Let my teaching fall like rain - Teachers` Christian Fellowship

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TEACHERS’ CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP MALAYSIA | CONNECTING HEARTS AND MINDS | 2015 VOL 27 ISSUE 2
Let my teaching fall like rain
Let my teaching fall like rain
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants.
Deuteronomy 32:2
PP6303/09/2012 (030561)
Contents
Editorial1
From Teachers to Friends
2
That Moment of Anguish
4
The Helicopter Send-Off
6
God of Second Chances
8
TCF Sarawak Conference and Silent Retreat
10
Faithful Till the End: The Camp that Matters
13
The Beauty of the School Christian Fellowship
16
Offspring Matters
18
Kuching Teacher’s Day
20
Editorial
Dear Teacher,
by Sok Yan
T
he school is a place of frenetic activities from the moment the first
bell rings. You gobble down your sandwich or nasi lemak knowing
that you cannot be late for your class. You sometimes skip a
meal because of the tasks or students that need your immediate
attention.
You perspire in the tropical heat and humidity as you do not have the luxury
of teaching in air-conditioned rooms or labs. Your friends who teach in
schools in the interiors of Sabah and Sarawak make arduous journeys to
reach school or stay in quarters far from family and friends.
You have learnt to sleep on makeshift beds and forgo the little comforts of
home so that we learn leadership and resilience in camps. You put in extra
hours to train us for various competitions, inspiring us to give of our best.
Thank you for the little presents and treats you give us for work well done,
good behaviour and sometimes for no other reason than that you want to
put a smile on our faces. I happen to know that you have quietly arranged
with the canteen operator to provide meals for my two friends during recess
for the past half year.
You have the uncanny ability to know when we are not speaking the truth.
You also care enough to discipline us. You scold and reprimand us for untidy
and tardy work. You stay back after class to patiently explain to one who
could not follow the lesson you have just taught.
It is no mean feat to hold the attention of a class of boisterous kids. Your
keen eye notices the ‘different’ kid – the lonely one, the one with the torn
shirt, the hungry kid, the sullen girl, the misbehaving boy. You give attention
to each one as if he or she is the only student in a class of forty.
Your noble deeds usually go unnoticed and unsung, so it is a pleasure to
read of the extraordinary helicopter send-off given to a retiring principal.
In the recent earthquake in Sabah that shook Mt Kinabalu, the parent of
one of the student survivors shared that his daughter told him that the
teachers, despite being injured, protected their students. Some teachers
even physically shielded the students from falling rocks. The tribute given
to the teachers on national news for their selflessness and great courage
brought tears to my eyes. Making sacrifices, small or big, is second nature
to you.
Thank you for being my teacher, my friend.
From,
A grateful student
Editorial Committee
Indyrany Kannaiya
Liew Nyuk Lan
Daniel Gan Kim Jin
Goh Hai Bee
Lee Sok Yan
Debbie Tan Tee Hwa
Sophia Sim Kwan Hoon
Jenny Loh Kee Ai
Anita Wong Voon Ying
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IN STEP is a non-profit 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.
Views expressed are the writers’ and do
not necessarily represent those of TCF.
2015 VOL 27 ISSUE 2
IN STEP • 1
Tribute to
Teachers
From Teachers to Friends
I
By Soo Ewe Jin
write this on Teachers Day which is
officially celebrated in Malaysia on 16
May. Since there are more women
than men in our teaching workforce,
Mother’s Day would probably just be as
special for many teachers.
But what is an official day of celebration
really? Many of these days have become
commercial in nature. And the outpouring
of emotions and accolades on such days
can sometimes be rather artificial and
contrived.
To me, teachers, like mothers and fathers,
are to be remembered every day.
The writer with Mr Phang and Ms Lim during a
recent get-together in Penang.
Since this is a magazine for teachers, I shall tell you
why teachers are to be remembered, not only when
they are very much a part of our life in schools, but
also beyond.
He visited my mother practically every day. He
brought comfort and even soup for the caregivers,
and to my sisters who were there visiting at the same
time.
As I write this, I know of two very dear teachers in
Penang who have me in their daily prayers.
Being the only son, and based in Petaling Jaya,
I really felt blessed to have this wonderful ‘father
figure’ present in this stage of my mother’s life.
One taught me Geography and General Paper (GP),
and was much feared in school because he was also
the disciplinary teacher. Well, in real life, his bark is
definitely worse than his bite.
I reconnected with Mr Phang Peng Yoke after leaving
school in 1978, sometime in the early 2000s. He
was at that time an active volunteer at the Penang
Cancer Society and we had much to share in a
common ministry to help those going through cancer
treatment.
And so from a teacher-student relationship, we
became friends. We met up now and then, especially
when I went back to Penang. But in 2013, our
relationship changed further. My mother had to be
sent to a home after suffering from a stroke. She was
almost 90 at that time.
From the time she was in hospital and right throughout
her home stay for about a year, Mr Phang was more
than just a friend, he was family.
2 • IN STEP
Mr Phang will forever be seen as a teacher who made
a huge difference in my life. He did not teach me, he
educated me. And today we can connect because
we have forged those bonds even from school.
The other teacher is Ms Lim Hoang Hoang. She was
my form teacher in Form 3, and later also taught me
GP in Form 6.
I remember for my first job application, she was my
referee. Ms Lim was a really caring teacher who
handled the Vocational Guidance Unit in Penang Free
School and also the Vocational Guidance Club. She
had this uncanny talent of knowing what we were
good at, and what the future might be like for us.
Although we were supposedly a school of achievers,
Ms Lim saw that not all of us were destined for the
traditional high-achievers’ calling in medicine, law,
engineering and accounting. She made us believe
that any job, honestly done, is a job well done.
I think she was aware of my background. Unlike the
more privileged students under her care, I was from
the boondocks – among the rare boys from Jelutong
who somehow managed to make it to the premier
school in Penang. And I surprised many by being in
the top class through my years there.
