Indonesia- Love without Fear
Updates:
We are now just outside of Manila, Philippines partnering with Kids International Ministries (KIM).
In approx 3 week, we will be flying back into the USA to reunite with friend and families.
The first week of ministry was so full and fun. Stay tuned for a more detailed update for ministry here.
No, specific names given for our host this past month for the safety of their community, families and ministry.
Lessons from Indonesia:
To be honest a lot of anxiety, sadness, and exhaustion set in last month. It was hard to really feel God presence continually. But I learned an essential lesson:
You can’t love someone and fear them! I also can’t really live life and fear it!
As my wise friend, Ashley H, once said, “You can’t hold onto fear and the many gifts offered to you by God. To hold one you must let go of the other.”
Flashback…
The schedule was constantly constantly on the move. Every morning we where out of out sleeping space by 8:45 or 9 am. We spent ministry time helping at the school, attending services throughout the week, or having community meals with the people.
It was another full day. In the morning we had helped at the early childhood school singing songs, playing games and then ended with an interactive Bible story. The team created a flexible program for 3 days. Each day we had to rotate through 4 different classes’ ages 3 to 9. We were invited to sit in a class that he teaches once a week. Upon arrival, we had to wait a couple of moments for the building doors to be opened. And I began to ask him about his experience sharing his faith.
The teacher started by sharing that he is a native to Indonesia and has a burning heart for sharing Jesus with anyone he meets. Typically that means e is the one to start conversations. The ultimate desire is to reach all of his community people by person. This fuels everything he does from studying cultures, languages, and religious material. The primary focus is to better understand the mindset of the Indonesian people. The resilience and consistency he shows left me curious so I began to ask him questions about evangelism like…
What does evangelism mean for you? Can you give me some examples from your experience?
One thing that still stays with me is the level of peace one must have to continue thriving. He told me that one time he began to share his faith and his life was threatened. (The #1 faith in Indonesia is Muslim, approx. 82.7% of the population, and it is taboo to be Christian.) Literally, the man listening said, “If you keep talking about this I will kill you.” This was no empty threat but the teacher simply said okay and shifted to another subject(s). In the states this kind of exchange is unimaginable. The biggest risk tends to be the way someone responds to you, negative comments, general rejection or arguing but no one get threatens to kill you. Unfortunately, for a lot of Christians, these are the fears that silence or shut us down!
Fact: Christianity is 10% of the country’s population and out of that percent the number is distributed throughout the 17,508 islands that make up Indonesia. Some Christians I met in Indonesia face the risk of death, being disowned by family, and or/ openly shunned by society but the passion still burns within them. They accept the risk and love without fear by giving with all that they can.
PEACE
A quick Google search showed me that the word peace is used throughout the bible 429 times. It’s also said to be in 400 verses. The standard use of the word means freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility. I am learning just how much that deviates from the biblical concept of peace meaning to be complete or whole; to live well. Notice how the first seems to refer more to your surroundings and the second more to your state of being. I think of is John 14:27, “Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives, do I give you. Let your hearts not be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
I am choosing to stay in the safe place of God’s peace despite my circumstance. The word circumstance can apply to other people’s emotional state, chaos, or tough life decisions. This past month I learned that fear in itself is choosing to distrust God and will take the center stage in every aspect of your life. Choosing not to walk in fear is not easy and looks different day by day. But if you allow it, fears will steal your love, joy, peace, patience and so much more.
For me the key to experiencing life is remembering too that peace is a gift given to you and no circumstance can take that away, only you give it away by letting something else take its place. This ending stage of the journey is continuing to be many lessons in prayer and giving away my fears/anxieties so I can still be open to experiencing and giving in love. Through this God is slowly giving me nudges as to what next steps, people to share with, and ultimately how to rest in his peace no matter what.
Helpful Habits to Walk in Peace
Here are some helpful points were given to me by mentor Wendy N. They are from a teaching by James McDonald. The series is called “Walk In the Word: How to Have Peace of Mind.”
-Continued Focused Prayer
-Out-loud Rejoicing
-Conflict Resolution
***These are things that I am still walking through but I am starting to see progress.
