to her students almost every day in the afternoons. She received no monetary gains but when her students did well in the UPSR she felt truly blessed. The headmaster, teachers, students and parents acknowledged the role she played in teaching the students. God is glorified.

Lifebuoy 2 is a seniorteacher in Temerloh, Pahang

TCF ExECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2010/11

Chairman : Lim Boon Chye

Deputy Chairman : Goh Hai Bee

Hon. Sceretary : Dr. Tan Juat Ngoh

Hon. Treasurer : Pun Sow Fong

Publicity Secretary : Liew Nyuk Lan

Committee members : Joseph Chang

Daniel Gan

Lee Sok Yan

Tan Yoke Sim

Sim Kwan Hoon

Sheena Jeremiah

Angela Kwon

TCF wants your photographs!

TCF celebrates its 50th anniversary next year.

In these five decades of God’s faithfulness, you may have

attended some TCF activities and captured significant moments

on your camera. If you have photographs of past TCF events,

we invite you to share your photographs with the TCF family.

Down Memory Lane

Deadline for submission of photographs:

30 June 2010

• Sendusyourphotograph/s(originalhardcopiesorsoftcopies)statingthedate/yearoftheactivityandtheTCFevent(seminar/conferenceetc.)togetherwithacaption.

• Thephotographswhicharenon-returnablecanbeincolourorblackandwhitein4Rsize.

• Wewillselectthephotographsanddisplaythematour50thanniversarydinnernextyear.

• SendthephotographstoTFCOffice: C10-0-05,SubangPerdana GoodyearCourt3, 47610SubangJaya, Selangor,Malaysia.

• Ifyouaresendingyourphotosviae-mail,pleasesendtotcf.malaysia@gmail.com

Indy, General Secretary of TCF Malaysia.

NEWS & VIEWS FROM TCFIn partnership

You don’t have to slave over a stove for this festival. You just have to dust off some memories, grab a pen or fire up your word processor, and WRITE to me. What about? About you and TCF. TCF Malaysia – your TCF – is celebrating its jubilee! That’s 50 wonderful years of comradeship, mutual learning and encouragement and, let’s not forget, fun! Send in your memories. Send in your photos. TCF exists for you and the TCF exco and members would love to know• when/how/why you join

ed TCF• how you’ve been blessed

by TCF• why you believe in TCF• which TCF event you’ve

enjoyed the most

Almost 50 years ago, a little band of Christian teachers came together and were fired by a vision of all they could be and do. They speak to you now from across the years in this extract from the “TCF Malaysia Guide”: “…for a long time, many Christian teachers felt the need for a fellowship so that they might work, share and learn in this harvest field to which the Lord had called them. More and more insistently did they feel this need as year by year schools increased in number, and the enrolment in schools snowballed. The fields were all white and ready to harvest with many of the labourers not knowing how to cope with the increasing demands made on their time and energy. Concerted effort was required. The need was felt for Christian teachers to

‘come apart, to meditate and to learn and share’…” Today, you and I are the beneficiaries of this group of TCF pioneers. As we enter our jubilee year, we’ll be celebrating with special articles in In Step, a 50th anniversary logo competition, a “Down Memory Lane” photo gallery, and a “Meet The TCF Pioneers” session. And these are just some of the good things lined up for you. All these activities will culminate in a thanksgiving dinner in Petaling Jaya in 2011. I’ll be getting back to you with the details later in the year. But now it’s time for you to write, and rummage for old photos. Please post or email me your contributions to tcf.malaysia@gmail.com. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for our jubilee.

Indy & Ms Cooke