Administrative Assistant I - Chiara Ko

Acts 2:21 says "And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." I came across this passage several times before but never truly understood what it meant until recently. God has shown me that He keeps all His promises and sometimes, we just do not see it until a much later time.

I was born on July 21st, 1984 in Jakarta, Indonesia. I grew up in a somewhat practicing Catholic family and was baptized as a newborn but never confirmed my faith as a Catholic. My first ten years were spent in the suburbs of Jakarta, where I attended a Protestant elementary school and learned more about the people of the Bible. I left for America in 1998 and went to High School in San Fernando Valley.

I had a challenging senior year at my high school. Throughout this time, I was constantly wondering what my purpose is in this world. I graduated in the summer of 2001 and planned my move to Irvine.

God really had a plan for me, and it is amazing to watch it unfold slowly but surely. I came to the University of California, Irvine in September 2001. UCI did not have enough living spaces for all of us students and I was placed in a "temporary room." Although I stayed in that dorm only for three months, God worked through my resident assistant, who shared the Gospel with me. Through my RA and her friends, I learned more about God and about our Messiah, Christ.

A month after my arrival at UCI, I had to go to Los Angeles to take my piano lesson, but I did not have a car. I had to take the bus and the train, a trip that would take four hours one way. The night before my trip, I had asked God to show Himself to me, and I asked specifically that if something were to happen to me in L.A., I would not be alone.

Things went well at the beginning, but on my way back I was stuck at Long Beach train station, twenty minutes after the last bus to Irvine had left. After waiting for a while, a young man came up to me asking if I know how to get to UCI! I was excited and immediately knew this was an answer to my prayer. I came back to the dorm late but safe that night. The following day, I prayed with my resident assistant and accepted Christ. God not only answered my prayers, He kept His promise that those who called on His name will be saved!

Since that day in 2001, God has used me in ways I cannot even imagine! In the summer of 2003, I was led to a Messianic ministry at UCI. I was also led to HaDavar Messianic Ministry and have been working here as an assistant to an awesome boss since December 2003. God has greatly shown me His amazing love and mercy through the ministries. He also continues to bless me in my life and provides my every need.

In 2004, God once again poured out His blessings on me and I met a wonderful man, Vincent Ko. Three years later, we were married on May 25, 2007.

Chiara Ko