Indonesia. The 4th most populated country in the world with 250 million people. Home to 203 Million Muslims. All over the world, refugees are fleeing countries such as Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan and more. Almost all of the people fleeing are of the Islamic faith. Indonesia is simply on of many taking in refugees.
Many countries around the world have taken in refugees. European culture has been changed drastically because of the influx of people who are from a completely different culture. The wars going on in these countries has made an impact on the world.
In Indonesia, they have taken in thousands of refugees, but are not allowing many of them to work. The refugees are then trying to seek refuge in countries such as Australia, America and Canada where they can get a job and make a new life for themselves.
In Indonesia, Islam is the dominant religion. 5 times a day you hear a host of mosques over the loud speaker do their call to prayer. They pray at 4am, 6am, 12pm, 3:30pm, and 7:30pm.
I am here with my team working among refugees who are all Muslim. AIM has a policy that they cannot go to certain countries on a certain list where it is deemed very dangerous. (I am unsure what the list is called) Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Afghanistan are just a few of the places we are not able to go.
But God…
But God sent us to Indonesia to work alongside the people from these nations. We are not in Afghanistan, but we are ministering to Afghans. We are not in Syria, but we are ministering to Syrians. We are not in a war stricken country, but we are ministering to those who have been affected by war. Isn’t God amazing?!?
AIM won’t let us go to these countries, but God sent us to their people.
In all my travels and talking with people from all around the world, I have never seen such hopelessness as here among the refugees. We are staying in a Seventh Day Adventist building called “Homes of Hope”. Our desire is to give HOPE to these men, women and children living here. We don’t have the resources to fix their situation, but we do have HOPE.
God has given us so much HOPE in saving us from our sins and giving us abundant life. Freely we have received and freely we will give. This world is full of hardships and trials, but the gospel is bigger than anything we can ever face in life. Even though I can’t physically/emotionally relate to what these refugees are going through, I do know that MY GOD IS BIGGER than it all.
My team and I are here to speak life, truth, peace, joy, love and HOPE into people who have never once heard the good news. Please keep us in your prayers as we bring His Kingdom here on earth as it is in Heaven.
