February 2010

[When Lizzie Heng and Thomas Chin went to an Alpha course in 2005, they started a process that, at the beginning of 2010, has seen many in their family come to Christ]

Four years ago Lizzie and Thomas, a married couple in Kota Kinabalu, started attending an Alpha course alongside the Buddhist classes they were also going to. Lizzie was confused and not happy in her life, and was searching different religions to find answers.

A few weeks later they found themselves learning so much at the Alpha course and enjoying it so much that they decided to stop attending the other classes. Near the end of the course they made a decision to begin to live according to the Christian faith and to trust in Jesus. Because of their Buddhist backgrounds they had both been anxious to find peace, and it was at Alpha that they finally found peace and joy.

“I would use a lot of methods to live a secure life, such as superstitious practices and using crystals,” says Lizzie. “It was during Alpha that I began to trust God and to pray, and I would remember to pray when I was going through trials. I came to know that God is the Creator of everything, and that Jesus is the way to salvation,” Lizzie says.

Lizzie and Thomas were excited to share their experience with their family, and on subsequent courses between 2005 and 2009 a total of 15 family members went. On the next course after theirs they invited Lizzie’s mother and three aunties. Lizzie’s mother learnt a lot on the course too and loved how friendly it was. She also became a Christian and was baptised after Alpha course finished, with two of the aunties.

“I wanted to find out why Jesus had to die,” Lizzie’s mother says, “and through Pastor I learned the Word of God and also the way to pray. I learned to surrender my burdens to the Lord, and I found peace and joy in Jesus Christ.”

“I most of all enjoyed the eating, the games, the singing and the opportunity to make new friends.”

Lizzie’s mother’s attitudes changed because of what she learned on the course. Instead of scolding her husband when they were driving as she usually did, she started to quietly pray instead. The husband was so impressed at this simple change in his wife that he wanted to go to Alpha too. He attended the next course with Lizzie’s brother and cousin. He came to Christian faith during the course and started going to church with his wife.

On the fourth and fifth courses more cousins and siblings attended. The fifth course finished in October 2009, and in December three of the family members took baptism at the church. Indeed, most of the family have now been baptised!

Of course not all the family members who attended the Alpha course have made the same decision of faith and some say they are not ready to yet. There has also been some resistance from some extended family which has meant that one of the aunties is not able to attend church. But the family is hopeful that in time more of their relatives will come to experience the peace and freedom that they have come to know.