Salvation Testimony of Pastor Panir Paul Rajamany and the Role of Gideons

                                                          

 My name is Panir Selvam Rajamany. My Christian name is Paul. I was born in Ipoh in 1960. My parents were of the Hindu faith and taught their six children to worship idols from a young age. My late father was a medium, a person who goes into a trance and communicates with the gods. My mother was his assistant. Many times my later father would speak in a strange language and my mother would interpret what the gods were saying. All the boys in our home were sent to study at the Anglo-Chinese School in Ipoh. This was a Methodist mission school and the medium of instruction was in English. I joined Primary 1 with zero English but a year later, I learned the language. I became an avid reader and won prizes for borrowing the most number of books from the school library. We were a very poor family, my dad being a labourer with the Malayan Railways. As a result, I never had spare money and could never buy a book.

One day, a group of people came to my school and distributed little books. The books were brand new New Testaments. Only much later, I came to understand that this group of kind people were the Gideons. I was about tenyears old at this time. That Gideon Bible changed my life. I read it from cover to cover. From the four gospels, I got to know an amazing person called Jesus Christ. His teachings were amazing and his love touched my heart. I also read the Psalms and I was captivated by the words.

After my Form Five exam, called the Malaysian Certificate of Examination (MCE), I had a break of about three months. It was during this time that my classmate Simon Tan, invited me to attend his church. There I saw people lifting up their hands, singing and worshipping God. They had so much joy on their faces. I used to worship idols out of fear but these people worshipped their God out of love and adoration. I continued to attend this church week after week. My mother found out and threatened to throw me out of the home. I decided not to attend church.

However, God had other plans. I was offered a place to study engineering at University of Technology, Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. I jumped at the chance to leave home. In UTM, I joined the Varsity Christian Fellowship called the Ikatan Kristian UTM. There were about fifty of us, and we had a regular weekly meeting where we worshipped the Lord. During this time, a brother from the Navigators, visited me weekly and taught me bible study and discipled me. Our University bus would take us to Calvary Church, then in Damansara Heights each Sunday. On the watchnight worship service on 31 Dec 1980, the Lord gave me a vision. I saw my slum house in Ipoh with a flag flying on the roof. Someone was explaining to me that “this is the flag of Christ”. The camera seemed to zoom into the house and in the living room, I saw my mum reading a Bible. She had torn a Bible to pieces just a few months earlier. I continued to pray for her salvation. 

A few months later, I was on a term break in Ipoh. A friend told me that an evangelist from India will be preaching in the Town Hall in Tamil. I immediately went home and invited my mum. To my great surprise, she agreed to attend. Bro DGS Dhinakaran was preaching for the first time ever in Ipoh. He spoke about the love of God. When he invited those who wanted to receive Christ to come forward, my mum ran to the front and gave her heart to the Lord. The first thing she wanted was a Bible. I bought her a Tamil Bible. She read it from cover to cover in 3 months – just like the Lord had shown me in the vision. The Lord began to use her to share the good news and to pray for the sick. She experienced many miracles after coming to Christ. One day, I went back to  Ipoh and found my dad had been admitted to hospital. He was in a coma and the doctors told me he would not recover. He was 72 at that time. I had no Christian friends or pastors I could call upon. I put my faith in Mark 16:18 “……they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” I prayed for my father that he should not die without knowing Christ. Three days later he woke up, completely normal. He came back home andwas never ill again till he died. About three months after his miracle healing, he announced that he wanted to become a Christian. He was baptized and received Christ as Lord and Saviour.

From the time I graduated as an engineer, the Lord did many amazing miracles in my life. In 2014, I moved to Melbourne, Australia. I graduated with a Masters in Ministry from Harvest Bible College and served as a volunteer pastor with the refugee ministry. I ministered to Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka. Later we pioneered a church among the migrants in Dandenong. We also started a outreach among the homeless people.