I am very fond of Ms Lim because
she saw us as people with
potential.
I kept in touch with her after I
came down to KL to work with
regular correspondence. I am
always happy to receive her
handwritten cards of thanks and
encouragement.
love Maths, and who is now a much sought after
preacher. Ironically, I got reconnected to him through
his son, Alvin Ung, who came to me for a job.
I could tell you stories of many more teachers who
have remained part of my life to this day. My wife,
too, stays connected with teachers who will always
tell me what a special student she was.
Apart from my own teachers, I can also see how the
teachers of my sons remember them, and some still
keep in touch with them. It looks like they are following
in the footsteps of Mum and Dad. It is always such
a joy, too, when I bump into their teachers and they
will enquire about my
boys. Just recently,
the teachers from their
secondary school had
a gathering and I was
so privileged to be
invited.
So never lose heart in
the ministry of teaching.
Your hours of labour
are never in vain.
Our paths also met at a common point when she
was diagnosed with breast cancer. So now we are
two happy cancer survivors with many a story to tell.
I remember the day when she specially took a trip
down from Penang on a bus to see me when I was
going through treatment.
I
believe
many
teachers who read this
magazine, because of
our mutual bond in Jesus Christ, are in the category
of teachers I am referring to. You are the ones who
will be remembered by your students, in the same
way as I remember my teachers. The connection
established through the years in which you influenced
them, is embedded in their hearts.
Today, she is always there for me as the perfect pair
of listening ears, each time I need someone to talk to.
And many others have reconnected with her through
me, all with their own special stories to tell.
So never lose heart in the ministry of teaching. Your
hours of labour are never in vain. Even those whom
you feel you have failed to help succeed could one
day make it, and they will give you full credit.
By far the teacher who has stayed connected with me
for the longest period of time today must be Mr Lim
Kong Su, who taught me in Standard 5. Incredibly,
he reconnected with me when he read my column in
Sunday Star on the Internet and fondly remembered
me as his ‘pet student’ who faithfully sent him a
Chinese New Year card every year without fail until
we lost contact when he migrated to Australia.
In the parable of the Sower, we tend to focus on the
need to sow on good ground so that the seeds will
grow. But I like to interpret it a bit differently. I like to
think that as sowers, teachers can and should sow
on all grounds, even in the most difficult terrain. For
one day, out of the crevices of an impossible terrain,
a seed may bloom, and grow.
Then there is my Industrial Arts teacher who wrote
me a nice six-page letter when he heard I had
cancer. He too is a cancer survivor. And there is also
Mr Ung Kim Cheng, the teacher who taught me to
I wish you all Happy Teachers Day.
Soo Ewe Jin is executive editor at The Star. He writes a column reflecting
on life called Sunday Starters which appears weekly in The Sunday Star.
IN STEP • 3
Tribute to
Teachers
I remember back in school, she thought I would
make a good lawyer, because of my debating skills.
She also told me law must not be a passport to my
own riches, but be a path to do good for the less
fortunate in society.
Be an
Encourager
That Moment of Anguish
I
t was one of those evenings where I spent my
time working hard on the mountain of paperwork
from school, postgraduate studies and my
outside projects. Just had a good dinner of ikan
merah, veggies, venison and rice – perks of working
in the rural Pitas district, Sabah. It is actually not that
rural, all it takes is a good two and a half hours’ drive
from Kota Kinabalu.
On this particular night, I was working on my
postgraduate studies – banging hard on my
keyboard to produce a dissertation. Suddenly, my
phone vibrated. I ignored it, and kept on working.
It vibrated again, and again, and again. Each time
it vibrated, the vibration seemed to get longer.
Annoyed, I picked up my phone. It was a list of
Whatsapp messages from a friend, who had just
started teaching after completing her postgraduate
studies at the same university where I am currently
studying. “It’s probably just some usual ‘saying hi’
messages,” I told myself.
What I saw was totally unexpected.
“Nigel, help me! I can’t stand this anymore.”
“The school is horrible. I have been working 4 full
days in a row, from the time I wake up till I sleep, non
stop.”
“This teaching job is killing me.”
By Nigel Ong
“Sure.”
And call she did.
“Nigel, the senior teachers are not helping me.”
“The students are not responding to my teaching.”
“I am buried under a ton of paperwork.”
“Why are they giving me so many things to do?”
“What I have learnt in uni is not useful here.”
“I feel like I want to just quit.”
The moment she announced she was about to quit,
I knew I had to do something. Young teachers are
hard to come by, and we cannot afford to lose any.
The further the conversation wore on, the more
determined she was to quit. I was about to give up,
when an idea struck.
“Jess*, you have just recently become a Christian
right?”
“Yes, I was baptized as one just a few weeks ago.”
“Jess, as a Christian, let’s remember that God put
you into teaching for a reason, you must not quit.”
“This is starting to sound like an S.O.S”, I thought
to myself. I looked at my half finished work, and the
cursor blinking on the screen of my laptop. I looked
at the screen on my phone – a friend crying for
someone to hear her out.
“But, why is God being so harsh on me?”
“Dissertation can wait,” I said to myself. “What kind
of a friend am I if I choose work over helping her
out?” Decision reached. I walked out to the kitchen,
made a cup of Milo, sat on a comfy couch, scooped
up my iPhone, and texted her back:
“Ok Jess, hang up this phone, go grab your Bible,
call me on Skype.”
“What’s going on? Are you ok? Tell me more. U must
feel very unhappy now.”
“Jess, as Christians, let’s remember that the Bible
can provide us with a lot of answers, and support,
especially in times of need.”
“Can I call you?”
4 • IN STEP
“Jess, you have a Bible with you?”
“Yes, I was given one by my cell group leader.”
I grabbed my Bible from the shelf, gave the contoured
surface a good rub. Just as I sat down, she called.
“OK.”
I turned to the back of my Bible, and looked for
guides for phrases about challenges. I found a few,
recorded them down, and went back to her.
“Jess, let’s read John 16:33.”
