ONE-YEAR UPDATE
ONE-YEAR Update (July 2022-July 2023)
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God”(2 Corinthians 5:20).
One year ago, I arrived in a new country that quickly became a special home to me! This past year has been full of new friends, new foods, and new experiences, but the most exciting part of it all has been watching what God has been doing in the lives of so many students here. I feel that so much has happened since my last update, so here are a few stories from the past few months.
Back in April, I had the opportunity to travel to the beautiful island of Sulawesi (the K-shaped island near the center of Indonesia) to speak at a youth camp on the topic of “What is my calling?”. I spoke about how God calls every follower of Jesus to play a role in his mission of making disciples of all nations. During the Q&A session after my talk, I received a question that asked, “What inspired you to be a pastor?” I explained in response that I am not a pastor, but I am actually a media person. I spend much more of my time behind a camera or a computer screen than I do speaking on stage. I then emphasized that not all believers are called to be pastors, but all believers are called to make disciples. After my session, a student approached me and shared how inspired he was by the idea that, even though he didn't feel called to be a pastor, God could still use him to share the gospel with others.
Last year, in my August update, I shared the very exciting news that a cousin* had become a brother (in Christ). It has been amazing to witness this friend's growth in the faith over the past year. In this past semester, he served as one of our student leaders for Chi Alpha, and last month, he led one of his own friends to faith and had the privilege of baptizing him! This is exactly why we do the work that we do—to make disciples who make disciples!
Just a couple weeks ago, I returned to Sulawesi a second time for another youth camp, this time in the north of the island near the city of Manado. While the southern part of this island is majority Muslim, the northern part is predominantly Christian. It was so exciting to speak to over 1,700 students and to watch them dancing and shouting with the joy of the Lord during the worship times. This was by far the largest crowd that I have ever spoken to, but everything went well and all the students were so excited to have a bule (foreigner) sharing with them!
Over the past year, I have witnessed three different students give their lives to Jesus, and I have watched so many more make steps in the right direction. Something we say every week at Chi Alpha Jogja is “We exist to help you discover who you are and connect with God.” A few weeks ago, one of our cousins* asked me the question, “How do I connect with God?” On another occasion, during a conversation about the love of God, another cousin* commented on how amazed she was by this concept of following God out of love and not just out of religious obligation. Some cousins* have begun reading the Bible or have even come to church a few times. It is so exciting to watch these students as they make progress on their spiritual journey.
Next week will be my last week in the country before I return to the U.S. While I am excited to return to family and friends, I am also sad to be leaving behind so many friends and such amazing ministry here in Indonesia. I want to say a very special thank you to all of you who have prayed for me and supported me financially over the past year. You probably have a few questions about what’s next for me, so I want to take the remainder of this update to answer those questions.
Will I return to Indonesia?
Yes, I do plan to come back here again for another term. With that being said, there are some things that have to happen first before I return. Before I can be approved as a missionary associate, the Southern Missouri district requires me to become a licensed minister with the Assemblies of God so that will be my first step to work on after I return.
Should you continue to give while I am in the States?
This is totally up to you. My account will be kept open after I return, and you will be able to continue giving. However, I will not have access to any of the funds coming in until I return to Indonesia. If you want to continue your support, that would be a huge help in getting me back here faster. On the slight chance that I end up not returning, any funds remaining in my account at that time will be disbursed to other AGWM ministries.
How long will I be back in America?
This all depends on how quickly I get everything approved and raise the necessary funds to return. The ideal goal would be to return here in the first half of 2024.
How can you be praying for me?
Transitioning to a new place, even if it’s my home country, always presents challenges. Moving back to America means saying goodbye to so many amazing people and meaningful ministry here. Please pray for me as I transition back to American life. I also will need to find a job to support me during my time in the U.S. so please pray that God will guide me to the right job. And finally, I ask you to please pray over my physical, mental, and spiritual health. Over the past few months, I have been dealing with numerous frequent headaches as well as spiritual attacks on my mind that seek to disorient and discourage me. Your prayers for me in this season would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you again for an incredible Indonesian experience!
Terima kasih banyak!
*Cousin is a word we use to refer to our Muslim friends.