In 2019, we returned to Malaysia in obedience to a vision and a dream that the Lord gave. In 2020 the Lord opened the door for me to become the chairman of Rumah KIDS (www.rumahkids.com), a home for abandoned children. We currently have 40 children. In 2021, I was asked to join the pastoral team at Grace Assembly Klang in the English congregation. In 2024 I was appointed the interim Lead Pastor of the English congregation. God has transformed me from a sinner to a vessel impacting many for His glory and His Kingdom. I will always be grateful for the ministry of the Gideons. It was through that little pocket New Testament that I came to know about the love of Christ. I want every Gideon member to know that your ministry of sowing seeds of His Word, is so powerful. I am just one of the very few who came back to tell you how great your work is.

Thank you.

Panir Selvam Rajamany (Paul), Grace Assembly Klang

Pastor Yim Tuck Fatt (1907 - 1995) Pastor & Prison Evangelist - Started Gideons Prison Ministry in Johor Bahru on Nov 6, 1979. 

In 1976, Yim preached at Seremban prison where his friend’s son was incarcerated. Compassion and zeal to reach out to prisoners took hold of Yim and upon retirement from teaching, he began prison ministry full-time. On November 6, 1979, the then 74-year-old Yim took the train from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru. Whilst wandering around, he saw the cross on the Holy Light Church and there, he found a group of Gideons praying for prisoners. This divine appointment subsequently led to weekly services being held in the Johor Bahru prison.

Such was his passion to save souls that Yim would travel the length of Peninsular Malaysia, sometimes on the overnight train, to visit prisoners in the morning. He travelled by train, car and taxi and would sometimes walk for miles to reach prisoners in the Pudu, Kajang, Seremban, Johor Bahru, Taiping and Kuantan prisons. Yim was such a regular visitor that he was given a special pass by prison guards. Every Christmas and New Year, he would send Kentucky Fried Chicken, apples and ice cream to prison authorities and inmates in the country, spending the entire week away from his family. The bills would then be passed to churches that he visited! Further reading https://dcbasia.org/biography/yim-tuck-fatt

(Text extracted from Dictionary Of Christian Biography In Asia)

Salvation Testimony of Pastor Daniel Chong

 

In July 1983, at the age of 22, while I was in Kuala Lumpur, a colleague gave me a Gideon small pocket testament that had belonged to her brother. This marked the humble beginning of a journey where God's word did not return void. As I read the testament over several months, certain verses, such as John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9, deeply touched my heart and inspired me to seek a deeper understanding of God. These verses sparked my curiosity to explore God's character and teachings in the Bible further.

Opening my heart to the truth, I began searching for a church. A friend then brought me to an AG church in Kuala Lumpur in December 1983. This small pocket testament played a significant role in leading me to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Despite attending church in my youth merely to accompany friends, upon discovering the encouraging words of God in the Testament, I was convinced that the God of the Bible is real. Consequently, I discarded all the charms given to me by my parents.

In the same year, I was transferred to Sibu and in December 1983, I acknowledged and accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. This decision led me to SIB Church in Sibu to deepen my growing Christian faith. I participated in baptism classes and was baptized at SIB Church in Sibu. Driven by my passion for the Lord, I actively engaged in discipleship classes organized by the church. Embracing my faith in Jesus Christ, I wrote a testimony, made copies, and shared them with my family and friends. My sister was puzzled by my sudden strong religious enthusiasm, which led her to ask about the change in my behavior.

In 1984, I was transferred to Tawau, where I shared my faith with friends. By 1985, I felt a calling to serve the Lord full-time, leading me to resign from my banking job in 1986 to dedicate myself entirely to ministry. Although my father initially disapproved of my conversion to Christianity and departure from banking, God answered my prayers, touching both my parents, who eventually became Christians. I had the privilege of baptizing my father after 30 years. Over time, my father became proud of my role as a pastor, proudly sharing with others that his son serves as a pastor.

Today, Pastor Daniel Chong serves as the Senior Pastor of Calvary Charismatic Church in Lahad Datu, Sabah, giving all glory to God. Amen.