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may
have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But
take heart! I have overcome the world.”
“See Jess, we will have to face troubles and
challenges, but take heart that God has done the
hardest task for us. Taking away our sin! What’s our
challenges and difficulties compared to what Jesus
had to face?”
“Jess, let’s look at the next verse, Isaiah 41:10.”
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed,
for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
“See Jess? God is with us all the time. And I am sure
He will not give you challenges you cannot handle. I
am sure when things get too tough for you, He will
come in and help you.”
“Jess, when I first started teaching, it was rosy, and
then things started to get tougher and tougher, but I
managed them. I hope what I have just shared with
you helps.”
I turned off my camera, and went to bed. I figured
she might need some time alone to cry it out of her
system.
When I got up the next day, Jess had left a message
on my phone:
“Nigel, thank you for last night. I cannot thank you
enough. I felt so silly to call and cry in front of you last
night. But thank you for the Bible verses. I felt much
better. I’m going to rest today, and start again next
week. This time, it will be different, because now I
know God is with me!”
I smiled, happy, and glad that I had somehow
helped a Christian teacher to stay on – this noble
and honourable profession of teaching. Never have
I used the Bible to encourage people, but I believe
that is the work of the Holy Spirit. How blessed I felt
to have had this opportunity!
*Not her real name.
Nigel Ong has just recently transferred out of SMK Terusan Sugut, one of the most interior secondary schools in Sabah, after four years in
the school. He now teaches English in SMK Pitas. He enjoys long distance driving as well as listening to great ideas.
IN STEP • 5
Be an
Encourager
“Hmm, let’s see what God says about challenges.”
Jess started crying. I let her cry on a little, and I
topped it off by saying:
Teacher Stories
The Helicopter Send-Off
I
t was Saturday, 28 March 2015, and I had the
privilege of attending the 55th AGM of TCF. I
looked forward to attending TCF functions
because I would get to hear stories that I
would not normally find in the newspapers—like
how some faithful TCFers in a small town celebrated
Teachers’ Day; how a teacher in the East Coast of
Peninsular Malaysia is caring for a small group of
IPG students from East Malaysia; how a group of
teachers experienced a “silent retreat” in a highland
resort to learn to hear from God and allow God to
minister to them; how and why some teachers are
sacrificing their time, talent and money to start preschool programmes in East Malaysia; how God
led TCF, together with the Reading Bus, to launch
reading programmes with a motorcycle-mounted
mobile library in Cambodia. The list went too long for
inclusion in this story of mine.
At the AGM, Chairman Lim Boon Chye highlighted
the crisis that TCF is facing, i.e. the stagnant
membership that has persisted in the last twenty
years. Even though it does not show a steady
decline in membership, there is effectively a decline
because retired teachers who are “life members” are
6 • IN STEP
By Ong Hwee Keng
never deleted from the membership list. He called for
TCF members all over the country to gather together
and pray so that the collective ministry of Christian
teachers will not lose the cutting edge to make a
difference in the field of education in Malaysia. It is
time to seek God’s face and as long as three teachers
can get together, they should pray, since where two
or three are gathered together in Christ’s name, He
will be there in their midst.
At that point I remembered the clarion call made
by Mr Yap Kok Keong to a large group of preuniversity students more than a decade ago. He
was passionately calling the students to consider
teaching as a career. I was there sitting at the back
when he made the passionate call. Sadly, on that day,
none of the students responded positively to his call
to become teachers. At that time I had speculated
that perhaps the students were worried about being
under-paid and under-appreciated.
As soon as the AGM was over, my wife Helen started
to pass around a newspaper cutting, saying “Look, I
cut this out from today’s newspaper.” The headline
reads, “Fond farewell puts her on cloud nine”. There
farewell parties organised for big corporate figures,
but they tended to be company-funded. On the
other hand, big corporate figures are sometimes
unceremoniously “sent-off” by being forced to sign a
resignation letter prepared for them.
I wanted to attend TCF
functions because I
wanted to hear stories
that are normally not
reported in the papers.
But now I got a teacher
story that was reported
on the day of TCF AGM!
This was ironic. I wanted
to attend TCF functions
because I wanted to hear
stories that are normally not
reported in the papers. But
now I got a teacher story that was reported on the
day of TCF AGM! Sometimes I did read reports of
senior civil servants being “sent-off” with their staff
observing their last “clock out” –they held their yellow
time-in-time-out card prominently in front of the grey
clock-in machine to have their photographs taken.
It was not much of a send-off compared with this
“helicopter send-off”. I have also heard of spectacular
More than once I have
heard teachers being urged
to persevere even though
no loud applause for them
is heard. Our applause
should come from the Lord
Himself, who would one
day say, “Well done, good
and faithful servant….”
To be sure we all need
to be motivated once in
a while by such words of
encouragement.
But there are times when
nothing will prevent a
group of students, parents,
teachers and staff in a school from giving a teacher an
extraordinary farewell to show their deep appreciation
to the teacher for having touched their lives.
My speculation that teachers are under-appreciated
has been proven wrong by the “helicopter send-off”
and I am happy about it.
IN STEP • 7
Teacher Stories
were two pictures in the news report. One showed
a lady seated in an Airbus Helicopter before taking
off, with throngs of people bidding her farewell. The
other showed the same helicopter taking off with
a huge crowd of people on a school field waving
goodbye. It turned out that the lady was none other
than TCF member Chong
Ik Poh. It was the day she
retired and lots of students,
parents and colleagues dug
deep into their pockets to
give her an extraordinary
“helicopter send-off”. Her
teaching career lasted 35
years and she ended her
career as principal of SMK
Seksyen 4 Bandar Kinrara.
My Journey
God of Second Chances
By Tan Loo Kee
It is interesting how God prepares us for a task.
submit your name,” someone in the dream said.
I was contented to be where I was; doing what I was
doing. Being the GPK Kokurikulum of the school for
the past seven years, I was truly in my comfort zone.
