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Mission Trip Update (Part1) :

  • reachus699
  • Aug 31, 2024
  • 4 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

A P I I S - P I C I N D O N E S I A

Horas!

In May, Pastor Paul Choo (PC) and the GLCC Missions team, consisting of Joseph Ho and Dennis Chua, visited the APIIS-PIC Indonesia training center at Wisma Tabor HKBP in Parapat, North Sumatra. PC’s first visit was during the grand opening in January last year. The goals of this second trip were to observe the daily operations of the training center and its sessions to identify areas of improvement, express gratitude to the local staff, as well as meet with candidate pastors and Filipino faculty members.


During PC's visit, he challenged me to pray about expanding our work to another city. He emphasized that our mission extends beyond Batak Protestant churches in North Sumatra, to all of Indonesia. After fervent prayer for three weeks, I felt led to Kalimantan.


I decided to travel with Samuel Peroy (MMin Batch 1 and the Chief Digital Officer in APIIS-PIC Indonesia Training Center), who is skilled in navigation and logistics, and Ibu Irbawati Saragih (MMin Batch 3 and an evangelist of Gospel Light for Indonesia), a natural connector who excels at networking. A summary of my trip is below.

Cristine Diaz

Director APIIS-PIC Indonesia


Romans 10:14

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And

how can they believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And

how can they hear without someone preaching?



MISSION TRIP STOPS

YOGYAKARTA, SOUTH-CENTRAL JAVA

(26 - 27 JUNE):


We visited Pastor Henki Simarmata and his wife Irba from Gereja Kristen Protestan Simalungun (GKPS).Pastor Henki is currently pursuing his master's degree in theology in Yogyakarta. An APIIS-PIC Indonesia partner, he also recently underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor affecting his eye nerves, resulting in complete loss of eyesight. He remains hopeful and is pursuing further treatment to ensure the tumor is benign. Please pray for healing and provision. Before going to Yogyakarta, Pastor Henki had hoped to join the APIIS Training Center in Indonesia as an adjunct faculty member.



We also had the chance to pray for Ibu Irba's friend who is battling stage 3 breast cancer.

We are thankful to have had a one-day tour of Yogyakarta, visiting famous tourist sites such as Borobudur. While there, a group of Muslim students approached me, asking questions in English for their school project. This unexpected encounter allowed me to share the gospel with them. We then continued our journey to Gunung Merapi (volcano), where I saw the remains of those affected by its eruption in their "kampung museum". As I stood there, tears filled my eyes. I wondered if anyone had ever shared the gospel with those who had passed away.


BALIKPAPAN, NORTH KALIMANTAN

(28 - 29 JUNE):

We were hosted by a Batak Simalungun family and visited the new IKN (IbuKota Nusantara), envisioning its vast, progressive, and digitalized future as Indonesia's new capital. As foreigners, we were privileged to explore IKN for over an hour. From Balikpapan, we traveled 15 hours by bus to Banjarmasin.



Some background on the new IKN:

Located between Balikpapan and Samarindain East Kalimantan province, on the island of Borneo. This area was chosen for its relatively low risk of natural disasters compared to Jakarta.



The Lord has ordained His work to begin in North Sumatra, among the Batak Protestant Churches, using the Batak people for His work's expansion. Our Batak friends have families in many cities across Indonesia, and they have since become our gracious hosts in Balikpapan and Banjarmasin.


BANJARMASIN, SOUTH KALIMANTAN

(30 JUNE - 2 JULY):

We were hosted by a Batak Toba family. We attended the Sunday evening worship service at Gereja Kalimantan Evangelis (GKE*) and met with its missions head.


Exploring the city, we immersed ourselves in its people, culture, and cuisine. Before our flight to Medan on 2 July, we met with GKE' s top leaders, introducing ourselves and APIIS/PIC Indonesia, along with our ministries and partners in North Sumatra. The signing of an MOU between APIIS/PIC Indonesia and GKE is scheduled for this month, during PC's visit to our training center at Wisma Tabor HKBP in Parapat.


Gereja Kalimantan Evangelis (GKE) or Kalimantan Evangelical Church is founded in 1836 by the Rhenish Mission in Borneo (Kalimantan)

Kalimantan Evangelical Church is founded in 1836 by the Rhenish Mission in Borneo (Kalimantan)


Presentation meeting with top leaders of GKE, led by Bishop Dr. Simpson Ferdinant Lion in GKE main office in

Banjar masin, South Kalimantan (Borneo)


*About Gereja Kalimantan Evangelis (GKE):

  • Main office: Banjarmasin

  • 1,300 Pastors

  • Approximately 400,000 members in 1,267 congregations across 100

  • districts

  • Palangkaraya city hosts the most congregations, with 75 churches

  • (approximately 190 kilometers from Banjarmasin)

  • 350 seminary students (Bachelor's and Master's degrees)

  • 40 schools

  • 3 universities


APIIS - PIC Training Center Alumni

During our visit to Balikpapan and Banjarmasin, we also had the pleasure of meeting the candidate pastors we had trained at the training center, and who are now assigned to these areas. It was a meaningful opportunity to listen to their struggles, offer support, and pray together.



(I) MISSION VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT:


Are you looking for an area to serve and would like to explore meaningful cross-cultural work? We are looking for committed volunteers to serve refugees in the nearby country.


If you are interested, please contact Pastor Paul via WhatsApp at 9782 5256.

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