TESTIMONY OF SIS JOYCE HWANG QI HUI

 

TESTIMONY OF PASTOR VINCENT T. MANIAM

 

TESTIMONY OF PASTOR JACKEY TAN

 

"My Life Testimony In Christ" by Sis Louise Lee Jing Sing from Kuching, Sarawak

I was from a family where male was considered more important and valuable. I was living under the influence of my mum’s family who practised strong traditional Chinese culture. 

Here, I would like to share how the Chinese culture that I was brought up during my young age was affecting me. Females can only have second hand things but male can get and use the best of all things. All valuable things, best food and status in family should belong to male. Every male is from God but not female. I was always told to be silent when I was hit or abused from my elder brother or my mum’s relatives. Since birth as my appearance was more toward my father’s family, I was told that I belong to my father not my mother. Whenever my brother did wrong, I was told to bear his sinful deed. Since I was a young girl, I was already being physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially abused and persecuted by my own mother, sister, brother and my mum’s family. I did not experience the true meaning of hugging, loving kisses and comforting words. I had gone through daily scolding, and blaming for not being able to do the best especially in washing dishes and sweeping the floor, even I had tried my best to wake up as early as 4am to do all family chores before walking to school. At the age of 10 years in Methodist Primary School, I was given a small English Gideon Pocket Testament by a Gideon during school bible distribution. He told me that this is a good book and it is good for me. I asked myself this question, “Why would he give me this book if it is good. Everything that is good should belong to man why me? I’ve never own anything at home.” I truly treasured this Gideon small pocket testament and always carried it with me as it may bring good to my life. I put it into my school bag and brought it to the church camp but seldom did I really pay attention to read it only sometimes when I was afraid. At the age of 16 years, I have to totally support on my own living and even help my parents’ needs.

In 1998 to 2003, I was following my husband to Belize in Central America.  Most of my daytimes, I was alone.  I read the Bible aloud not because I was devoted or like to but I was afraid. I had treated the Bible as something that had power to fight for me and protect me if I faced trouble or danger. Through reading this Gideon Bible and praying, my eyes and ears were opened. I came to experience that I was a sinful person. I need a saviour who is able to save me, cleanse me and set free. When I was up in the mountain, I would carry this small Gideon Bible. I used a small torch to read it.  During this period, I was touched by the Lord Jesus Christ and came to know Him personally and received Him as my personal Saviour and Lord when I was in Belize in the year 1998-2003.

I am grateful for Gideon who presented me the bible. Now, I am an Auxiliary President for my Kuching Camp. I have graduated as a Bachelor of Theology in the Seminari Theoloji Malaysia . With God’s given gift, I offer myself to help many hurtful ladies and women who were coming to me.  I am also serving ministry in my local church. God has led me to totally forgive all my family members who had betrayed and harm me. I prayed for repentance to my Lord Jesus Christ and accepted Him as my beloved Saviour. He has transformed my heart to love everyone. Thank you to this Gideon who had given me this Gideon Small Pocket New Testament.

 

God's Words To Comfort The Hurting - Sis Stephanie Chong

 

In Fall 2016, everything good in my life seemed to fall apart. My husband filed for divorce and abandoned our home. We had two young children, who were left confused and hurt, and I was crippled by bitterness and all-consuming pain. I was later diagnosed with a malignant growth in my right thigh muscle. I was surrounded by brokenness in every aspect of my life. Alone, I couldn’t salvage any hope in my life. Believe me, I had tried.

During this time, I would frequent Sarawak General Hospital with my sister, Ann. One day, Ann brought Louise, an Auxiliary, to visit me. Eventually, she gave me a bilingual Chinese/English Testament. I read the Scripture and found the Word comforting. It was in October when I accepted Christ into my life.

Later that year, I had two operations to remove the tumor in my thigh. As a new believer, I had many questions for God. Why were these things happening in my life? Did He care about my situation? What did I do wrong to deserve these things?

