Faith Story by Sairah Indan
I worked with the State Treasury under the Ministry of Finance, Sabah, until taking early retirement, thinking I I could take a break, spend more time in the kampong, and focus on ministry. But God had other plans.
During the pandemic, I was asked to manage a company under the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) part-time after the previous Managing Director retired. But what started as a part-time role quickly became a full-time commitment.
The KDCA is often associated with a place where people indulge in excessive drinking, especially during the Harvest Festival. The KDCA is also the custodian of the Kadazan Dusun community’s traditions and culture, some of which, like the rituals performed by the Bobolian (ancestral priest), conflicted with my faith. These rituals are performed on special occasions, and many times, I cried out to the Lord, saying, “You must have sent me here for a purpose—to bring Your light and be a channel of blessings.”
The first thing I sensed God wanted to do was spiritual cleansing, before tackling administrative, financial, and disciplinary matters. I remember bringing my dawn prayer group and Connect Group members to pray over the premises. We also invited churches that used the venue to pray and dedicate the space to the Lord.
Last year, there were plans to build food and craft stalls which would necessitate the cutting down of some large, old rainforest trees on the site. Some committee members suggested performing a ritual to appease the spirit of the tree lest something bad would happen otherwise. I firmly opposed this, saying, “I guarantee nothing will happen.” I even threatened to resign if they went ahead. Instead, I called some friends to pray over the land.
When I joined the company, it was in terrible shape; not only was it financially losing money, the demotivated staff hadn’t been paid properly, and the premises were neglected and rundown. I remember telling the Lord, “This feels impossible.” But I knew that relying on my own strength would never bring the transformation needed. The only thing I could do was to put my complete trust in Him – He alone could turn things around.
Throughout this journey, two Scriptures became my compass:
Colossians 3:23-24 “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” This verse constantly reminded me that everything I do is not just for myself or others but ultimately for the glory of God. The KDCA belongs to Him, and I am simply a steward. He can turn things around.
Psalm 90:17 “And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.” As we placed God at the centre of the company and sought His guidance, we began to see His hand at work. This wasn’t just about restructuring, cleaning, and renovating; it was about spiritual cleansing and dedicating the organization to the Lord.
Every time I stepped into a task or project, my first question was, “Lord, how can I make this better according to Your standard and glorify Your name?” This mindset transformed the way I worked. It wasn’t about just getting by or meeting expectations. It was about aligning everything with God’s will. As we applied the principles we learned from Rhema Bible School, the True Success Conference, and Skyline Workplace Sermons – recognizing that everything we have belongs to the Lord and applying His Word – we saw shifts. The company moved from loss to profit, not merely due to business strategies, but because we fostered a culture that reflected God’s standards of integrity, discipline, and excellence.
This brought about a new problem which we did not have to worry about before – paying a considerable amount of income tax! But by God’s grace we managed to settle it.
But the transformation wasn’t just financial; it was personal. Employees became more motivated, and their attitudes and work ethics noticeably improved. When we dedicate our work to God, He multiplies our efforts and brings about fruit we couldn’t have imagined.
While some practices within KDCA still conflict with the Christian faith, my prayer is that God will use this organization to bless the community, become a beacon of hope, a model of excellence, and a force for lifting people out of poverty. As part of the spiritual transformation within KDCA and the company, we introduced the Alpha Workplace program and 15 out of 20 participants accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
Colossians 3:23 reminds us to work with all our hearts for the Lord, not for human recognition. When we approach tasks by asking, “Lord, how can I make this better according to Your standard?” we will be amazed at how He guides us and transforms not just the work but also the people involved.
Sairah Indan