At St Paul Methodist School (SPMS) in Timor-Leste, mission takes many forms. It can be teaching students, training teachers, managing accounts, caring for hostel students or even watering plants. But beneath all these expressions is the same posture: obedience to God.
The stories of those serving at SPMS deeply touched and encouraged the Wesley team who visited in June 2026. Through conversations with missionaries serving in different roles at the school, we saw that mission is not only found in preaching or leading programmes, but also in quiet, daily faithfulness.
For trip member Darren Woo, what stood out was “simple obedience”, a phrase that kept coming up in his conversations with the missionaries.
Reflecting on their stories, he said, “The obedience itself is a simple thing; it is the things of the world that make it complicated, even complex.”
For assistant trip leader Liana Seah, the missionaries reflected unconditional obedience, “obeying God with no terms and conditions”.
Trip member Joanna Neo saw this same quiet obedience in Jessie Chan, David’s wife, who also helped start SPMS. Even while busy overseeing many aspects of the school, she remembered to water the plants.
“It was a picture of quiet obedience in stewarding the place that God provided,” she shared.
“The obedience itself is a simple thing; it is the things of the world that make it complicated, even complex.”
DAVID CHAN: PIONEERING IN FAITH
For David Chan, Principal of St Paul Methodist School, mission has taken the form of pioneering work in education through listening, discerning and obeying God step by step.
The school’s story has not been one of convenience. David recalled how the original plan for the school changed when he sensed that God was calling them to a different kind of education, not an elite school only for the privileged, but one that would serve those who needed opportunity. His heart was to build “a school for those who cannot achieve, for those who are not privileged to study”.
That posture of obedience continued as the school searched for land. What eventually became the site of SPMS was not the most convenient option. It was farther from the city and required students and families to make sacrifices. Yet David saw it as part of God’s leading.
“Sometimes it’s not about convenience,” he reflected. “If you really want the education that is purpose-built, you will make the sacrifice.”
The journey has not been without storms. David spoke honestly about moments of difficulty, pressure and questioning. Yet he has learned that faith is not simply about asking God to remove the storm, but about learning to stay aligned with God’s purpose in the midst of it.
For David, the work of SPMS is also tied to a larger hope for Timor-Leste. He believes the school is part of God’s work of restoration in the nation, raising a generation who will walk in faith, love and hope, and impact their families, communities and country.
“We can pray for God to change the whole environment,” he shared, “but I think if we align our purpose in life with God’s purpose, then God will use it to bring change.”
David’s story reminds us that one face of mission is pioneering obedience: stepping into unknown places, persevering through uncertainty and trusting that God is building something larger than what can be seen.
“If you really want the education that is purpose-built, you will make the sacrifice.”
IRIS JANE KEASBERRY: EMPOWERING TEACHERS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
Iris Jane Keasberry, Vice-Principal of SPMS, is another missionary who answered God’s call through education.
Originally from Brunei, she continued to serve as a consultant after many years in school leadership. Later, when the opportunity arose to serve in a school in Dili, she began to consider Timor-Leste, a place she admitted she knew little about.
“All I know is that it is a land of crocodiles,” she recalled, referring to her early impressions of the country. But God showed her something different.
When asked what moved her to leave her home country to serve in Timor-Leste, her answer was simple: “It was God, not me. If I had been given an alternative, I think I would have stayed. But I was inspired by God to come here.”
After helping to establish another school, she had intended to return home. But when she met David, she was invited to help at SPMS. Jane returned in June 2025, around the time the school celebrated its 10th anniversary, and saw it as a new beginning.
For Jane, one of the most meaningful parts of serving at SPMS is working with teachers. She sees local teachers as key harvesters in a field ripe for God’s work.
“We see that the land is full of harvest, and when it is full of harvest, you need harvesters as well to reap the harvest,” she said.
Like the others, Jane is honest that the work is not easy. “Honestly, without God, I would have given up long ago,” she said. “When I am down, I go back to the refuge, my rock and my salvation.”
For her, serving in a mission school requires humility, adaptability, courage and obedience. Educators cannot simply import what they know from elsewhere. They must allow God to shape and adapt their experience for the children they serve.
