Quick update: We made it to the Philippines and cant wait to tell you all about it in the next post.
But before I completely “close the chapter” of Indonesia and flip over to The Philippines I have one more story to share:
So as you know while in Indonesia not only did we fall in love with our ministry host we fell in love with his vision, his problems felt like they became ours because we cared so much about the Mission Training Center and the students there. While we were there we saw how not having power affected everything; from ministry to eating meals. The generator was on its last breath and could only be run a few hours a day, and could only power a few rooms at a time before it would give out…which made cooking, cleaning, teaching class, charging devices, etc. so difficult. We all felt our heart strings tug every time the generator died out wishing there was something we could do to help.
Ryan felt called to make something happen.
When he came to me saying that he wanted to organize a way to fundraise for them my fist thought was “no way” while I loved his giving heart I was blinded by the hurdles; we didn’t have internet so I couldn’t imagine how to try to make a Go Fund Me project or share a link or even contact people back home about it. Of course, this didn’t stop Ryan, he got ahold of his mom and shared his heart on the issue with her she hopped on board and in no time her and my mom had joined forces and reached out to connections back home.
Next hurdle, we had a deadline, our departure day was creeping up…5 days away. Within hours our moms had learned how to deposit the cash that had been donated into our accounts. We made multiple trips to the ATM and even emptied it out at one point, cash was so scarce on the tiny island we were on.
With each ATM withdraw I found myself being surprised. But in reflection I shouldn’t have been. God can’t be stopped by a lack of internet or data, he sees that and thinks “no data, no problem” it just took me a while to remember that he is so much bigger than any hurdle.
In the end we were able to give our hosts enough money to not only fund a new generator that uses cheaper fuel, and has the power to light up the entire campus… but there was also enough left over to go towards a well to store water during the dry season!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so touched by a gift, tears were shed and praise songs were sung but I think it will be our host mom “Ma’s” reaction that will stick with me most:Ma simply stated that at times life is hard on Nias, she’s lived in a city before so this life of no running water, no power and salt fish for every meal is not all she’s ever known.
She gave up comfort to serve.
She went on to say that sometimes she feels herself losing her strength and feeling forgotten in such a remote location and then God will send reinforcements and remind them that people do care. What an honor for us World Racers to get to be used by God in moments like this.
-Megan
