My name is Ly Gia Thanh, and I come from Vietnam. I started my theological education when I was 20 years old after receiving a clear call from God for full-time ministry. I first enrolled in the Advanced Diploma in Christian Studies at Baptist Theological Seminary (BTS). Upon finishing, I continued to pursue my Bachelor of Theology and then completed my Master of Arts in Christian Studies two years ago. The quest for the knowledge of the Lord and the desire to be better equipped for ministry motivated me to take on the Master of Divinity programme. By God’s grace, I am currently in my final year of study and planning to graduate in May 2024.

When I look back on my six-year theological training journey with BTS, one word comes to mind. It is the word “gratitude”. First, I am grateful to God for His transformative work in me throughout all these years of study. The knowledge of the Bible, the teachings of the lecturers, and the wisdom contained in the academic works of many faithful servants of the Lord challenged and renewed my mindset and worldview. Moreover, I believe that God, through the Holy Spirit, used all of them to shape my inner being. Second, I am grateful to my lecturers, fellow students, and the school’s admin staff. In these six years I have had opportunities to be taught by different experienced professors, to cross paths with many students in both the English and Chinese streams, both international and local, and to interact with different staff. Many of them demonstrated to me what a servant-leader looks like in their speech, conduct and ministry, which greatly impacted me likewise in my speech, conduct and ministry.

Lastly, as a beneficiary of the scholarship programme, I am grateful to all who have supported me financially in my studies. The scholarship eased most of my financial burdens so that I could focus on being equipped instead of struggling to manage the expense of living and studying in Singapore. Moreover, being a recipient of the scholarship taught me a great lesson about extending God’s love and blessings to those in need, as well as being a good steward of God-given resources. In the future, I desire to bless others just as I have been blessed, to the glory of God.