I spoke with Louise and Ann, and they encouraged me to keep my faith in God and pray without ceasing. I didn’t know much about prayer and saw it as a Christian obligation, much like reading the Bible. I had no idea there was so much power in it.

I began spending time at night in the Word of God, after putting my children to bed. As days became weeks, I sensed things starting to change because I was shifting my focus to God. I found peace in my heart that was beyond explanation.

With every hospitalization, God’s Word became my best companion—it worked better than medicine. I was in communication and relationship with the Lord when I opened Scripture. The Word comforted my heart and gave me assurance of His presence. Not only did He heal me, but God continues to make me new each and every day.

Rev Timothy Lam saved through One Gideon Testament

 I come from a family of four, where my parents were free thinkers. Although they both were educated in English medium schools, they were not particularly religious. Their parents were practising Taoist, rooted in Chinese religion and customs.

With this as a backdrop, my childhood and early teens was in a non Christian environment except for the seedbed of Christian school system, from my church-based kindergarten until I completed my secondary school education in a mission school. Without a personal knowledge and relationship with God, I spent a lot of time with television and cinema, amusement parks and hanging around with my gangs. I hero-worshipped actors and even aspired to have a career in movie making. Soon, I was not doing well in my studies and became a rebellious child. 

While I was in secondary school, I received my first New Testament distributed by the Gideons. As I started to read about Jesus and learnt more about His exploits, I was so attracted to Him and eventually looked to Him as my new 'hero'. I embarked on a journey to know Him more. As I did so, I grew to love and accept Him as my personal Saviour. I remember using the prayer at the back of my Gideon pocket New Testament; more than once, to acknowledge my need of Him, repent of my sins and pledge to follow Him. As the pocket sized New Testament was handy, it was easy for me to learn to memorise Scripture portions. This helped me to grasp the Word of God. 

As I look back, I am grateful to God for revealing Himself to me as I read the New Testament given through the Gideons. It was a good start for me as when I eventually had my entire Bible some time later, Scripture reading was not strange to me.

A few months later, I attended an evangelistic meeting in a local church. Towards the end of the meeting, I responded to the invitation to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. That evening, my thoughts were flooded with how wonderful Jesus is to me, and only He could wash my sins away and make me a new person. I welcomed Him into my life and asked Him to be my Lord and God. 

Soon after that, I attended church regularly and took part in bible study classes as well as home groups. As I was using my Gideon New Testament regularly for some time, I was more familiar with the Word of God making me keen to study more in depth. Eventually I was baptised and continued to grow in the Lord, gradually I also started to serve in church ministries like teaching Sunday School, leading in songs of praise and worship, youth fellowship.   At a youth camp one year, I responded to the call of serving God in full time Christian work although I did not immediately do so. I was trained in computer studies and pursued a career in the IT industry. God blessed me with good work prospects and I could share His Word and love with those in my workplace. I also learnt to put biblical perspectives at work. 

Finally, I took the step to pursue theological education. Upon graduation, I went on to serve as a full-time pastor with a denominational Church. Then, I obeyed the Lord to serve as a itinerant preacher to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, bringing me to different parts of Malaysia and the nations around Asia and the Pacific. 

Ps Thomas Lye Testimony

AD Leong Testimony - from Death Sentence to Alive in the Lord!

 

芙蓉基督教卫理公会, 雷周隆捷牧师: Testimony of Rev Chu Leng Chek:

(↑from the left Bro See, Bro Brian, Bro Chan, Rev Chu Leng Chek, Bro Pang & Bro Stanley Law)

感谢神,我们再一次聚集一起敬拜神.今天也谢谢那个国际基甸会四位弟兄四位同工来我们当中做介绍.以神的话

来分享来做鼓励.周牧师跟那个国际基甸会有一段情.曾有一段情.所以当今年这个彭弟兄来找我的时候说是国际

基甸会的,我就马上跟他谈说安排这个日子就是今天来做这样的一个分享.那怎么说呢? 1969 年, 年纪大的人一讲

就是几十年的事情.不象年轻人讲的是三个月三个礼拜的. 1969 年, 哗,那时候周牧师才 13 岁,那是 49 年前的事情.