A stirring of the heart came in the early months of
2012 when a former Form 6 friend of mine called.
“Loo Kee, what post are you holding at the moment?”
came her question. After talking to her, I realised she
was looking for names of possible candidates to
head mission schools to be given to the authorities. I
flatly turned her down. After putting down the phone
I went shopping with my daughter. Strangely, during
the shopping trip, I felt troubled.
That very morning, I received a call from Pn Beh, my
GPK Petang. “Do you want to be a principal? If you
agree, Mr Leong will call you,” she added. With the
dream still fresh in my mind, I agreed to speak to this
person.
Shortly after that, I had a dream. In the dream there
was a group of teachers talking. I was one of them.
They were talking about putting in our names to head
schools. “The window of opportunity is now. Go
Mr Leong called me later in the day. “Important
thing is, do you want to be a principal?” he asked
earnestly. I lied and said ‘Yes’. I was not keen on the
post but felt God was calling. I prayed, “Lord, please
don’t send me.”
That was almost three years ago. I was appointed to
head a mission school, SMK St Gabriel in April 2012.
These past two plus years have been quite a journey
for me. In the beginning months, I lost six pounds in
three months! I was kept so busy that I forgot to eat
on most days. Usually I would miss one meal,
but sometimes I forgot to eat both my breakfast
and lunch!
I struggled. I did not know what to do. The
school was at the bottom rung in ranking in Kuala
Lumpur because of the poor SPM results. The
teachers were demoralised by the SPM results.
The students themselves were not motivated. It
was common to see students sleeping in class.
The school was in dire disrepair. Most rooms
including my office and staff room were dimly lit.
There were leaks in so many places - the science
labs, the SPBT room and the classrooms. The
GPK HEM’s room would be flooded whenever
there was a downpour.
During the first year, one of my Heads of
Department said to me, “Pn Tan, we need a firm
principal.” She said that out of deep concern for
the school. I did not know how to answer her. I
remember walking away feeling very sad and told
God, “Father, I am sorry. I am not suited to this
school. I don’t make a good principal because of
my nature.”
Receiving the Anugerah Baiah (New Deal Award)
8 • IN STEP
For many weeks and even months, I asked the
Lord, “How can I help my students? How can
I help my teachers? What do You want me to do?
It was many months later that the revelation came,
that is, when I go to school, I bring God’s Presence
to the school. Emmanuel, God with us. He is with me
and when I do whatever that needs to be done, God
will work through me.
I fumbled along the way, made mistakes and learnt
from my mistakes. I learnt from other principals who
were willing to lend a listening ear and give sound
advice.
By the end of my first year
in the school, both SPM and
PMR results went up. When
the PMR results were released
in 2012, I was stunned to see
five of our students scoring
straight As. That was a record
high for the school! The
school received an award
for achieving best improved
results in SPM at the national
level.
Board of Governors, Parent-Teacher Association
and PSGM, our alumni who provided the school with
not only moral support but financial support as well.
Funds that came through the Mission School Fund
and the education department helped to repair many
of the places in the school.
Looking back, I learn that God is a gentleman.
He knew I was not ready to be a principal and He
‘planted’ people in my path to prepare me. Angie
Beh, GPK Petang of my former school, and Datin
Cheam who was my roommate for one course, spoke
words of encouragement to
avail ourselves for His service.
When I go to school,
I bring God’s
Presence to the
school. Emmanuel,
God with us.
The following year, again results improved for both
exams. In 2014, because of improved scores for
both these exams for two consecutive years, our
school was awarded the New Deal. Early this year,
the Deputy Prime Minister who is also the Education
Minister came to visit the school during the first day
of school. That put the school in the limelight for
awhile.
I see the hand of God and His favour upon us and
I realise that God is interested in SMK St Gabriel.
SMK St Gabriel is an all-boys school with 500 plus
students mostly from a lower socio-economic group.
The school is blessed with senior assistants who
are concerned for the students and the school. I
have some very excellent teachers. I found through
experience that the parents of my boys are open
to reason. The school is blessed with a supportive
Miss Goh Hai Bee (then
principal of another mission
school) came up to me during
one meeting. She asked me
an important question but
most importantly answered
that question herself. “Are
you ready to be a principal?”
I looked at her dumbfounded
as I never wanted to be one
in the first place. But I loved her answer, “We are
never ready.” That answer from her brought me
tremendous relief!
When I accepted the post, I had the support of my cell
members who prayed for me. My former colleagues
assured me that they were praying for me. My Form
6 friend came over during the school holidays and
we did a prayer walk in the school.
Our God is a God who gives us second chances.
In fact, He gives us many ‘second chances’. Many
years ago, I came to a crossroad and I chose a path
that grieved the Lord. Two odd years ago, I came
to another crossroad. This time I chose the path He
wanted me to take and I see His hand of favour!
Thank you Lord!
“To take that second chance, we need to notice where we are and be open to
the possibility of growing.”
― Holly Elissa Bruno, The Comfort of Little Things: An Educator’s Guide to Second Chances
IN STEP • 9
My Journey
What should I do?” I waited and waited and waited...
for an answer.
Conference
and Retreat
41st TCF Sarawak Conference cum
Silent Retreat in Bario
By Tan Ming Tang
“Now everyone can fly!” Oops! Not
fly but sit & listen to God! To the
27 participants who travelled to
Bario on a Twin Otter (maximum 17
passengers) and at great expense,
it was a journey of faith. God is
good! We landed safely in Bario
amidst the beautiful rolling hills
after a 55-minute journey albeit a
bit dizzy!
The extent to which we
are intimate with God
(prayerful and being
totally led by the Holy
Spirit), will be the extent
to which we shall serve
God’s purpose in life
and ministry.
