South East Asian Returnee Focus Ministry

In 2007, my wife Liza and I moved to Australia with a vision to reach Southeast Asians living abroad, share the gospel with them, and prepare them to return to Southeast Asia to serve the Lord. We have seen that living away from one’s home country and community can create unique opportunities for people to hear and respond to the gospel. Liza and I experienced this ourselves as international students, and we are deeply grateful for the ministry that helped us grow as followers of Christ.

Since arriving in Australia, we have had the privilege of training, equipping and sending Southeast Asian students and short-term workers back to this region. Our prayer is that they will continue faithfully following Christ, bear witness to the gospel, and contribute to the renewal of the church in their home countries. Over the years, hundreds have returned home and are now living and witnessing for Christ in their families, workplaces, churches and communities. We have also had the joy of mobilising Australian and other local Christians whom God has called to serve among the Southeast Asian people. Some have eventually been sent to serve on the mission field.

Today, our vision extends beyond Australia. Millions of Indonesians and other Southeast Asians live and work outside their home countries, particularly in places such as Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. Many come from non-Christian backgrounds and have little opportunity to hear the gospel. We seek to support and equip ministry workers serving among these communities, helping people encounter Christ, grow as disciples, and become faithful ambassadors of the gospel when they return home.

Through OMF’s Returnee Focus Ministry, I seek to help churches and mission organisations recognise the enormous gospel opportunity among people on the move. We want to see Southeast Asian Christians equipped not simply to return home, but to return as faithful followers of Christ who can serve, witness and strengthen the church in their own cultural context.

Please pray for Kian, his family and the Returnee Focus Ministry: 

• Pray for Southeast Asians in Sydney and beyond to be open to becoming part of this ministry and to be equipped as followers of Christ who can return and serve in Southeast Asia.
• Pray for Kian as he develops relationships and ministry connections within the Southeast Asian diaspora in Australia and beyond, and for fruitful opportunities to work collaboratively with churches and mission organisations.
• Pray for ministry partnerships with church leaders and others who share this vision, as Kian also pastors a Southeast Asian congregation alongside his OMF role.
• Pray for more workers to serve among Southeast Asian communities in other Asian countries, so that more people can hear the gospel, be discipled and equipped, and become ambassadors for Christ when they return home.
• Pray for Kian’s family—for Liza as she continues her ministry among international students, and for their two adult sons.