有一天, 我的主日学老师陈弟兄, 我还记得他的名字陈培秋弟兄, 他给了我一本圣经.那个时候的小孩子不是有

几个人读圣经,也不容易买圣经.也没有钱买圣经.他给我一本圣经, 我一看,原来是国际基甸会派发的.哗, 那是我

生命中第一本圣经.我好象至宝样子.拿到那本圣经那天,我回去.我一个下午没有多久我就看完了.因为是新约版

的.不过我看的时候好象看古龙小说一样地看.我看它也没什么, 我不觉得它有什么特别.因为我是看小说嘛.但是,

我发现到那个圣经它有一个很特别的地方, 就是它有一面是特别篇的,比如说在何处找到帮助,每当你害怕, 焦虑,

后退,丧亲,苦涩或批判性,被打败, 天灾威胁, 气馁, 疑惑, 面临危机, 失去信心, 失去朋友, 离家外游, 孤单, 需

要主保护.它这个题目下面就有圣经节告诉你读哪一篇, 那个吸引了我.所以那时候我就看着那些标题按着所指

定的圣经节,我就来找找看看.那个时候我知道我发觉原来上帝的话是活的.我们在不同的环境的时候,不同的处境

的时候,神的话,神就对我们说话.透过圣经对我们说话.那是 1969 年的事情,所以我说一段情,未了情.今天我们谢谢

这个基甸会,国际基甸会弟兄,一个是本地人,芙蓉人, 三个是新山人.他们都是义工,他们有自己的工作,但是为了

这个国际基甸会百年前成立,他们只有一个工作,到今天还是,就是派发圣经.如果一天你在酒店看到有一本圣经放

在那边,不是人家忘记拿,那是国际基甸会放在那边的,你们要记得.好多地方,我们都会看到国际基甸会派发的圣

经.而他们有一个信念,刚才我们的彭弟兄已经解释了, 那是以赛亚先知讲了一句话:上帝的话出去绝不徒然返回.

圣经的一句话成为创办国际基甸会,不知道那是谁,你们有没有创办人这些? 成为他们百年来唯一的工作,派发圣

经.我们感谢神.所以我们今天我们手上的这一本圣经不象 49 年前周牧师那么辛苦,我们要珍惜.我们背金句我们

就是要把神的话藏在我们心里面,做我脚前的灯,路上的光.如果心中空洞,没有话,那怎么成为我脚前的灯,路上的

光呢?今天下午他们来说,明年 4 月,会有几个美国人来,会在芙蓉还是波德申一带要派送 4 万本的圣经.所以到时候,

我们当中也许我们一些人会成为义工, 我们把神的话送给他们.这也是牧师下来鼓励,我们今天买礼物送给人,不

知道买什么,买圣经就好用.买圣经送给人, 又不是很贵,送给人,他可能不需要,放一边,时候到了,那么他就翻开,神

对他说话.我认识好几个人, 他们都是因为朋友送他圣经,到最后成为基督徒.所以弟兄姐妹们,那么国际基甸会做

这样的工作.圣经公会印刷圣经那是给我们基督徒买来阅读的.国际基甸会印刷圣经,那是我们基督徒拿去送给非

基督徒.这是很大的分别啊.   感谢上帝,让我们都知道说这个世界有一个超过百年的福音机构, 他们百年来做的

唯一工作就是送圣经.我们也看到各地都有一些基督徒,他们愿意委身,做义工做这样的工作.所以在上帝的国度里

面我们各按其职,我们各尽其职.我们来建立教会,扩展上帝的国度.我们都没有白占地土.感谢主.

