Dear Friends,

Janice and I send you greetings from Jakarta. For the most part the news is all good in Jakarta. Prosperity once again is in the air; the government says the crisis is over; a new day is ready to dawn for the long suffering folks of Indonesia. Lord willing, that will be a reality in the social, political and economic life of this country. However, from our point of view, we also have some good news to share with you folks.

Last Tuesday, six men graduated from the Bible school. Four graduated with full theological degrees, while the others received a diploma. Yet, the one thing that all six of these men had in common was that they were heading out to start new works. Two were headed back to the island of Nias, one to the island of Mentawi, one to Batam island, one will be leaving to start a work in his home city in North Sumatra and one of them was going to begin a ministry among the poor people who crowd into humble homes along the railroad line. Are they really prepared to go? Will they be successful? Humanly it is easy to doubt, yet they all have a Bible that they have studied, and they all claim to have the call of God on their life.

Once a young missionary struggled with culture shock, a sick child and difficult living conditions. He had a Bible that he read by a smoking kerosene lamp each evening, but most of all he felt that God had brought him to Jakarta, Indonesia. Now, thirty years later, as I grumble about grading the papers of 50 Bible college students, and I am continually swamped by Indonesian pastors taking up my time, I suddenly stop and realize that the same God that called me, called these students. Who am I to doubt?

Yet, it is hard not to doubt. This last month, my son-in-law, Jeff Preston, was approved as a missionary to Indonesia. Jeff and Jennifer have three little babies that they plan to bring to Indonesia. This place is a mess politically, economically, socially and especially religiously. What are they doing? Well, Jeff has a Bible and believes God has called him to Indonesia. Isn’t that really what it is all about?

Last Sunday we were at Cileduk Baptist Church as they were celebrating their 2nd anniversary as an established church. The church originally started in 1991 as a small mission out of the Cipulur Baptist Church. This last year they baptized six adults and they now have 13 families in their church
membership. They support several mission projects through their faith promise, and they own their own facilities which they have steadily improved over the last few years. One of their main goals for next year is to start a new work out of their church. This really is what it is all about.

We do appreciate your prayers for the ministry here in Jakarta

In Christ,