I apologize for taking so long to put this blog up. The couple of weeks have been quite challenging and we as a team experienced a lot of ups and downs. This made it difficult to look back on this time and to put everything that happened and everything that we experienced into words. From being in Padang, on the Island of Sumatra with our visitors (Arthur and Ashleigh's mothers and Paul and Clara from Global Challenge leadership), to flying to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and doing a Challenge there with the Work Your Way guys. Then spending little over two weeks in Yogyakarta on the Island of Java. We got another challenge, got to spend some time with Paul, Clara and Elle (Ash's Mom) and after they left we met a wonderful youth church who we got to encourage and be encouraged by. We also spent the last week in Bogor, close to Jakarta in Java, where we got to meet up with a church there, who blessed us very much and also helped us a lot in supporting Kim who got Dingue Fever and had to be in the hospital for a while.
Here is a short summary on how everyone experienced this time.
Gerrie
Here is the link to Gerrie’s personal blog. Please click on it to read what he experienced.
http://www.gcex.org/participants/latest-blogs/entry/gerrie-de-haas/watch-out-worldthe-people-of-java-can-prophesy.html
Linel
July 2012. What? Can it really be the second half of the year?? To try and put the last few weeks into words are very difficult for me. Some emotions just can't be explained. The few times I did, I cried so much, I couldn't get anything out. I just felt over-whelmed by emotions. What I have learned is that many times we won't understand, but stepping in spite of uncertainty, that is faith. But what do you put your hope/your faith in? Colossians 1:27 speaks of Christ, our hope of glory. I've been challenged with, is God really my hope of glory? It is really Him that I depend on for everything? Because if it's intimacy with Christ that I desire, then when things get difficult, do I run to people and their comfort first (as I'm so used to do), or do I trust God to comfort me with His words of encouragement and love. Sometimes it's difficult to trust God, especially when you don't see anything happening. But then, just pray for and encourage people around you, feel the Holy Spirit moving in and working through you. Allow Him to do what you feel you can't. God will be too real for you not to feel you can trust Him with your everything, even your deepest emotions! God really has a heart for broken-hearted people. I felt so broken, I didn't even know where to find all the pieces. Not anymore. God brought restoration. Thank you, Jesus! And thank you for this amazing team You've blessed me with, the growth I've seen in each one of them and the spiritual unity in Christ! Love you guys!*
Kim
It has been a busy couple of weeks which makes it difficult to choose highlights & profound things to share. I can label this time as a time of exploring.
In Padang I got to explore local markets, public transport, beaches and even surfing. I experienced God so much during this time. In the beautiful environment (bushes and trees) with houses dropped here and there. I explored the culture and how these people interact and live. I felt such a love for them and such a yearning for them to know Jesus. This is definitely an area that I would love to return to later in my life to continue exploring God’s wonders.
Yogyakarta is totally different to Padang. This is a city explored by backpackers, artists and free spirited foreigners. I explored interesting shops, restaurants, museums and astonishing old temples. A spiritual treasure hunt led us to a Youth Church. I really loved our time that we got to spend with these young believers and I learned so much through our fellowship with God’s awesome people. We explored the rest of the city on the back of our new friends’ motorcycles. I am so overwhelmed to see God’s love and Jesus followers in a Muslim country.
What a blessed time I have had. Thank You God.
Albie
This past time I was shaped and formed so much! I am so grateful for the new excitement that God brought in my life. I again realised that I can’t do anything good by my own strength. I can’t be truly humble.
Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
I can only be truly humble when God makes me able by His power. This is what God has been revealing to me and what He also did in my life. He made me able to confess my selfishness and pride in front of my team members. It felt so good! Earlier I could not confess my sins, because I tried to do it with my flesh (human strength). As I prayed, God came and worked in me. Hallelujah! This brings so much power back to the idea of prayer. In prayer you confess that you are not able to do the things you pray for.
Ashleigh
Indonesia – A country I had been anticipating for some time. I was expecting a visitor for a few weeks – next thing I knew it was the special day and I was able to give my mum a hug! Yes, God blessed me with my mum for a few weeks. ☺ Indonesia has been an interesting country. The culture is completely different, and here Christianity is slightly hidden from public speech. We have all had an adventurous journey these last few weeks with all of our visitors – Arthur’s mum, Paul and Clara also shared time with us. We all had a lot of fun together and learned many lessons from each other.
Ministry in Indonesia has been quiet for us in a sense of how we are waiting to see where exactly God wants us to be. We met with a lovely passionate group of young Christians and spent good time with them. It has been so encouraging learning about their testimonies. I have great expectations of what God is going to do with us in this country!
When I wrote earlier about our adventurous journey I mean adventurous. Our emotions have ben on a rollercoaster ride at times. Our team has been through the ups and downs, but through it all we know that it is God’s will.
God’s plan is Bigger, Greater and all His own. ☺
Arthur
Indonesia is amazing. God has really shown me a bit of His heart for th muslim people. God loves them and He wants the muslim people to love Him back. That is something God has shown me very clearly in Indonesia. The purpose of the church is to glorify God by loving Jesus, loving those who love Jesus and loving those who don't know Jesus. God is revealing to m the beautiful bride that He has. He is showing me how beautiful the church is and how it should function. God is great!
My Mom also came to visit me in Padang. It was great to see a little bit of home and receive a little bit of love from my beloved mother. I love you Mom!
Indonesia had been awesome so far and I am glad to have been part of God's plan in Indonesia.
Marlene
Close your eyes and picture a dark room with a wall constructed out of wooden blocks. The wooden blocks represents human foundations, things in our life which we place there to support on. The more blocks are removed the more light can stream through the holes into our room. This will result into more and more light streaming in... until there is no wall left, and the whole room is lit up with pure life.
In the past couple of weeks God has been working with me to remove all the supporting blocks in my life that was not of Him. – please read my blog: “8 times 8” to share in my personal journey.
No blocks means no shadows – and shadows means the absence of pure light.
Marielle
Indonesia… Ummm…?
I got to surf, which was a really big blessing! Thank You Lord!
Two challenges… I am not very competitive, so I don't mind challenges, but it is definitely not my favorite activity.
All the other challenges that God allowed to cross our path…
1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.
The time spent with our visitors was really encouraging and after they left the time that we got to spend with the Indonesian youth church was very encouraging! I have found that as you encourage others, you actually encourage yourself.
I love my team/ family and I love Jesus.
This is all I can say about this past time in Indonesia. It doesn't really explain the past few weeks very well, but I don't know how to express this time by using words, so… God is good and that is all that matters.
Join us in praying for Indonesia
Pray for the Christians who are getting persecuted or oppressed and pray that God will send more people to come and spread His love and Gospel in all the many different Islands of this beautiful country.
We need Your Support
Thank you for all the prayers. Please don't stop praying. Pray for our health, we are in a Malaria area, so please pray for God's protection. You can also pray for encouragement by the Holy Spirit and that God will guard our hearts and our minds against any attacks from the enemy in this spiritually dark place.
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ABSA
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Thank you for reading
May God bless you and be with you!
Distant Islands team