(19/11/2017)

Chinese Methodist Church Seremban, Rev Chu Leng Chek:

Thanks be to the Lord, we gather again to worship God. Today we thank The Gideons International’s 4 brothers-

4 workers are with us to introduce themselves, to share and encourage us with the word of God. Pastor Zhou and The Gideons International used to be in love, it used to be a fond relationship. Therefore, when this year, brother Pang came to meet me and introduced himself as a Gideons’ member, I instantly arranged a day, that’s today to give a sharing like this. How’s it about? Year 1969, Pastor Zhou was just 13 by then, that’s 49 years ago. One day, my Sunday School teacher - brother Chan, I can still remember his name, brother Tan Pei Chew, he gave me a Bible. That were not much kids read Bible on those day, not easy to buy a Bible and didn’t have money to buy it too. He gave me a Bible, I look at it, it’s a Bible distributed by The Gideons. Wow, it’s the first Bible in my life. I treasured it so much. After I took the Bible, I went home. Very soon in that afternoon, I had finished reading the Bible, because it’s a New Testament version. However, when I read it, I read as if it’s a novel. I didn’t take it seriously, I didn’t see anything special in it, because I was just merely reading a novel. But, I found an interesting part in this Bible, there was a special chapter, where it was particularly printed for where to find help when afraid, anxious, backsliding, bereaved, bitter or critical, conscious of sin, defeated, depressed, disaster threatens, discouraged, doubting, facing a crisis, faith fails, friends fail, leaving home, lonely, needing God’s protection. Under these topics, there were references guiding you which Bible verses to read about; these attracted me. So, I looked at these topics and found the Bible verses accordingly. By then, I know I realized the words of God are living words. When we are in certain environment , in certain circumstances, words of God, God speaks to us, speaks to us through Bible. That happened in year 1969, that’s why I said in love , a never ending love. Today, we thank The Gideons , brother of The Gideons, one is local, from Seremban, three from Johor Bahru. They are volunteers, they have their own jobs, but because of this Gideons, founded 100 years ago, they have only one job, it remains till today, that’s distributing Bible. Perhaps one day, you see a Bible left in a hotel, it’s not because somebody forget to take it, it’s actually the Gideons who placed it there, you need to remember this. In many places, we can find Bibles distributed by the Gideons. They hold on to a belief, just now our brother Pang has already explained, that the prophet Isaiah said: The word of God that goes out from His mouth will not return to Him empty. The word in the Bible became the reason the Gideons International founded, who was that, do you have any information of the founder? It became their work through last 100 years, distributing the Bible. So, today, the Bible in our hand is not as difficult as Pastor’s 49 years ago, we should treasure it. We memorize God’s word because we want to hide it in our heart, be a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. If a heart is empty, no words, how could it be a lamp to my feet and a light for my path? This afternoon, they told me , in next year’s April, there will be a few Americans coming, in the proximity of Seremban or Port Dickson, distributing forty thousand Bibles. Therefore, on that time, some of us might become volunteers, we will give them the word of God. This is also what Pastor would like to encourage you, we buy present for somebody, we don’t know what to buy, Bible will be the good choice. Buying Bible for somebody, it’s not expensive. You give it to someone, he or she might not need it, putting it aside. When time comes, he/she opens it, God speaks to him/her. I know a few people, they become Christian because their friends gave them Bible. Hence, brothers and sisters, The Gideons do this kind of work. Malaysian Bible Society prints Bible for Christians to buy and read, The Gideons prints Bible for Christians to give it to non-Christians , this is the great difference. Thanks be to the God, we know that there is a 100-year old Christian organization, their ministry over these 100 years is giving out Bible. There are Christians all over the world, they committed themselves, become volunteers, doing this kind of work. Therefore, in the kingdom of God, according to the effective working by which each part of the body does its work, we build churches, extending God’s kingdom and do not use up the ground. Thanks be to the Lord.

(19/11/2017)

THE WORD OF GOD IS REAL & ALIVE! READ IT!

I was raised up in a closely-knitted Buddhist family.  My grandmother was a Chinese medium and I was taught to pray to the Chinese gods and to our ancestors from a young age.  Moreover, being the eldest in the family has made me very responsible to my own family members.  I studied hard in school and was well liked by my peers and teachers.

