Twelve years ago, it was a glorious rainbow that sealed God’s call to Lesley and Kok Liang Yeow to live and serve in Vientiane, Laos. In faith, they started a centre for teaching the English language to adults.
Twelve years ago, it was a glorious rainbow that sealed God’s call to Lesley and Kok Liang Yeow to live and serve in Vientiane, Laos. In faith, they started a centre for teaching the English language to adults.
The Yeows soon discovered that good schools were needed in this developing country. Encouraged by like-minded Singaporean friends in Vientiane and back home, they started ‘play and learn’ English sessions for children aged three to five years in 2010. Four years later, these two-hour sessions had grown to a full-day school.
Registered as a foreign enterprise, The Singapore Mission School (SMS) eventually secured an education licence to teach kindergarten and Primary-level students. To maintain this licence, the Laotian Ministry of Education indicated that additional classrooms and facilities would have to be constructed. SMS was funded entirely by donations from family and friends, and it seemed unlikely that this requirement could be met.
As an answer to prayer, the Lord brought SMS and the Methodist Missions Society (MMS) together in 2013 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding in support of an educational ministry in Laos. Through this partnership, funds were raised that enabled the school extension to be built. The construction of a beautiful, three-storey building was completed in December 2016.
On 23 Feb 2017, Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung of The Methodist Church in Singapore dedicated the SMS extension to the glory of God. MMS representatives, friends and supporters were present for this joyous event. The children drew jigsaw pieces (see inset) and shared their personal expressions of love and appreciation for the school.
Later that evening, parents and government officials were invited to join an Open House celebration. The event was appropriately themed “The Rainbow Connection”, and the students enthralled the audience with songs, dances, and a performance based on the story of Noah’s Ark.
Please pray for Methodist churches in Singapore to journey alongside SMS in providing quality education and Christian values for Laotian children. Qualified missionaries and volunteers are urgently needed to support the teaching and operational responsibilities of the school!
Contact the Rev Teresa Wilborn at teresa.wilborn@gmail.com to find out more.
Dr Eileen Aw
is Chairperson of the School Board of The Singapore Mission School in Laos.
Photos by Jason Chin