During the last two weeks of October, over 1,000 people gathered throughout Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia for the first multilocation education fair hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Church’s Asia Area.
The fair — hosted on different days in seven cities — introduced attendees to education and self-reliance services offered by the Church, such as BYU–Hawaii, BYU–Pathway Worldwide, Seminaries and Institutes and Welfare and Self-reliance programs, reported the Church’s Cambodia Newsroom.
“I think the timing is inspired because many of us are looking for opportunities to progress,” said President Kelvin Kumar, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia District president. “With the resources the Church has to offer, we can become self-reliant, confident and face the current challenges the world has today.”
Jasmin Choy of the Kuala Lumpur district attended the fair with her teenage son. She believes the opportunity for better education and employment will help people throughout the Asia Area become better disciples of Jesus Christ.
“They’re able to serve God with clarity, focus on what is really important in their lives.”
The blessing of flexible education
Each event was broken into three stages — a general information session, breakout rooms for specific programs and booths for participants to ask questions. Events took place in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Bangkok and Chiangmai, Thailand; Sibu and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Surakarta, Indonesia.
BYU–Pathway Worldwide appealed to many attendees because of its flexibility. As the Church’s remote learning program, BYU–Pathway Worldwide strives to provide low-cost, spiritually centered education to students at their own pace.
Supavadee Kasinsri of the Bangkok Thailand North Stake attended the fair in Bangkok with her teenage daughter. Hearing that there was no age limit for enrolling in BYU–Pathway moved her to tears.
“This isn’t only for the students. Parents like me can also join,” Kasinsri said. “To study alongside her — I want to keep having times like this.”
Supisara Choosut had previously been enrolled in BYU–Pathway but dropped out due to lack of time. At the fair in Bangkok, she learned she could resume courses without retaking any — and she committed to start that night.
Attendees also learned about resources like scholarships.
Thailand Welfare and Self-Reliance manager Nopporn Janyasawangporn said he could see the students realize a sense of purpose as they learned about financial aid resources.
“When I told them that there’s a lot of funds available for them to gain more education, I feel that they have a sense of hope in their lives,” he said.
Dashwin Selvan saw a multitude of possibilities at the fair in Kuala Lumpur.
“I feel like the Church education — doesn’t matter the age or the background or if you’re not academically gifted — you still have a chance to study whatever you want.”
Education as a means to bless others
Veasna Neang, former Phnom Penh Cambodia West Mission president, recalled the late President Russell M. Nelson‘s ministry to Cambodia.
“He asked Cambodian people to do two things: go to the temple and get a good education,” Neang said.
President Nelson told the youth during that ministry that education is the “difference between wishing you could help other people and being able to help other people,” reported ChurchofJesusChrist.org
Pha Doungchai from the Phnom Penh Cambodia North Stake has a goal of attending BYU–Hawaii for that very purpose, reported the Church’s Cambodia Newsroom.
“I want to graduate from my college over there,” he said, “and after I graduate, I want to come back to bring all the best I can from Hawaii to come here to help my community in Cambodia.”
Neang attended BYU–Hawaii as a young adult and testified that his education transformed him.
He also expressed his belief that education could change “the whole generation of Cambodia from poverty to a better life.”
“I believe with all my heart that it’s not just important but necessary to have education in Cambodia,” Neang said.
Vernadette Marvin now also plans to enroll in BYU–Hawaii and expressed the importance of involving God in educational pursuits.
“I think there’s no limit to what you can do if God is by your side,” he said at the fair in Kuala Lumpur. “It unlocks your potential.”