10 • IN STEP
Rev Dr Chew Tow Yow, the former
Director of Institut Aminuddin Baki
at Genting Highlands, was our
speaker at the 41st TCF Sarawak
Conference cum Silent Retreat in Bario on 17-18 March
2015. He emphasised that spiritual growth comes only from
an intimate relationship with and submission to God. The three
basic disciplines expounded by Dr Chew for intimacy with God
are: Solitude (detach & focus), Silence (being still before God)
and Scripture Meditation (listening to God’s voice in Scriptures
and in the heart). The extent to which we are intimate with God
(prayerful and being totally led by the Holy Spirit), will be the
extent to which we shall serve God’s purpose in life and ministry.
Some of the participants who came to this conference mentally,
socially, emotionally and spiritually stressed, were able to find
rest through their one day of contemplative meditation. For
others, they were renewed to serve.
An experienced teacher of over 20 years asked God why
despite being such a faithful and committed teacher, she was
not rewarded much in her career. The next day, as she walked
Another participant lamented how arduous and difficult
it was for him to just sit still and be silent as he was the
outgoing type and always so chatty. However, through
this contemplative meditation, he learned to sit still and
really listen to God.
Besides being renewed spiritually, the participants were
also taught the ‘Slap and Beat’ exercise by Mrs Chew to
rejuvenate themselves physically so that they could listen
more attentively to the Lord instead of focusing on their
ills and stresses!
God blessed us with a wonderful and gracious hostess,
Madam Lucy Bulan, the owner of the Labang Homestay
who treated us with sumptuous meals of the famous
and fragrant Bario rice, fresh and pesticide-free jungle
vegetables, sweet pineapples, fish and wild boar meat.
The pre and post conference trips included a visit to the
hill site where the Bario revival occurred in 1973, a salt
extraction and processing mine, a rice mill, the Bario Asal
longhouse, the Ulung Palang longhouse and a war memorial site. During our journey to the salt mine, we squealed
with both delight and surprise on seeing a young hornbill flying alongside our four-wheel drive. Later it even visited
us at the homestay!
It was such a refreshing and rejuvenating conference cum retreat. All glory and praise to our Lord for providing us
with this opportunity to learn how to be still and listen more to Him daily in the midst of our busyness.
IN STEP • 11
Conference
and Retreat
out of the Labang Homestay, lying on the ground in front
of the entrance, was a big and discarded gold trophy.
She then realised what she had desired all along – that of
being recognised and rewarded for her tireless efforts - is
actually valueless, just like the discarded trophy!
Conference
and Retreat
Reflections of Participants
As teachers, we find ourselves talking non-stop and
running around ceaselessly. The numerous gadgets
and appliances, instant food and beverages and fastpaced life that we live have made us very impatient
people.
This retreat helped me put all these things aside and
come before the Almighty God - to wait, rest and hear
from Him. He indeed ministered to me as in Isaiah
40:31.Thank you Dr Chew for the personal meditation
guide.
Irene Pui
This silent retreat is one of the best retreats that I have
ever attended. It was great to be away from work and
responsibilities – and to just spend time meditating on
God’s word in solitude. One thing I learnt at this retreat is how to spend intimate time with the Lord. I read His word,
conversed with the Lord, waited and listened to Him. I fasted by skipping both breakfast and lunch and by evening
I wasn’t even hungry! God gave me tremendous peace and joy communing with Him in silence.
Lydia Lai
Bario is worth visiting! It is a beautiful place with awesome natural landscapes. The locals are very warm and
friendly. One could feel the calmness and peace of God upon descending on Bario soil.The retreat held in Bario
helped me experience God in a very special way.
Lindon Anak Jambu
12 • IN STEP
By Mary Magdalene Teh
I
have attended many camps but the recent Christian Chalkies 2015 Getaway with the theme Faithful Till
The End was a camp that matters, not about normal life issues, but a wrestle between life and death!
This camp was organised by Teachers’ Christian Fellowship (TCF) and Fellowship of Evangelical
Students (FES). It was held on 14-19 March 2015 but even though I could only attend the second half of it,
through 1 Kings 18-22, the focal scriptures, I felt abundant blessings were in store for the campers.
A Far Greater Heritage
In the theme session on 1 Kings 20-21, I learnt that King Ahab, despite having all the land in his kingdom,
coveted Naboth’s vineyard for use as a vegetable garden (1 Kings 21:2). Knowing this evil king and the evil
queen Jezebel, Naboth had an exceedingly tough choice: yield to the king and live or be faithful to the Lord
God and die. But Naboth replied the king, “God forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”
(1 Kings 21:3). He spoke up, for God’s sake, to defend his inheritance. Consequently, he was killed and his
vineyard confiscated. Yet even unto death, he did not compromise his earthly heritage! As I reflected, I have
a far greater heritage than Naboth, i.e. the guaranteed eternal inheritance of salvation (Ephesians 1:14,18). In
view of the global Islamic State threat as circulated in the internet, our brothers and sisters in Christ have been
faithful to their heritage of salvation, even unto torture, rape, and, execution. Naboth’s life left a great impact
on my life. I know what to do when I have to choose between life and death!
Listen Well
One morning, the devotion was done in an unusual way. It was to train us to listen to God’s voice. The
devotion leader read aloud the devotion passage from 1 Kings 22:13-14, 26-28, whereas the campers used
their ears and hearts to listen without referring to the Bible. After that, in pairs, each partner took turns to read
and listen. In this way, each person had listened to the passage three times over. We were then dismissed to
a private corner of our choice for further reflection and recording of our personal experience with God. At the
end of the stipulated time, we gathered together in the meeting hall for sharing. This activity was very relevant,
fun and effective to lead us to listen to God’s Word in personal devotion.
1 Kings 22:13-14, 26-28:
The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, as one man, the other prophets are
predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favourably.” But Micaiah said,
“As surely as the LORD lives, I can tell him only what the LORD tells me.” … The king … then ordered, “Take
Micaiah… Put this fellow in prison…”
As I listened to the Word of God, I was amazed at Micaiah’s response! When the king’s officer advised him to
join the voices of the other prophets to speak in favour of the king’s desire, he did not bow down to pressure.
