HARVEST FORCE 2023 ISSUE 3
Laos
CALLED AND RE-CALLED I went into full-time overseas in 1997 at the age of 40. Sometime in 2016, my wife reminded me that we always had this desire to serve in a lessdeveloped land. After much praying and seeking the Lord, in 2017, we read in Harvest Force that MMS was looking for a couple to serve in Laos. After applying and going through the process in order to determine our calling and suitability, we finally left in March 2018 as a couple to help Singapore Mission School (SMS) in Laos.
Stanley Seah
Stanley and Bee Leng are in their sixties. They worship at Agape Methodist Church and were her pioneer members. Stanley was the first staff of the church and left to answer God’s call in 2018 to serve in Laos. Stanley enjoys playing squash and has joined The Belgian Club in Vientiane so as to continue his love for squash. Bee Leng enjoys trying new recipes when she cooks.
Since our return, we have witnessed God’s bountiful provision and goodness in blessing the school.
16
From March 2018 till December 2019, my wife served as a Kindergarten Teacher and I as the Operations Manager. During those 22 months, we were able to help the children in the school, and forged a close, caring, and loving friendship with the people there. Our going there was indeed a Kairos moment. As I was on the ground, I was able to help implement the many operations and structural changes set by the School Board. My wife was able to step in to teach the K2 children as the then teacher had to go on maternity leave. The school gave us a memorable and wonderful farewell party when we had to return to Singapore to attend to some personal issues and family matters at the end of 2019. In 2020, COVID-19 disrupted everybody’s plans and ours included. In September 2020, we were challenged by the late Ms Juliette Arulrajah to return to SMS as the school was in a transition of being handed over to MMS. As we had a meaningful and fruitful time there, God answered our prayers and called
Handing over of SMS to MMS.
us to go there and serve again. However, due to COVID-19, we could only go back to SMS in October 2022. Since our return, we have witnessed God’s bountiful provision and goodness in blessing the school. These are the blessings upon blessings which we have witnessed: 1. We saw an increase in the enrolment of students from around 70 plus in September 2022 to 105 in January 2023, and it is still increasing. 2. Donations of S$30,000 were received from an individual just
