I grew up believing that faith was something people turned to when they needed help with a particular problem. In our belief, there was a god for many different needs: one for money, one for studies, one for health, and one for peace. My mum is Buddhist, and when I was young, I would occasionally […]

I grew up believing that faith was something people turned to when they needed help with a particular problem. In our belief, there was a god for many different needs: one for money, one for studies, one for health, and one for peace. My mum is Buddhist, and when I was young, I would occasionally accompany her to the temple. We didn’t go regularly or follow any structured religious practice. Usually, we visited when there was a specific problem to solve. We would draw a prayer stick, light incense, make our request, and then return to everyday life.

Faith was part of life, but it remained in the background. It was something to turn to in times of need rather than something that shaped my daily decisions, my relationships, or my understanding of purpose.

When I was thirteen, a group visited my secondary school in Johor and handed out flyers for a one-day Christian youth program. Some of my friends planned to attend and invited me along.

The experience was very different from what I expected. The day was filled with activities such as escape rooms, water parks, games, and other events, all offered at a very affordable price through the support of a local church. I made new friends, had a lot of fun, and, each year, received a booklet that explained who Jesus Christ is and what he has done for us.

Something about the program kept drawing me back. I went again the following year, and then the year after that. What began as a fun day with friends eventually became an annual part of my life. For the next eight years, I attended every year.

My mum was surprisingly happy for me to participate in the event, partly because it happened only once a year. However, she wouldn’t allow me to attend regular church services. She believed that becoming a Christian, especially through baptism, meant there was no way to return to Buddhism.

Her concerns also came from her own experiences. As a young woman, she had attended church for a time, but the experience ended badly. She had a significant disagreement with her grandmother and felt pressured by expectations surrounding money and giving. As a result, church became associated with conflict and obligation rather than grace. Because of this, she told me that I was not allowed to become a Christian or attend church regularly until I turned eighteen. So I waited.

At eighteen after I moved to Kuala Lumpur for study, I was finally old enough to make my own decisions. I joined the Christian fellowship at my college, partly because I was curious and partly because Christianity already felt familiar after so many years of attending the youth program.

I was studying A Levels because my father hoped I would pursue that path. The subjects didn’t suit me, and I struggled under the pressure. For nearly a month, I lived with constant anxiety. I felt trapped between disappointing my parents and continuing down a path that I knew was not right for me. At my lowest point, I prayed. “God, help me. Help me survive this. Help me with my studies. Please help my parents allow me to change my course.”

After that prayer, my circumstances didn’t immediately improve, but I experienced a peace that I can’t fully explain. It was as if God was reminding me that I wasn’t carrying these burdens alone.

The night before one of my exams, I called my mum in tears and told her I couldn’t continue. She asked me to complete the examination and promised we would talk afterwards. When I returned home, she kept her promise. I was allowed to transfer into a foundation program instead. Later, when I expressed an interest in studying accounting rather than law, my parents supported that decision as well.

Slowly and cautiously, I began attending church services. What stood out to me was the kindness of the people I met. When they discovered I was a student, nobody pressured me to give money. People noticed when I attended, and they noticed when I was absent. They genuinely cared.

Over time, I became involved in various church communities, both in person and online. I joined Bible studies, volunteered where I could, and gradually learned that faith wasn’t simply for times of crisis. Faith shaped everyday life. It influenced how I viewed my relationships, my work, my studies, and my future.

Eventually, I was given opportunities to serve. I helped with worship ministries and was later invited to teach in Sunday school. I spend time preparing each lesson by reading commentaries, searching for resources, and finding videos that help children connect biblical stories with their everyday lives. I always include a craft activity because the children love learning through creating.

The children in my class vary in age, and one child has special needs. For him, I often draw simple illustrations and explain concepts more slowly. For the older children, I encourage discussion and thoughtful questions. I want every child to encounter God’s Word in a way they can understand and engage with.

My mum still finds church difficult because of her past experiences. Because of this, I don’t argue with her or try to force her to change her views. Instead, I try to witness to the love of Jesus through patience, prayer, and consistent love.

Looking back, I can see there were many obstacles standing between me and faith in Christ. Yet God was patient. He didn’t abandon me when life became complicated. Instead, during one of the darkest seasons of my life, he met me with peace.

Before I came to know Jesus, much of my life was shaped by expectations placed on me by others. I followed the path that seemed expected without stopping to ask what my purpose might be. Today, I understand more clearly why I belong to a church community, why I serve, and why I give my time to God’s work. I have come to see my life as a vocation. God has placed me among particular people, in particular relationships, and within particular communities so that I might share his love and the hope of the Gospel.

This Christmas, I’ll be baptised.

This year has brought me great joy. Not because life has suddenly become easy, but because through every season I have discovered that God is faithful. He continues to guide me, teach me, and remind me to trust not in my own plans but in his grace, which is sufficient for each day.

Many of our partner churches are working in new territory for the kingdom of God; therefore, spiritual attack is their everyday reality. As a member of a congregation, school, or family, or a couple or individual, you are invited to commit to praying for our partners in mission. For regular prayer point updates, go to www.lca.org.au/international-mission/act-now/pray

Read more stories about our partner churches in Malaysia at https://www.lcamission.org.au/category/stories/international-partners/malaysia-peninsula/