Neither did he flow with the majority. He alone stood firm, speaking out bravely against the 400 false prophets
(1 Kings 22:6). He was bent to speak only the truth that the Lord tells him knowing well he might have to bear
a great cost - imprisonment. Micaiah’s response provoked me to seriously consider my own response when
faced with similar challenges at work and in the country.
IN STEP • 13
Camp
Faithful Till The End:
The Camp That Matters
Camp
Dare to Speak the Truth
In another theme session, I was reminded that the prophet Elijah alone stood up to speak the truth of God
against the 450 false prophets of King Ahab (1 Kings 18). In that great fight between truth and falsehood, both
parties contested with their offerings. The false prophets called upon their idol, Baal from morning till evening
but in vain. But when Elijah called upon the Lord God, the fire of the Lord fell and burnt up his sacrifice.
Eventually, the truth of God prevailed. In this dramatic episode, Elijah dared to speak and act because he
knew the truth of the Almighty God and stood firm on it. As I reflected upon 1 Kings 18, where do I stand in
relation to the current issues in the nation?
In a Bible study session on 1 Kings 18, even though I was not around, the excited chat around the dining
table recollected the very effective Bible study method modelled by the FES team. They used drama to get
the lesson across. Visual props like a cow head and stone altar together with light and sound effect of fire from
heaven were used to illustrate the burning of Elijah’s offering.
Tear Down Walls, Build Bridges
The station activities conducted to relay God’s message were excellent creative ideas. In the station About
the Bible, the tearing and burning of the fake Bible drove some of the campers to tears; pierced in the heart
seeing their Living Word being desecrated and destroyed. The Wall of Prejudice station was a mirror on the
wall that reflected our undesirable attitudes towards our neighbours of other races. The Do You Care station
represented by the Kelantan flood and the MH 370 tragedy called us to be concerned about our nation’s
current events. In the What Kind of Teacher Do You Want to Be station, experiences of the Christian teachers
posted to the far away interior provoked the campers to decide whether to be a mere nominal teacher or
a life changing agent. In all the four stations, we were led to an awareness of our ugly inner being and the
subsequent repentance. Those station activities were very relevant and suitable to the needs of the active
youngsters.
At the round up session of the camp, the FES staff, working together like the ants, built the Wall of Prejudice
from ‘bricks’ (boxes) in front of the campers. It was a wall of racial, religious and political prejudice that we
have built against our fellow countrymen. They then pushed and scattered the bricks, tearing down the wall
that hinder us from loving our fellow Malaysians. Then we too, in quiet meditation and repentance, were asked
to destroy our own walls. Having set our hearts right before God, we were called to pick up a ‘brick’ each to
build a bridge together instead, to be a channel of reconciliation. That bridge, appropriately called Jambatan
Anak Malaysia, was the agent of love, linking the people of Malaysia to God’s love. What an awesome sight! I
was so moved: I had torn down the walls of racial, religious and
political prejudices in my heart and built a bridge of God’s love
to Malaysia, my country, my homeland!
Having torn down the wall of prejudice, the next action was to
build our nation, Malaysia, each contributing in his/her own way.
Using a big white board with the Jalur Gemilang outlined, the
campers responded to the altar call to play a tangible role in
nation building. Each camper was called to take a rectangular
piece of paper of a colour in Jalur Gemilang, paste it within the
outline, thus forming a mosaic of the Malaysian flag. In that
altar call, “Your mission to Malaysia does not end with your
retirement,” God said. “Continue to open your home for student
CF.” I understood God’s will: after my retirement, I was to keep
building my country by continuing to open my home for the
student CF. Moved to tears, I went forward, took a piece of the
rectangular paper, and played my part to contribute to the Jalur
Gemilang mosaic! Yes, I will continue to use my home to build
bridges in our nation!
14 • IN STEP
Reflections of Campers
Meeva ak Augustine
During the reflection session, I chose to sit in the open yard of the Camp. Looking up at the skies, I saw the
beauty of God’s creation and realised that every one of His creation has a role and purpose. Then, a question
popped into my head, “What is my role, God? What is it that You want me to do for You?” I prayed that God
would give me the answer. After praying, I grabbed the Bible and found the following verses:
•
Deuteronomy 26:16 – Today the Lord your God is commanding you to keep these statutes and ordinances, something you must do with all your heart and soul.
•
Psalms 78:16 – He caused streams to flow from the rock, and made the water flow like rivers.
•
Acts 5:20 – Go and stand in the temple courts and proclaim to the people all the words of this life.
These three verses were the answers from the Lord. Then, I prayed again for a deeper understanding of these
verses. Suddenly the Lord whispered to me, “Yes, my daughter, go and fulfill your unfinished mission.” With
that, I knew that He has chosen me to proclaim His love and teaching to all His people with an open heart so
that new generations will know and love the Lord. At that moment, I felt blessed. He did not judge me for all
my sins. Instead, He entrusted me to spread His love and good news to all.
Pereira Sabin
The session which left a huge impact on me was
when I was blindfolded and tasked with looking
for three numbers in two minutes. To help me find
the numbers, I had to listen to the directions from
my group members. What happened was that I
became confused because there were so many
voices with different instructions to follow. I only
managed to find one number at the end. In the next
round of the game only one person from my group
gave me the instructions to look for the numbers.
When the blindfold was removed, I felt that a
wonder had happened - in less than two minutes,
I could find all the three numbers with the help of
one guide. That was when I thought - Do we listen
to the voice of God? Or, are we distracted listening
to many other voices? I learnt that living with God
and walking in His ways will lead to great things.
Living without God and listening to many voices will
distance us from God and drive us closer to sin.
We will drift along and finally fall. So, with this new
found wisdom, I am determined that in whatever I
do, especially during my teaching practicum, I will
pray and ask God to send his Holy Spirit to guide
my every step each day.
