St. Andrew’s Presbyterian is currently supporting the following missions:
HELP HOME / Persatuan Rumah Bantuan Kristian
Help Home was founded in 1993-94 in Hutan Melintang, Perak by Jeba Mani, a Christian woman. Its purpose was to provide temporary shelter for physically abused women and their children. Since 1995, it has been operating in Selangor under the management of a Board, staff and volunteers. It was officially registered by the Registrar of Societies on 27/2/2001 as Persatuan Rumah Bantuan Kristian clearly declaring its Christian Foundation.
They have had to relocate several times because they have used rented properties. They hope to have a permanent place one day. Up until December 2001, they had helped over 100 women. Recently, 3 grandmothers who were abused by their families were given help. During 2001, 19 mothers and 43 children were given shelter. The home being rented at Batu Caves had 3 bedrooms with 6 beds and many mattresses.
As at December 2001, Jeba Mani and another woman were the paid staff . Board members included Dorothy Noel (widow of a Tamil Methodist Minister), Kamala Thaver (widow), Ms Rajam (lawyer), a woman doctor, and 5 others - all of whom are Christians. Staff members take daily Christian devotion. Attendance at a local church is compulsory for the women and children. Also, 2 pastors' wives come weekly for Bible studies.
Counselling and other physical and emotional support is provided for those seeking shelter in the home. They aim to teach the women a home trade (e.g. sewing) and assist them in getting jobs before the mothers leave the home. Employment placement was an expressed need in December 2001. St Andrew's Church has provided financial support since 1996 and is one of Help Home's key partners.
Samaritans Purse - Hope Home
Samaritan's Purse is a non-denominational evangelical Christian organisation. It provides spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan's Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine; with the purpose of sharing, Jesus Christ. St. Andrew’s is in partnership with them via Hope Home in Nepal.
KAIROS RESEARCH CENTRE
Kairos Research Centre aims to facilitate and support Christian research and scholarship on issues relevant to Malaysian Christianity.
To such end, Kairos publishes works by Malaysian Christian researchers and scholars. Among the publications are "Feeding on Ashes", which is a biblical perspective on Chinese Ancestral Worship by Rev Daniel Chua Meng Wah, and "Freedom and Consideration" by Pastor Wong Fong Yang, which deals with the Christian's dilemma concerning food offered to idols.
In June 2001, Kairos launched its periodical under the series "Understanding the Modern World through Christian Eyes". The aim of the publication is to help Christians deal with cultural issues in the light of their faith. In 2002, subjects include "Culture", "Reinventing the Church", "Sexuality", "Christian Imagination" and "Care of Creation". The publication has a circulation of 2,000 and St. Andrew's receives five complimentary copies of each issue.
In January 2002, there was a Public Forum on "Is Malaysia An Islamic State? Christian Perspectives". On 8-9th June, Prof. Stackhouse from Princeton, USA gave a series of lectures on "Redeeming Business, Human Rights and Asian Values and Redeeming the Arts".
Seminars and Workshops for Year 2002 include a Writers' Workshop held in March and a seminar on "Christianity and Other Religions: Islam" held over five Saturdays in March and April. On 10-11 June, there was a seminar on "Moral Business" by Prof. Stackhouse. Over four Saturdays in August 2002, there were seminars on "Christian Worldwide and Cultural Analysis".
The Centre is helmed by Dr .Ng Kam Weng as Research Director. He has a Ph.D. from Cambridge and is a fellow at Oxford Centre for Mission Studies as well as The Centre of Theological Inquiry, Princeton.
WYCLIFFE BIBLE TRANSLATORS
Wycliffe began in 1934 and was the vision of a man called William Cameron Townsend.
Wycliffe exists to reduce the spoken languages of people groups who have no written language into a written form. Their principal purpose for doing this is to give those people access to the scriptures in their own language. Currently Wycliffe is involved in 1,300 translation projects around the world. So far the New Testament has been translated into almost 600 languages but there are still 2000 languages awaiting translation. At the present rate this would take 150 years. Wycliffe has determined to speed this up by adopting a project called Vision 20/25 by which they aim to reduce this time to 25 years.
Wycliffe commenced work in Malaysia on 1 May, 1994. There are now 25 Malaysians involved with the work. On the local level the fourth version of the Malaysian New Testament has just been completed. St. Andrew’s partnership with Wycliffe is in support of their Malaysian founding member, Elisha & Phyllis Chua financially. One of the key pioneer Malaysians in international missions, Elisha is now doing regional work in Indochina. St. Andrew's particular support is for the Director of Wycliffe Malaysia who receives an annual grant.