When I was 14 years old, I received a little blue Gideon testament in school. I took it home excitedly and read it on the first day.  After that I kept it on the shelf for the next two years.

One day, I was robbed while walking home alone.  It was a traumatic experience for me and since that day, I was living in fear.  I called out to my gods but there was no answer.  I was angry and disappointed that no help came from the gods. I was very troubled and had sleepless nights since that incident.

On a still dark night, while I was tossing in bed, I suddenly remembered the little blue book which I kept on the shelf.  It had been there for two years and I reached out to it and began reading it.  I was very fascinated with this book and my searching soul wanted to know more about this God in the Bible.  My friends took me to church and I began the journey of discovery of the truth.  A couple of months later, I accepted Jesus as my personal Saviour and signed my name on the back cover of the English Testament.  My grandmother and mother objected very strongly when they knew I had become a believer.  However, I just trusted the Lord to lead me as I grow in Him.

A few months later, my mother fell into a depression and was on the verged of suicide.  A voice down in my heart told me to pray for her.  As a filial son, I prayed seriously to Jesus to heal her and her condition improved greatly.  The improvement in her life, coupled with my changed life in Christ, attracted her to the Lord.  The Lord gave me the courage to take her to church and she accepted the Lord as her Saviour.  She was delivered from the bondage of sin and her depression ended.  I was overjoyed with that victory in Christ.

I was more determined to bring my younger sister and father to Christ. They began attending church with me and a few months later, they too came to accept Christ into their lives.  Now, my whole family attends a church in our town.

The Lord began to impress me with His word as I read it daily.  The challenge of Isaiah 6:8, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” sounded strongly within me.  Deep in my heart, I have already answered that divine call for my life, “Here am I, send me!”.  One day I hope to be a pastor to serve the Lord after what He has done to me and my family.

It all started with a blue testament given by the Gideon.  Praise be to God!

Teoh Yee Chern,

Sitiawan, Malaysia

Stand Up :Pastor Vincent Maniam Lubok Antu, Sarawak, Malaysia

Vincent grew up in a Hindu and Catholic family but did not attend church.  His brother in law accepted Christ at a revival meeting and began to share the gospel with Vincent.  In 1981, his brother in law gave Vincent a red pocket sized New Testament in English from The Gideons.  

During this time, Vincent joined the army and was allowed only one book.  He kept the New Testament in his shirt pocket at all time and read it.  He kept that Bible in his shirt pocket for 10 years.  He would read the Bible when on assignment in the jungles.  Reading the Bible helped him overcome his fear of any enemy in the jungle.  While he was serving in the army Vincent accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. 

Vincent joined a church and started leading home fellowships in the army camps in Sri Aman.  A lot of families came to the Lord.  The Malaysian senior army officers at his army base persecuted the home fellowship groups. They tried to stop the meetings in the army camps.  The Lord spoke to Vincent to stand up to the army officers and appealed to them to allow the home fellowship groups to continue.  Vincent reasoned with the officers that all religions can have their own fellowships and this is good for the morale of the army.  The officers agreed that this is a good thing and allowed the home fellowships to continue.  Around 40 families came to the Lord at this army base. 

Vincent was transferred to an army base in West Malaysia.  He joined a local church and asked the pastor if they would help him start home fellowships at the army base.  The pastor agreed and many families also came to the Lord.  He ministered in West Malaysia for 18 years.  Pastor Vincent has stayed in touch with his army buddies and some have become pastors and leaders of churches in Malaysia.                             

Pastor Vincent is currently the pastor of the Full Gospel Center in Lubok Antu, Malaysia.  He has ministered in Sarawak for the last 10 years.  God called him to Sarawak area to minister to the Iban community in the long houses.  His wife is from the Lubok Antu area and they have lived here for the last eight years.

