Distant Islands. In a team sense, only the islands are true, because we are not distant from each other at all! Paul, Clara, Annelize (Arthur's mom) and Elle (Ashleigh's mom) can testify to this. Why? Because for a few weeks, they were part of our Distant Islands family!
Our time in Indonesia started in Padang, West Sumatra. We had a few days off, so that Arthur and Ash could spend some quality time with their moms. The rest of us also enjoyed the time, renting scooters, going to the beach, surfing and exploring Padang.
With everyone back together, a time for sharing was the biggest thing on our program. God has been doing so much in each of our lives and now we had the opportunity to share that with our family and friends. It was a good exercise, because sharing testimonies are such a big part of the Christian walk and we all need practise in it.
We also studied the book of James together, which is filled with practical "tips" on living the Christian life. James 2:26 "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works are dead." With our mouths we declare that we believe in Jesus, but our faith is made alive by walking in it. But even this is not out of ourselves, it's a response and an outflow of what Jesus did for us and we're just following in His footsteps.
From Padang, we made way to Yogyakarta, Java. But first we had to travel through Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Waiting for us were a few of the guys from Work Your Way, who were staying on KL's airport while waiting for their flight to Australia. Arthur also had to say goodbye to his mom, who flew back to South Africa. We only had a day and a half in the city, let's make the most of our time. So, at 05:00 Gerrie woke us up, surprising us with our first challenge! With the WYW guys joining us, we had a fun day exploring the vibrant city of Kuala Lumpur!
In Yogyakarta, we slept on the bus station the first night, since we only arrived there at 23:30, after a 13 hour bus ride.
We woke up the next morning, realising that Arthur's day bag containing his passport (among many other things) and our team wallet, had been stolen. Trusting God to bring good out of it, he made peace with it (I don't think I would've acted in the same way). But good really came out of it, when he and Paul went to Jakarta to apply for a new passport and met a Muslim lady that "met" Jesus in her dreams. Now she's going around telling people about Jesus being the only hope, without ever reading a Bible or even knowing who Jesus is! Arthur was able to minister to her and tell her that this Jesus that she's experienced is really real and wants a relationship with her and everyone on earth.
In Yogyakarta, most of our time went into waiting on God to show to us where He wants us to go for the month we are in Java. Waiting on God is much easier said than done. Still, it continued to be a good time to spend with our visitors, and each of us had a chance to chat to Clara and Paul about how we are.
We stayed with a cute and old man and woman in their house and were able to serve them by spring cleaning their kitchen.
The day after Clara and Elle left us (and we dried all the tears), we met up with a pastor from a Youth Church, that Gerrie and Clara got connected with during a spiritual treasure hunt. Through his ministry, we were able to build relationship with the university students in his church, prophesy over all of them, teach them about the gift of prophesy and have them practise this gift. It was a very blessed time! As team, we experienced the power of unity in Christ, especially when you walk in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, corporately.
Each of us had the opportunity, somewhere during the week with them, to share something from God's Word, at different cell groups and youth meetings.
We were even invited to the baptism of 2 girls from the church and asked to pray over them. What a privilege to proclaim the victory of Christ over their lives!
Sunday evening we were invited to share during their church service.& nbsp; Arthur and Linel shared testimonies, about trusting in God and Gerrie preached the Word, what does it means to wait on God? "Radical faith won't fear trusting, it will embrace it. If you worry, you can't trust. But if you trust, you won't worry."
Yogyakarta has been really good for us as a team, re-discovering each other. Sharing the sports and culture activities we did at schools; our likes and dislikes; honestly where we are spiritually, whether it's a good or a bad place, just being real with each other. It's like we're only really getting to know each other now. And that makes me so excited for what is still waiting for us, because there are still a few islands on our list! You sent us to proclaim the Good News to a world in need, specifically on the distant shores. So, Distant Islands, let's go!