Christopher Tawian ak Tibin
IN STEP • 15
Camp
The station that had a huge impact on me was the one that dealt with prejudices towards other races. Before
this, I had considered myself a friendly person who is able to mix with people of various races. However, at
this station I began to realise that deep down inside, I did have prejudices towards other races. This realisation
was my learning moment. It compelled me to change especially in my dealings with pupils of other races. I
learn that I must keep prejudices at bay.
Christian
Fellowship
The Beauty of the
Christian Fellowship
By Jeremiah Koshy
to worship God anywhere! I was always intrigued to see
how people were either curious about the CF or totally did
not want to be anywhere near it. Like as if we were these
peculiar people or aliens who carried a deadly contagious
disease. But I guess that is what made Christ unique too.
People either loved him or hated him, no one could be
neutral. It served as a reminder to me that we are aliens,
foreigners or pilgrims in this world and our real home is up
above with Christ Jesus our Lord.
Another really cool thing to me is how the CF is a part
of the kingdom of God. As a child I used to imagine
myself sword fighting and shooting arrows and though it
was child’s play, in some ways, the CF is that squad of
special forces sent into enemy territory: to scout out the
area, save some civilians and carry out the orders of the
Commanding Officer. As students and teachers, we are
able to shine the love and radiance of Christ into the next
generation of society. And what happens when you put a
whole lot of light together?
F
or many in this country, having a school Christian
Fellowship (CF) will be a prayer answered. Growing
up in Kuala Terengganu, I often found myself
looking for that interaction with other brothers and
sisters in Christ. While there was the church, I longed for
Christians my age and for committed believers in school.
However, the demographics in
a small town makes forming a
school CF next to impossible.
Fast forward a few years later,
when my parents decided to
move to Petaling Jaya and the
first thing that came to mind
was ‘CF!’ Since then, it has
been a joy and privilege to
have served and been a part
of Damansara Utama Christian
Fellowship (DUCF) and these
are to me, what makes the CF
so uniquely beautiful!
As a student and committee member, the CF also
provided immense learning opportunities for me. It was
a place where making mistakes was totally okay and
when you do, friends will come along and encourage
you. It was a place of learning how to lead and nurture
others. There were also times that problems arose and it
involved learning how to settle differences and move on.
It gave me a whole new
perspective on patience
and love - the kind that
perseveres in the most
difficult of situations. The
CF also proved to be an
extremely efficient catalyst
to my spiritual growth.
Having the responsibility to
share the Word to others
in CF pushed me to study
the Word for myself and to
question and think through
the implications at times.
But probably the best thing I have learnt is to rely on God
and to spend quality time in prayer before Him. After all,
without Him, we are nothing and the CF is just another
club on the list of co-curricular activities available.
In retrospect, the CF
was a place of discovery
and training, a place of
nurturing
relationships
but best of all, a place
where God met with me.
What better to start than with the name? The CF remains
the only club in school where the name of Christ is glorified
and exalted. Indeed, what a privilege we have to be able
16 • IN STEP
So now that my time in DUCF is over, what next? Well,
I guess one thing that’s true about CFs is that once you
start getting involved, there’s no turning back. It leaves
such an indelible mark on you that even after you leave
school, you know that you have to move on to serving
God in other areas. Be it church or helping out in other
CFs or getting involved in the community, the CF has
ignited in me a passion for serving God and for the lost.
And these I believe are what really matters for eternity.
Christian
Fellowship
One other really unique thing about the CF would
be the friendships with teachers and peers. Most of
the time, there are limited opportunities for students
and teachers to get to know each other outside the
classrooms and busy schedules. But in CF, it feels
like everyone is free to have a chat and the teachers
get a chance to really get to know us as individuals.
After all, how often do students and teachers have
such a common purpose? After leaving school,
these teachers are the ones who keep in touch and
continue to be supportive. Amongst peers, after the
many heated discussions and disagreements with
each other, we come away knowing each other’s true
colours so well. Yet, that knowledge binds us together
in love for each other regardless of strengths or weakness
as at the end, we’re all ohana (family) in Christ and these
friendships are the most precious to me after all we’ve
been through together.
In retrospect, the CF was a place of discovery and training,
a place of nurturing relationships but best of all, a place
where God met with me. From the longing I once had to
the satisfaction and desire to invest into the lives of others,
it has been an amazing journey with God. Even though at
times the ‘CF journey’ may not be smooth sailing, I believe
the reward will be great. Before I end, I would just like to
thank each and every one of you for giving your life to
serve the Lord as teachers. Your labour has not been in
vain and I hope that even when you feel discouraged or
down, you will be reminded of the beauty of the CF that
is not the result of our own doing, but because it is Christ
who is the head of the CF.
Jeremiah Koshy is an ex-student of SMK Damansara Utama whose life has been rather monotonous since leaving school but looks
forward to an exciting life in college where he hopes to be actively involved in a CF too.
IN STEP • 17
My Journey
Offspring Matters
By Audrey Kho
“Not now, Charlie.”
I ignored my son’s request to stop at the ice-cream stall
as I made my way to the supermarket. He was sitting
comfortably in the baby carrier on my back until he heard
the bell from the ice-cream stall. He wriggled and tried
with all his strength to release himself from the carrier.
“Stop struggling, Charlie. We need to get some grocery
NOW. We can talk about ice cream later during lunch and
IF you are well behaved, I will consider.”
Did he listen? No. His eyes were fixed on that colourful
and tempting ice-cream stall. He was as stubborn as a
mule. He used every ounce of strength he had to wriggle
out from the carrier.
Here is my story:
In May 2011, my application for transfer was turned down,
AGAIN. Part of me was angry and disappointed with God,
but at the same time, a little voice told me, “Do not stop
believing for He has a plan to prosper you, not to harm
you, but to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
A few weeks later, a kind lady
prayed for my application and told
me she saw a vision of my husband
and me doing grocery shopping
together with a baby in the trolley.
Upon hearing this, I was delighted
and thought it would be a green
light for my appeal (transfer) when I
returned to school after the holiday.
He desires that
we fix our eyes on
what truly matters.
