I’m from the Iban tribe in Sarawak, and I’ve always been actively involved in church ministry, with a special heart to reach Sabahans and Sarawakians. My grandparents were fishermen while my parents were government servants. All my life I’ve been taught to do well in school, get a good job and a stable income, overcome poverty and live better than our ancestors.
My testimony is that God has given me the opportunity to dream bigger and deeper – through the different ministries I’m involved in, and to be equipped and empowered through the church.
One of these opportunities came through Malam Borneo when I was given the privilege to share the word to students of similar backgrounds and upbringings. I even managed to speak Iban in my message, on top of speaking Bahasa. It was a big honour and privilege.
Malam Borneo allowed us to be present to students who could not go home during the holiday season. I’m sure that that night, someone needed friendship, community, and connection. Someone needed to feel a little less lonely, a little more hopeful, and a little less helpless in their situation.
I thank God that in Acts Church we have leaders who open their eyes and are sensitive to the needs on the ground. The ground may be dry, but the need remains. God continues to work in the background, orchestrating connections, movements, opening doors, and preparing hearts. I’m glad that during the pandemic, the work and the ministry continued.
With God in the picture, my dreams and desires have gone beyond the things of this world. Initially, I had a wish to study medicine, but God closed that door for me. I was angry and bitter at first, but He led me to do psychology eventually, which was an area that people always said was hard to get a good job in.
I went ahead by faith, and God has grown that dream a little bit bigger for me. I now aim to be accepted into the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) and to be the first Iban clinical psychologist in the MOH, with the ultimate goal of giving input into policymaking for mental healthcare in Malaysia.
This wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for God and Acts, a church that emphasizes community impact. There’s a saying that goes, “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man how to fish and he will eat for the rest of his days.” Being in this church has taught me how to fish, and oh, how I would eat for the rest of my days! All glory to God.
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