Faces

The past 3 weeks have been exceptional.  It gives me some of the deepest joy to sit, talk and just be with people here.  Who are these people?

Pak Jono.  Captured by the Indonesian military in 1965 for being the local Communist leader, he was put in prison.  A wide-spread violent crackdown on those whom the government suspected as Communist occurred after the “September Movement”.  He was supposed to be executed.  He was not yet a Christian, but he did hear of Jesus.  If Jesus saved him from an imminent death, he was going to live the rest of his life for Christ.  A miracle happened.  The day of execution came, and his name was not called.  Along with 4 other ex-Communists, Pak Jono began GKMI Kali Rejo.  Communists had to either become Muslim, Buddhist, Christian or Hindu, or they would be arrested.  Therefore, many other ex-Communists came to Christ and the church rapidly grew.  Later this year, the church will celebrate 40 years.

Mba Sarna.  She wore beautiful traditional Javanese clothes.  She lived alone in a leaning bamboo home.  She walked upon the soft mud, which was her floor.  She was angry with her neighbors and her chronic pain.  She just got back from the market, where she spent her only money to buy medicine.  She wanted to go to heaven. She could not speak Indonesian.  That was okay.

I will never forget how hard it was too look her in the face.  Her breath smelt.  She was weary. She was annoyed and upset.  I eventually looked her in the face.  I held her hand.  We prayed.  And in the face I looked into, I saw Jesus.  Unforgettable.

Pak Heru.  The pastor of the GKMI Kali Rejo church.  His heart for the village community was tangible.  One time this week, a Muslim, him and Buddhist sat beside each other at a Muslim event.  His vision for the church was inspiring.  Empowerment--spiritually, socially and economically--are top priorities.  The intention and care that he put into relationships was invigorating.  His life ebbed and flowed around the contours of needs, schedules, and the Holy Spirit’s leading each day among people.  In short, he made me want to become a pastor.  Or at least, live a life like this.           

Pak Trimo.  I met him gathering red onions in a field.  The red onions were then moved to his home, dried, cleaned and the sold at the local market.  The land and the onions are the churches.  The profit goes towards the ministries and operating costs of the church.  As a leader in the church, he has big dreams for it.  Those may some day become true because his three sons are all active and taking on leadership roles in the church, and they are still teenagers.    

And here are some more faces that color my life.