GREEN PASTURES
The G.P Rehabilitation (‘Regeneration and Renewal’) Centre was formed in September, 1991. Initially, Dave Bakewell and Chris Sekar were ministering to drug addicts found taking their drugs in and around the St. Andrew's compound. The possibility of full time ministry, a Drug Rehabilitation Centre was discussed with Geoff Matthews and his wife Prema during their visit to Malaysia from UK in 1990. Alan Swanson (the incoming pastor) and the Church agreed to help pioneer and support such a Centre and thus corresponded with Geoff and Prema in England, who prayed and decided this was God’s will for them to return to Malaysia and start the work. In September, Green Pastures was begun in Kelang, by Geoff and Prema, with Chris and Sue Sekar, and with the help of a small ‘interim’ Committee of St Andrew’s members, along with monthly financial support from the Church. After two and a half years in Kelang, the G.P Centre moved to Jalan Kelang Lama in Kuala Lumpur, where it has been since the move.
The Centre Programme:
The leadership believes that the problem of Chemical (Drug) abuse is best seen as (ultimately) a ‘Spiritual problem with a Spiritual answer’. The evidence points to Christian Programmes having the most (and lasting) success, for they bring genuine character change in a sincere person - from within, not just ‘cosmetic’! The ‘leopard’ indeed can and does ‘change his spots’!
THE PROGRAMME is basically
based upon the ‘Teen Challenge
model’, pioneered in the early
sixties by Dave and Don
Wilkerson - with Spiritual
activities and impartation
taking precedence. The student
/ addict is first and foremost
encouraged to believe in and
receive Jesus into his life,
and taught the ‘Way of Jesus’.
As the ‘seeker’ responds
through faith and repentance to
the message and life of Jesus,
he (you) will get a new start
to life - a new life, and the
ability and help to change!
THE PROGRAMME is highly
structured, with its Routines,
Disciplines, Activities,
Spiritual Therapy daily. It
runs for approximately twenty
months in Five Phases. The 1st
- 4th Phase are the ‘In-house’
Phases, with fairly close
supervision. The 5th Phase is
the ‘Re-entry’ Phase, with the
student either going out to
work, or preparing for ‘serving
the Lord’’; thus having more
freedom. (Still staying in the
Centre or a Half-Way House).
The Centre can take a maximum
of 11 students at one time.
Actual program lasts 20 months but most take at least 2 years to complete it. Currently 8 in the program.
Referrals:
- Malaysian Care Drop in Centre
- Other Agencies
- Rumah Petros- half way house for ex-prisoners
- Pastors
- Self/family referrals
- Street Outreach
Funding:
- St. Andrew's
- Other Church donations
- Individual donations
- Student Family sponsorship when possible
- Income from Work Projects (such as Catering, Grass Cutting, House Cleaning, Painting, etc).
STAFF TEAM AT PRESENT:
Geoff (Leader, Co-ordinator) / Prema (Accounts and Overseeing any Catering work) / Cornelius (Overseeing Centre and outside Work Projects) / Thomas (Overseeing Centre and General work) / Keith (Overseeing Centre, Grass Cut Projects, and General work)
Successful Graduates
from the
programme:
Allan (served on the
Doulos ship for 3 years;
now married and living,
working in Hong Kong)
Paul (due to hereditary illness, later entered a Nursing Home and sadly died there)
Indy (Paul’s brother. Served in India with Operation Mobilisation for a year, and then on the staff team of G.P for a number of years, until the same hereditary illness as his brother incapacitated him)
Harry (served in G.P as a staff member for a few years, then with another Christian Ministry, until succumbing to AIDS which he contracted when on drugs)
Philip (returned back to work with RTM 2 T.V channel. Was already married)
Elijah (now running a business with his brother in Cambodia)
Sam (served on the Doulos ship for a time; got married and returned to Malaysia, and completed 4 years in MBS Bible School, Kelang. Now running a Christian Drug Rehabilitation Centre under DUMC).
Steve (worked in an Outreach Ministry with a Pastor in certain villages in Malaysia. Now with DUMC and runs 2 Drop-In Ministries – PJ and KL – and a Street Feeding programme, etc. Now married)
Chris (returned to his work in real estate with Reapfields Properties. Was already married)
Lourdes (completed a YWAM Discipleship Course, and joined their Ministry in Puchong. He later worked in a HIV / AIDS Ministry. He too succumbed to this disease)
Albert (worked in G.P for a number of months; married; then completed a YWAM Discipleship Course, and continues to work with them)
Michael (served on the Doulos ship for about a year, and later returned to Penang, where he was working)
Evan (joined Shelter Home for Children and still works there; also doing business. Now married)
Barry (working in a Pharmaceutical Company in K.L. Was already married)
Selvam (helped out for a few months in G.P; then got a job locally. Got married)
Alex (never fully completed his Programme, but is okay and serving in a Christian Ministry in Johor; has a Kennels business ‘on the side’. Was already married).
Lawrence (never fully completed his Programme, but is okay and serving with Steve in a Drop-In Centre
Suresh (also helped out in G.P. Then got a job outside. Now married)
Cornelius (serving in G.P still as a full-time staff member)
Frankie (working in a Christian Retreat Centre in Rawang)
Keith (helped out in Shelter Home, and at present a staff in G.P)
Thomas (a full-time staff member in G.P)
Andy (worked for a Church member for a few months; now beginning his own business)
Richard (working with NTV 7) ready to graduate soon are Caleb, Peter, and Casey. All 3 are working and okay.
These are most of the Green Pastures graduates who have remained free of Heroin, etc, as far as we know (and many we are still in touch with; sadly some have passed away). Others who left prematurely or who graduated but then fell back to drugs, have had the ‘seed of faith’ planted in them, and can / will return to the Lord, to a Centre (G.P or another Christian Rehab’), and know full freedom from addiction, etc. Some we know are already ‘free’.
PRESENT AND ON-GOING
PRAYER POINTS:
- For Leaders and Staff to be
upheld by the Lord; for His
love, humility, wisdom,
guidance, strength,
discernment, and spiritual and
ministry commitment
- For the ‘Students’ in the
G.P Programme – for
‘Regeneration and Renewal’; for
daily strength, application,
and protection; for commitment
to the Lord and to the Centre
and its Programme, and so
character change for the
better; for physical and mental
healing where / when necessary;
for good relationships with
each other, and with the
Leaders and Staff; for
grateful hearts; to finish
their Programme
successfully; to be led of
the Lord for the future –
Church, work, service
- For the Lord’s financial
provision monthly; for the
right work projects to come in.
The need is now there for a new
or good second-hand van
(‘people-carrier);
- For the
Lord’s continued guidance – to
know His will for the Ministry,
be it daily, weekly, or for the
future.
BRIDGE COMMUNICATIONS
Bridge Communications, which was founded in 1977, reaches out to the Chinese community through its newspaper columns and publications, and its counselling, youth and training programs.
Since 1986, it has been regularly contributing articles on the Christian message and Christian teachings to Chinese dailies, and it is estimated that in such media its articles are twice as many as the articles on Buddhism, when not long ago the latter were the main writings concerning religious beliefs.
Bridge also produces publications. It publishes a monthly magazine called Bridge Magazine. There is too a particular focus on reaching out to school students through its books specifically written for that purpose. To date, 80 such books have been published.
Its counselling programs have grown extensively since the demand for them was generated in the early 90's by its writings in the newspapers. Counselling is now a well developed ministry at Bridge and as well as itself providing counselling it conducts training in counselling for church groups and individuals.
St. Andrew’s partnership with the Bridge began in the 1990s. Together with Kuala Lumpur Baptist, St Andrew’s initiated a counselling work for teens in crisis, in areas such as Bukit Bintang and Jalan Alor; which have high rate of juvenile delinquency. The innovative ministry is growing well and it has recently introduced a series of new and highly circulated Christian comics in mandarin. St. Andrew's continues to support these programme financially.
Operation Mobilisation
An elderly lady in New Jersey, faithfully prayed for the pupils of her local school for 17 years! She sent students copies of John’s Gospel and as a result the young George Verwer committed his life to Christ at a Billy Graham rally in 1955. After spending holidays distributing gospels in Mexico and Spain, by 1962, 2,000 young people joined the effort as 80,000 towns were visited and bibles distributed.
Today Operation Mobilisation (OM) has over 3,000 full time staff in over 85 nations and three OM ships, with a combined crew of over 500. It is a dynamic, inter-denominational, multi-cultural and global ministry. St. Andrew's supports this ministry financially.
Interserve - His Child, Cambodia
From its roots in India in 1852, Interserve has grown and developed into some 600 mission partners, from nineteen different sending countries, in Asia and the Arab World. Partners use their professional skills, to share the love of Christ with the people they live and work with.
St. Andrew’s partnership with Interserve is via our missionaries, Lucille & Johnny Lee. The Lees are seconded to His Child in Cambodia. His Child is a ministry caring for the children, streets and villages of Cambodia. This ministry has grown since, and they now manage 20 staff, 2 homes and a church building. They are currently building a vocational school.
Open Doors
Faith Bible School through Open Doors believes that all doors are open and that God enables His Body to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. It believes in the strengthening of the Body of Christ living under restriction by providing and delivering Bibles, training materials and other form of help, and by encouraging the Body to become involved in world evangelism.
It trains and encourages the Body of Christ in threatened areas, preparing believers to face persecution and suffering, equipping them to be a witness to the Gospel of Christ. It aims to motivate, mobilise and educate the Church in the free world to identify with and become involved in the Persecuted Church with the belief that ‘when one suffers, all suffer with it (1 Corinthians 12:26)
For more information, please contact our Missions and Outreach Convener:
Lai Lee Sah: shinfah@pc.jaring.my
Missions & Outreach