January 19th, 1:32pm, a tutoring center in Indonesia
It’s our second day helping at the tutoring center. There is so much joy on both the children’s and teachers’ faces. Sometimes I think the teachers are having more fun with the games than the students. I know how paramount teachers can be in the lives of many Americans (Shout out to all my WCA teachers). Indonesia is no exception. Teaching is a mostly thankless job with little pay, but so fulfilling compared to many other careers.
I sit here looking at each one of these children wondering how to reach out to them. Feeling the Father’s love for them. Knowing that unless God acts mightily, their fate is wrapped in a religion that doesn’t see Jesus as the only way to eternal life. How do we reach them, Lord? How does my team make any kind of difference, especially when there is a language barrier? I don’t speak their native tongue and even if I did, I don’t know enough about Islam to explain who the Prophet Jesus actually is. I feel so helpless. What would you have us do, God?…
January 16th, 4:38pm, a village near Indonesia
Bright red chairs with a black stripe down the middle fill a living room no bigger than most Americans’ bathrooms. I sit in front of an older Indonesian woman. Beside her is Oswin, a local missions doctor, who graciously invited us to go with him to check up on his patients. Oswin massages the woman’s foot and toes that are riddled with gout. “Pray.” I turn to our squad leader, Stephanie, who whispered at me again, “Pray.” Of course. God understands this brokenness. What can we do, Lord? How can we help this woman, who has both physical and spiritual ailments.
The woman’s husband left her 3 years before to be with another woman and she has felt alone since then. Both Stephanie and I get to pray for this woman individually. It’s my turn to pray. I bow on her floor with hands opened in front of her feet. I prayed that she would feel God’s presence always and I prayed for healing in the name of Isa al-Masih (“Jesus the Messiah” in Arabic, who is mentioned 3 times more in the Qur’an than the prophet Muhammad). Muslims accept this kind of prayer because they believe Jesus was a prophet who healed by Allah’s power. But they don’t believe He was God Incarnate. At the end of my prayer, the woman leaped up and shouted praise to Jesus!…Not quite. Not this time at least. She still felt pain, but hopefully God allowed her to feel a little less lonely.
At the next house, Oswin and those in the house chatted in their native tongue. Not much translating this time. Even though I couldn’t understand a word they said, I felt such a peace in that house. I realized later that it was because the Holy Spirit was ministering to them and it was spilling over to us. What can I do, Lord, how can I be used in a place where in 5 minutes I will walk out and never see these people again. Smile. He spoke to my heart. Smile?… Show My love with your smile. I will shine through you. Could it be that simple? Jesus is giving Muslims dreams of Himself (who have never even heard of or seen Jesus). I suppose He could work through something as simple as a smile.
Our friend Oswin, a true hero
January 19th, 1:45pm, a tutoring center in Indonesia
“Mister! Mister! Selfie!”
“You want me to take a selfie?”
“Yes! Yes!” I pose with the 3 elementary students. Click. I show them the picture and they let out a boisterous laugh. I sit back down and they continue their schoolwork. Just smile… Yes, I remember now, Lord.
The Lord is working in Indonesia. There is an awakening. Pockets of movements are popping up all across Indonesia’s landscape. Our ministry hosts, who have served here for almost 30 years, have told us this with tears streaming down their faces. Give us that kind of heart for Your Kingdom, God. And it’s catching like a wildfire. Why now?
1. Because God says it’s time
2. More people are praying for Muslims to come to faith in Jesus as Lord
3. The increase in violence of radical Islamic terrorists. Most Muslims don’t want a part of beheadings and bombs.
Indonesians are looking for hope, for peace, and for God. Please pray with me that Jesus Christ would invade Indonesians’ hearts. Pray that Isa al-Masih will send more laborers to the harvest in Indonesia. And now that you know this information, ask God what He would have YOU do.
It might be as simple as a smile.
