Swee Bee is from Penang! A Penang Peranakan by descent, she received her schooling in notable schools, ie., Convent Green Lane (both SRK and SM), then proceeded to Penang Free School followed by a three-year stint in the Klang Valley at Universiti Malaya. Armed with a B.A. (hons.) majoring in Anthropology & Sociology, she entered the workforce in the manufacturing sector in Penang for a while. Then, heeding the prompting of God, she began her theological journey at Malaysia Baptist Theological Seminary. The task to juggle working in a demanding secular sector and attending class was challenging, but by God’s grace, she completed her first theological degree, the Master’s in Christian Studies, and entered the full-time Christian vocation, serving as a youth pastor in a local church. While serving as a pastor, she pursued a Master’s in Divinity. After four years in the pastoral capacity, she returned to seminary to pursue a Master’s in Theology (Missiology) while serving in several administrative capacities in the seminary. She returned to serve in the church capacity for seven years, while pursuing a Doctorate in Missiology and overseeing a Bible School (Sekolah Alkitab Malaysia, Northern Centers) to train indigenous church leaders. Currently, she lectures in Seminari Theoloji Malaysia, pursuing a PhD in Missions and Evangelism from Melbourne School of Theology. She heads the BM TEE department and the Center for Inter-Cultural Studies, while playing “big-sister” to the ladies in the dorm.
Swee Bee had translated several English theological books into the Bahasa Malaysia (BM) language and written many articles for publications in both the English and BM languages. However, she only had one book written, which was her DMiss dissertation translated into BM. Carrying a passion for the indigenous church in Malaysia, she pursues this interest whole-hearted. She has a keen interest in the indigenous cultures and studies effective teaching/discipleship approaches through local oral traditions/practices. In pursuing this interest, she leads mission teams to various indigenous villages, both in and outside of Malaysia, to explore the cultures, lifestyles, and diets of various people groups.
Swee Bee berasal dari Pulau Pinang! Seorang Peranakan Pulau Pinang mengikut keturunan, dia menerima persekolahan di sekolah terkenal, iaitu Convent Green Lane (kedua-dua SRK dan SM), kemudian melanjutkan pelajaran ke Penang Free School diikuti dengan pengajian selama tiga tahun di Lembah Klang di Universiti Malaya. Dengan ijaza sarjana muda B.A. (hons.) dalam jurusan Antropologi & Sosiologi, beliau memasuki tenaga kerja di sektor perkilangan di Pulau Pinang untuk seketika. Kemudian, menjawab panggilan Tuhan, dia memulakan perjalanan teologinya di Malaysia Baptist Theological Seminary. Tugas mengimbangi kerja sepenuh masa dalam sektor sekular yang mencabar dan menghadiri kelas adalah amat sukar, tetapi dengan rahmat Tuhan, dia menamatkan ijazah teologi pertamanya, Sarjana dalam Pengajian Kristian, dan memasuki pelayanan sepenuh masa, melayani sebagai pastor muda/i di gereja setempat. Semasa melayani sebagai pastor, dia meneruskan kajian Sarjana dalam Ketuhanan. Selepas empat tahun dalam kapasiti pastoral, dia kembali ke seminari untuk melanjutkan pengajian Sarjana dalam Teologi (Misiologi) sambil melayani dalam beberapa kapasiti pentadbiran di seminari. Dia kembali melayani dalam kapasiti gereja selama tujuh tahun, sambil melanjutkan Ijazah Kedoktoran dalam Misiologi dan menyelia Sekolah Alkitab (Sekolah Alkitab Malaysia, Pusat Utara) untuk melatih pemimpin gereja orang asli. Kini, beliau seorang pensyarah di Seminari Theoloji Malaysia, melanjutkan pengajian PhD dalam Misi dan Penginjilan dari Melbourne School of Theology. Dia mengetuai jabatan BM TEE dan Pusat Kajian Antara Budaya, sambil bermainkan peranan sebagai “kakak” kepada wanita di asrama.
Swee Bee telah menterjemah beberapa buku teologi Inggeris ke dalam bahasa Malaysia (BM) dan menulis banyak artikel untuk penerbitan dalam kedua-dua bahasa Inggeris dan BM. Walau bagaimanapun, dia hanya mengarang satu buku, iaitu disertasi DMiss-nya yang diterjemahkan ke dalam BM. Dengan kerinduan gereja orang asli di Malaysia, dia mengejar minat ini dengan sepenuh hati. Beliau mempunyai minat yang mendalam dalam budaya orang asli dan mengkaji pendekatan pengajaran/permuridan yang berkesan melalui tradisi/amalan lisan tempatan. Dalam mengejar minat ini, beliau mengetuai pasukan misi ke pelbagai perkampungan orang asli, di dalam dan di luar Malaysia untuk meneroka budaya, gaya hidup dan pelbagai pemakanan kelompok orang asli/asal.