“It’s a calling,” she said. “God has given this calling, or mandate, to me. I take it as from God and obey.”
“We see that the land is full of harvest, and when it is full of harvest, you need harvesters as well to reap the harvest.”
CHAN KUM KIT: ADMINISTRATION AS MISSION
After more than 30 years as a public accountant in Singapore, Chan Kum Kit came to serve at SPMS in a season of life when many might have chosen to slow down. For many years, he had heard the familiar words, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” In earlier seasons, there were reasons to hold back. But when the call came again in 2023, he said simply, “I had no excuse to give.”
Although he had served actively in church, including on committees and boards, mission work was new territory for him. He attended training and explored where he could serve. When the need at SPMS surfaced, he visited Timor-Leste to “walk the land” and discern whether this was where God was leading him. In 2024, he decided to come.
At first, he had imagined missionaries as people who preached constantly. But through training and conversations, his understanding widened.
“The missionary is one who wants to go out there and spread the message,” he said. “But there are many functional roles that you can carry out which do not necessarily involve sharing the message.”
At SPMS, his contribution is administration and accounts. It may not always be visible, but it is vital. By organising financial information and preparing clearer reports, he helps support the school’s leadership in budgeting, planning and decision-making.
Before he arrived, much of this work had to be carried by David and his family. Kum Kit’s support has enabled the school to have clearer and more timely information. With better financial data, the school can plan more carefully for its present needs and future expansion.
As the school grows and looks ahead to the next phase of development, including more classrooms and infrastructure, such administrative work becomes even more important. It helps leaders make sound decisions, forecast needs and steward resources wisely.
“My first functional role is administration and accounts,” he said, “and that is as much needed as any other work to make a successful mission out here.”
“The missionary is one who wants to go out there and spread the message; but there are many functional roles that you can carry out which do not necessarily involve sharing the message.”
SANJEEVAN AND SUSANA SEENIVASAGAM: DAILY DISCIPLESHIP IN THE HOSTEL
Hostel parents Sanjeevan Seenivasagam and Susana Seenivasagam look after over 30 students who stay in the hostel on the SPMS campus.
Originally from Sri Lanka, the couple first came to Timor-Leste in 2018 through their church. When their church later decided to close its work in Timor-Leste, they felt that their season there was not yet finished.
After prayer and conversation with their pastor, they were released to continue serving according to their personal calling. In 2024, they joined SPMS and became involved in the hostel ministry.
The hostel ministry gives students more than a place to stay. It provides structure, discipline, spiritual formation and a family-like environment. The day begins early with morning exercise, followed by breakfast and prayer. Students attend school, return for study time, take part in chores and end the day with devotion.
For Sanjeevan, one of the greatest joys is seeing students grow spiritually. Through evening devotions, Scripture stories and shared testimonies, the students learn to pray together and speak about how they experience God’s love.
There is also joy in seeing academic and character growth. Some students arrive struggling in their subjects, but with structure and effort, they begin to improve. Susana said it is “really a joy to see their effort” during study time.
The work, however, is not easy. Caring for students means dealing with homesickness, discipline issues, emotional struggles, family challenges and unexpected situations. Some students come from difficult family backgrounds. Some miss their parents deeply. Others struggle to accept correction.
At times, Sanjeevan and Susana have had to sit with students in silence until they are ready to speak. At other times, they have had to comfort students who receive difficult news from home.
“Some students’ parents are not in Timor-Leste,” Sanjeevan shared, “so we have to be like a mother and a father to them.”
This is the hidden work of mission: not only running activities, but staying close enough to notice tears, fears, changes in behaviour and small signs of growth.
In summary, the lives of those serving at SPMS are a reminder that obedience is not passive, but a wholehearted response to God’s call.
“Some students’ parents are not in Timor-Leste, so we have to be like a mother and a father to them.”
“As we return to Singapore, I find myself reflecting on what God is challenging me to do and what I have learnt,” shared trip member Caleb Sim.
“The challenge is to follow God in obedience, to give Him undivided attention, to follow His calling wherever He wants us to be and to trust that He will be there with us every step of the way.”
Contributed by Tao Ai Lei and Cassandra Leung
(Photos courtesy of Wesley Missions)
