Langham Graduate Beatrice Ang graduated from Edinburgh University with a PhD this summer, and is already back home in the Philippines serving in two Bible colleges. Simon Foulds, LPUKI’s Development Manager, caught up with Beatrice recently to find out how she’s settling in.
Simon began by asking Beatrice about her graduation in July.
Beatrice: It was a wonderful experience. My parents were not able to come because we didn’t get to arrange the Visas on time. But the Lord blessed me with friends in Edinburgh, who did come to my small celebration. Of course, Liz and Malcolm [Scholar Care Coordinators] hosted it, so it was an extremely fun and memorable time for me.
Simon: Have you been home now for four months?
Beatrice: Yes, I’ve immediately jumped into work since I got back. I’m teaching with two seminaries: Biblical Seminary of the Philippines (BSOP), and the Asia Graduate School of Theology (AGST). The students at both places are quite different, but they’re all training to be ministers. At BSOP my students are younger, late 20s and below, whereas the ones at AGST are older, mid-30s and above.
They have some similar reasons for why they want to do theological education but different ones as well. The older batch have more experience in ministry already and at the same time they are being prepared to become leaders of their seminaries and denominations. The younger students are just starting out. That’s been quite a challenge! Most of my time has been spent preparing to teach Church History and Historical Theology to these two very different groups
I still live at home with my parents because our Seminary technically isn’t open yet to the public so we’re doing everything online still. This might change in January next year. A lot of other places in the Philippines are open already. The problem for us is we’re waiting for inspectors to come then they will give us the ‘Go’ signal for opening the dormitories again.
Simon: How many students are you teaching?
In each class we have between 8 to 11 students, so per semester, 22 in total.
Simon: Fantastic. It’s a key thing we talk about in Langham – that multiplying effect that Langham Scholars have. You are only four months into your new ministry and you are already training future leaders.
How can we pray for you?
Beatrice: Please pray for our seminary. We have recently had a transition in leadership, new people coming in, including myself. There are several things we need to work on to improve our school. It was closed for about two years, and now we’re opening up again. It’s a very different world we’re coming back into – everything is online. Although people will see each other face-to-face, we somehow can’t get rid of the online element. That will stay with us for many years.
Please pray for churches in the Philippines that have the same challenges, the struggles getting people back into church. I am involved in the training of church leaders, so for me that’s very important. I want to help them to get people excited again about being a face-to-face community of God.
Simon: What are your plans over the Christmas break?
Beatrice: I do get a break for two weeks so I hope to go away with my family for a few days. I’d like to go to the beach – I’ve not been to the beach in a long time! Besides that, I have to prepare for the next semester’s classes that I have to teach. Christmas in the Philippines is lots of fun, we have lots of get-togethers and really good food. And celebration in church of course.
Simon: Thank you for talking with me – it sounds like you are settling in well. You are busy but smiling! So that’s great. Please be assured of our prayers for you over Christmas and into the New Year.
Find out about Beatrice’s journey from hearing God’s call at the age of 10 to travelling across the world to study in Scotland.
Find out more about the Langham Scholars programme.