This month my team was given a people group which our leadership prayed into for us to minister to. We were given the Balinese people group and informed that we would not have a host this month but that we would be doing ATL (Ask The Lord). We decided to start our time with a little team bonding and what says team bonding better than Luwak coffee (aka poop coffee). I was asked to find a place to go where we could try some. I found a place about a mile and half away from us as we had to walk. We arrived and were greeted by tour guides giving a free tour of the coffee factory. After the tour they ushered us into a small room (with AC… this a huge blessing these days). There we got to try free samples of Balinese coffee and for purchase poop coffee which we sprung for two whole cups to share as it is quite expensive coffee!! It was delicious, who knew haha. As we sat there enjoying our coffees together we began to go around the circle and as our team leader calls it “sharing the golden nuggets”. Encouraging one another by stating the good, and positive, and Christ like attributes we see in each person. As we did this an employee of the coffee factory stood against the back wall. Once we finished we ventured out of the room and she said, “ that was so cool and encouraging, I’m going to take that and use it, I’m gong to do golden nuggets with others.” As we would come to find out she is a Christian and the daughter of the owner of the factory. We got to meet her dad and pray over them and bless them! That was just the beginning of God showing up in big and unexpected ways! We begin to meet more Christians here just in our everyday activities! What a blessing to see how God is already at work in this place and be able to bless and support Christians here.
But our heart is still to reach the unreached Balinese people. As we began to pray into that my teammate Ariel got a random Facebook message from a local C3 church in Bali. She began messaging him and set up a time to meet with him. We would later find out the whole time he was messaging her he thought he was messaging someone else. As we had lunch with him and his wife they shared their hearts for the Balinese people and the different ministries they are a part of in their village outside of the touristy cities! What an answer to prayer! He said he would love to have our team join them in ministry and give us lodging and access to the village. We all sat around thinking this is crazy that we found exactly the type of ministry we desired and in such a random mistake that we would later call Devine intervention! Why do we do ask the lord… because he answers and it’s way better then what we can do on our own!! Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
What ministry looks like; beginning each morning praying together and asking God who and where we are to evangelize that day… and then going. The pastor spent time teaching us effective ways to minister to the Balinese specifically with a 3min conversation or using their Balinese bracelets to share the gospel. Friday evenings we help with kids ministry, teaching them English through bible stories. Sunday will be attending and helping with church. And during the week home discovery sessions. All while living in and experiencing the Balinese culture through food, music, dance, and dress. I am excited to grow, and learn, and see how God moves here!!!