And we can take
comfort that what
truly matters to us,
matters to Him too.
I waited but my appeal and
subsequent applications were
rejected, AGAIN. I felt ‘paralysed’
as God continued to remain silent.
In April 2012, I submitted the application and at the same
time, started to look into options to leave the service.
I applied for an administrative post at one of the IPGs in KL
but I knew that was not what I really wanted to do. Deep
down in my heart, I knew my calling for this season was
to be in school. But… I really wanted to be near my family.
These struggles brought me to my knees. I went on a 2118 • IN STEP
day fast and prayer. God was silent, or probably I was
too stubborn to listen. On the final 3-4 days of my fast
and prayer, my heart finally calmed
down and I stopped wrestling with
God. I surrendered all to God and
told Him if He wanted me to stay
a bit longer, I would do so until His
work for me in Sabah was done.
The following month, a colleague
rang me at 7.30am to ask if I
had checked online regarding the
transfer application. I went back to
sleep.
It was almost lunch time when I
finally checked my application. I
couldn’t believe my eyes! Permohonan anda ke Selangor
telah diluluskan. I screamed and jumped with joy!
A few weeks later, I found out that my new school is in
Klang. “This must be a joke,” I thought to myself. My house
was in Kajang. How could I commute daily from Kajang to
Klang which was approximately 66km one way?
A few months later, the doctor confirmed that my husband
and I would be welcoming a baby mid of the following year.
Isaac and I looked at each other, delighted for a moment
before anxiety rushed in like a storm. We were uncertain if
we were ready and able to provide for this little one.
Isaac, as the head of the family and new father was
constantly voicing out his worries and fears throughout my
pregnancy. But God was also persistent in reminding us of
His faithfulness through many little things that happened
in our daily life.
We greeted our son, Charles at the hospital in May 2013.
No words could describe the joy we felt when we held this
little guy in our arms for the very first time.
Two months before Charles was born, Isaac’s company
revised the salary grade and he was given a promotion. It
was very timely. Indeed, God is never too early or too late.
I also had the privilege to stay in one of the best hospitals
in town because the fee was covered by the company’s
insurance. Praise God!
Back to reality:
I had to stop walking, get the stubborn little guy’s attention
and calm him down before continuing to the intended
destination. From the look on his face, I knew he was very
upset but after some time, he finally gave in.
This really reminded me of how sometimes we get so
impatient and so caught up with the things we want in life.
As a result, we lose focus of God’s awesome plans and
purpose for us.
We struggle. We wriggle with all our might. We get angry.
We become bitter, disappointed and even question God’s
silence.
God is gracious and loving towards all His offspring. He
desires that we fix our eyes on what truly matters. And we
can take comfort that what truly matters to us, matters
to Him too – because He is our Father, He knows all our
needs and heart’s desire.
After I was done with the grocery shopping and the things
I had to do, I brought Charles to a cafe for lunch. And yes,
we ordered an ice-cream to share. The delight on his face
when he finally got the ice-cream was priceless.
IN STEP • 19
My Journey
I prayed and I submitted a really long letter of appeal to the
state education department. Two weeks later, I received a
call and the officer told me to report for duty as soon as
possible at a school in Petaling Jaya. That was the best
they could do for me. It was still far but this offer reduced
the distance that I needed to travel daily by half. I was
grateful.
Teacher’s day
Kuching Teacher’s Day
By Tan Ming Tang
“What constitute your treasures?”
challenged Ms Seah Jiak Joo, the
speaker for the 17th TCF Teacher’s
Day Celebration on 9 May 2015 at
the Grand Ballroom of Imperial Hotel,
Kuching, Sarawak.
Ms Seah, the former Director General
of Education in Singapore, caused
the 230 teachers and Scripture Union
supporters present at this event
to pause and take stock of what
constituted their most valued possessions by asking,
“If your house is on fire and you have to escape within
60 seconds, what three items would you grab?” After
letting them ponder over it, she threw in the second
scenario, “But if the world is coming to an end in the
next 24 hours, would you grab the same three items
with you?” Seen in the light of eternity, they were
encouraged to focus their sight fully on things above,
and not on earthly things (Col. 3:2) which have no
eternal value!
Thus, Christian teachers are called to invest in the life
of their students as they are instrumental in moulding
and harvesting young souls for eternity – a harvest
that will not rot or turn mouldy and whom they shall
have the joy of meeting again one day in heaven!
Students of Teacher Education Institute Batu Lintang
performing a graceful Bidayuh dance
20 • IN STEP
TCF Teacher’s Day Celebrations
Klang Valley Teacher’s Day, 16 May
Muar Teacher’s Day, 21 May
Taiping Teacher’s Day, 20 June
Celebrating Our Calling
TCF Teacher’s Day Celebrations
We thank the Lord for the various Teacher’s Day celebrations organised by our members all over the country.
It has always been a meaningful time of coming together for our Christian educators – to be affirmed in their
calling, to be encouraged to stay the course and to be more than just a teacher.
55th TCF Annual General Meeting, 28 March 2015
We thank the Lord for the 40 TCF members who came and attended this year’s AGM. Many had various
school activities and could not come. The TCF constitution requires at least 24 members to be present to
constitute a quorum and we were grateful that we could start the AGM at 2.00 pm itself.
Below is the new team of executive committee members for 2015/16. Do uphold them in prayers in providing
leadership at a time when TCF faces many challenges with membership, succession planning as well as in
entering new zones of ministry.
Post
Names
Chairman
Lim Boon Chye
Deputy Chairman
Lee Sok Yan
Minutes Secretary
Audrey Lui An Pei
Treasurer
Pun Sow Fong
Publicity Secretary
Daniel Gan Kim Jin
Committee members
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Cheli Tamilselvam
Joseph Chang Poh Hong
Teoh Jun Yong
Anita Wong
Liew Nyuk Lan
Tan Lee Wah
Abel Cheah
Indyrany Kannaiya
TCF General Secretary
In Partnership