Andry Alang is the first Orang Asli indigenous Malaysian man to train as a pastor. LCA International Mission has supported his scholarship at Sabah Theological Seminary (STS) at Kota Kinabalu, East Malaysia, since 2014. Andry will next month begin ministry among the Orang Asli community in the country’s west with the Lutheran Church in Malaysia […]

Andry Alang is the first Orang Asli indigenous Malaysian man to train as a pastor. LCA International Mission has supported his scholarship at Sabah Theological Seminary (STS) at Kota Kinabalu, East Malaysia, since 2014. Andry will next month begin ministry among the Orang Asli community in the country’s west with the Lutheran Church in Malaysia (LCM) at Pengkalan Hulu. This is his story…

I come from Gopeng, Perak on Peninsular Malaysia. I moved to Pengkalan Hulu, near the border with Thailand, when I was 20. My family were Methodist, but I joined the Lutheran church when I stayed with my uncle’s family, which have served in the Lutheran church for many years.

My wife Ammylyn comes from Kuching, Sarawak, in Malaysia’s east, but grew up in Pengkalan Hulu, after moving there with her family. Her background was Anglican, but she has been part of the Lutheran church since she was nine.

How did you feel the call to be a pastor?

It was a special calling from God to serve in the community of Orang Asli. It is important to share the gospel in the community because not all of them are believers yet. I also want to learn how to live as a Christian community. I want to share the gospel with good and correct knowledge. I graduated from STS in 2017 with a Diploma in Theology. This year I have been furthering my study with a Bachelor in Theology.

What was your most difficult study challenge?

Everyone who comes to a new place will face the same situation. You need to live among strangers in a new environment. Also, the most challenging thing is reading theological book, mostly written in Indonesian languages. Secondly, we need to adapt to the new environment of studies with different people, different cultures and a variety of ideas with them. There is no easy way to success, but there is hope because of God.

What is best about studying at STS?

Learning Bible knowledge, which helped us develop and strengthen our faith. We’ve learnt to understand other people through listening to them, praying with them and sharing experiences. I’m not showing them that I’m the best, but that everything that happens in our lives is by God grace. I love to share what God has done for me and my family, with the hope that they will feel the love of God, too.

Prayer Points

Please pray for Andry as he works to fulfil his Bachelor degree requirements.

Pray for new beginnings for Andry and his family when they move back to Peninsular Malaysia.

Pray for their ministry to the Orang Asli community, especially as they have been away from their community for five years.

If you would like to know more about opportunities to personally support a scholarship recipient in your congregation during their stay in Australia, or ways in which you can financially and prayerfully support LCA International Mission’s scholarship program, you are invited to phone Nevin on (08) 8267 7300 or email nevin.nitschke@lca.org.au

Read more stories about LCA International Mission scholarships at https://www.lcamission.org.au/category/stories/scholarships/