Indonesia Mission Report by M. Jonathan Reese

  • by WMD
  • Nov 12, 2014
  • 1804 reads

Key Verse Mark 10:45  “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Part I.  Life In Indonesia and Depok UBF

By God’s amazing grace, I was called and sent as a missionary to Indonesia in January of 2013.  That very same month, God enabled me to marry Frida, who I call Teddy Bear.  Praise God, for His mercy and love, poured out so generously upon Frida and me, that we may serve Indonesian students the word of God through our house church.

Indonesia has the 4th largest economy in the world.  At the same time, poverty runs rampant throughout the country.  One fact not widely known about Indonesia is that there are more Muslims living in Indonesia than there are in the entire Middle East combined.

There are loud prayers said over-thundering loud speakers at 4am, 8am, 12noon, 3pm, 5pm and 7pm.  On Thursdays and Fridays, there is even more than this. 

Indonesia has been called the land of 1,000 smiles, because indeed the people are very welcoming and friendly.  But the reality is, Indonesia is a nation of broken-hearted people, who suffer endlessly under the suffocating, oppressive reign of Islam. 

God has blessed my family to participate in serving Indonesian students the word of God.  Frida studies God’s word faithfully with Eein, Arista, and Netty.  Eein was the first sheep my house church began serving on a weekly basis.

We have observed Eein become faithful to SWS, even participating in various parts of the Service as a music servant or power point servant.  Both Netty and Arista also come to Bible study faithfully with Frida, and sometimes to SWS.

By God’s grace, I was able to have English Group Bible Study every Saturday afternoon, since I first arrived in Indonesia.  Through EBS, we completed John’s Gospel and began the book of Acts.  It was there that I met Christian, who boldly told me that he wanted me to teach him the word of God.  He has been a source of encouragement to us, as he comes to SWS and studies God’s word.

Part II.  Looking Ahead

God granted me the prayer topic that INDONESIA becomes the HUB for all Muslim nation pioneering.  To my eyes, there are signs that this has already begun.  God enabled a new president to be elected, that has tolerant views toward the practice of other religions.

In Depok UBF, there has been an increase of SWS attendants and 1 to 1 Bible studies.  In short, God has already begun to make Indonesia the HUB for all Muslim nation pioneering.  AMEN.

My key verse is Mark 10:45; “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  God has shown me how much I want to be served by others in countless ways, not the least of which is through marriage to a wonderful woman of God.

God wants me to serve Indonesian students with my whole heart, offering my time, effort, strength, abilities, even my life…….to help them to meet Jesus personally, through 1 to 1 Bible study.

My families’ prayer topics are, to have a baby soon, for me to get a full time teaching job when we return to Indonesia, for me to successfully finish my Masters this week, and for Eein, Netty, Arista, and Christian to be raised as spiritual leaders for Indonesia.  We also pray for Indonesia to become the HUB for all Muslim nation pioneering.  

To all the wonderful brothers and sisters, family members in UBF that supported us through their prayers, a heartfelt “thank you” from Frida and I.  Your prayers made this miracle of God’s grace like a dream come true for my family. 

ONE WORD: NOT TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE