Crossroad Bible Institute is expanding its ministry to prisoners in Southeast Asia. CBI Singapore, which already administers Crossroad’s discipleship program to prisoners in Singapore, Cambodia and Indonesia, is now expanding into Malaysia.
“Paul Tan continues to amaze us. He has been working hard to extend the CBI ministry to wherever there is an open door,” said Dr. David Schuringa, president of Crossroad Bible Institute.
Paul Tan, the director of CBI Singapore, has left no stone unturned in his travels across Southeast Asia, spreading the word about CBI as he goes. Tan helps interested parties establish the program and then continues to oversee and guide their work from Singapore.
Tan recently traveled to Malaysia and spoke with Pastor Bobby John, who will direct the program in that area. The two men immediately began implementing CBI’s Bible study program in Malaysian prisons.
“It’s exciting to see that the campus in Malaysia has flourished so quickly. In less than a month they are already sending us student score reports. Usually the process takes much longer because the director has to find Instructors and train them, but Paul found great people to work with,” said Sandra Chang Raak, CBI’s international coordinator.
The team is enthusiastic and at least thirty Instructors have already been trained.
CBI Malaysia is currently working in Rainbow Home, a halfway house for women released from prison and women struggling with drug addiction.
Faith Loh, coordinator for CBI Malaysia, says the women at Rainbow Home are enthusiastic about their Bible study lessons. “They are filled with joy and excitement and are eager to complete the first course,” Loh said.
Upon completing all twelve lessons in the first course, the women will receive special certificates at a graduation ceremony. “If all goes well, their estimated time of receiving their certificates will be on February 2. That would be during the Chinese New Year—a double joy for them as they spend reunion time with their families,” said Loh.
In the future, CBI Malaysia will work in prisons as well. But the process of getting permits to work in correctional facilities is a long and tedious one, so the ministry is targeting halfway houses while they wait. CBI curriculum will be extremely valuable in such a setting; it has already proved helpful for people struggling with substance abuse in many other countries around the world.
CBI is flourishing in Southeast Asia, thanks to the strong leadership of director Paul Tan and his team. Pray that God will bring dedicated volunteers and eager students to the programs in Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and beyond.