This all started because of one New Testament from The Gideons. (April 2, 2017)

Testimony of Pilot Capt Siva

Testimony of Dr Seow Chu Tai (video in 2014 - VLC Player)

Jesus Promised "My burden is light" Matthew 11:28-30

Mdm Christine Newton was widowed when her husband died two years ago in 2013 and left her with a son and daughter-in-law. She was then a Catholic and was much troubled with lack of concern and lost of friendship with many previous friends. She was confused and did not have inner peace. She also developed some medical heart problems and was worried. Sister Sylvia Elijah uses to frequent her restaurant and by divine arrangement managed to share and passed her a Gideon English Testament which Mdm Christine used to refer and read when anxiety and uncertainty set into her life.

Recently in September 2015, Sister Sylvia Elijah visited Mdm Christine restaurant and was told that she had went through baptism to confirm her faith. Hallelujah! She thanked Sister Sylvia for giving her the Gideon New Testament where she found help from the Bible verses and is able to be reborn again as she is now worshipping in a local Evangelistic Protestant Church.

Not only she is saved but her whole family accepted the Lord too as their personal Saviour and Lord. Praise The Lord for the new salvation! She now find peace and joy and has decided to surrender herself to the Lord in whatever situation as she does not feel burden now. All Glory be unto God alone!

Prepared by Sylvia Elijah, Country Auxiliary Coordinator

Oct 2015

God's Word Speaks For Itself (Isaiah 55:11)

In the early 1980s, I was a very quiet and disturbed girl without much family love as I was staying with my relatives who were Taoists. They were very guarded over my beliefs and would complain about my reading of any Christian materials which I obtained from school. Those materials were English Christian materials which help to improve my poor command of English. Life then was like not worth living! Many times I was stressed out and had attempted suicides three times: trying to jump off at 17^th Floor Rifle Range flats, Penang; knocked myself against a moving bus; and jump off a bridge into the open sea.

In 1985, I was admitted into the hospital for stomach ulcers. An unknown person in the hospital just passed me a Chinese Gideon Testament (painted red at the sides), probably he would not read it or did not want it. However, as I read it, I found comfort and peace. One day, I heard a voice saying to me, “you dare to die but dare not live?” The verse as Paul said it in Philippians 1:21, “To live is Christ, to die is gain” reminded me that if I need to live, I live for Christ.

In 1993, I was ordained as a Reverend in the Lutheran Church and is now ministering in three different locations, namely, Kuala Kangsar, Lenggong and aborigines ministry in Pengkalan Ulu (Kroh). I thank God for blessing me with a New Testament that let me into encountering Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour, without anyone telling me about it but just through reading His word in the New Testament. His Holy Spirit really works in my heart all these years to sustain and encourage me to move on for the Lord as long as I am alive. I was looking for the Gideons to thank them for doing what they are doing when one day Bro Elijah Patmalingam just step into my church to share about the Gideon ministry in Malaysia and worldwide. I prayed I was of help in setting up a new Kuala Kangsar Camp for the furthering of His work in this area. All glory be to God, the Almighty.

Rev Loh Kan Hooi 

Reading In Faith Brings Salvation

In 1984, my brother-in-law gave me a small blue Gideon English Bible to read even though I was not very good in reading English. However, my mother encouraged me to do so as I had found the true God and the Bible was His love letters to us. I believed her and I used to carry it with me to school. During break hours in school, I would try to read it even though it was difficult for me to understand it. I had the faith that Jesus would help me to read and understand it.

As I was reading the Gospel books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the Lord spoke to me clearly through His Word in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. My heart began to cry within because that was the first time someone said it that He loved me and died on the Cross for me even though I was a sinner. I began to cry and in tears I accepted the Lord Jesus as my Saviour.

My life changed because that very moment I felt the Holy Spirit came into my heart and I was overjoyed.

Without the Gideon Bible given to me, I would not have been saved and today I am a pastor serving the Master Jesus Christ,  Lover of my soul. He saved me and so will I serve Him forever and ever. Thank you Gideons International for your powerful ministry to reach out to everyone who needs His Word. May God bless your wonderful ministry.

Rev Reuben Kanagalingam

Global Faith Movement Ministry

April 2015