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I have just returned from 22 days of some of the most exciting ministry I have ever been involved in. It is as if the message of “Choose Life” has come alive in a new way and is making an impact far beyond my own expectations. I want to try to summarize it so that you don’t grow weary in reading but instead ar e energized and excited about what God is doing. In Indonesia on the small island of Bali, the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Indonesia (ETSI) was celebrating its 25th Anniversary. There were nearly 800 ministry leaders and students from all over Indonesia present (Java, Sumatra, Irian Jaya, etc.,). I was invited to address the whole group on the first day and then led a workshop that included about 25% of the participants. In the workshop I taught the 10 Life Choices in 9 sessions. Then on the last day of the celebration, due to the response of my workshop students, I was asked to bring the closing message of the Conference. We left that Conference with many invitations to share the Choose Life message throughout Indonesia.
The next week, I taught a smaller, more intensive Choose Life seminar which was actually planned and led by the Choose Life Indonesia team. The small group discussions, testimonies, worship and logistics were all planned and carried out by the Indonesian participants of last year’s Conference, led by our new CLI Director Kristian Lehom, a native Indonesian. Much healing happened during this Conference and ministry leaders took off their masks. Some denominational leaders were present and the Choose Life message was em braced. I am confident that as a result of this trip, the message of life and grace are being shared across Indonesia by faithful Pastors and ministry leaders who were impacted during these two weeks. A big thank-you to my friend and colleague John Stroud who was the impetus behind this whole trip. The next week I flew to Hyderabad India, home of over 7 million. David and Abigail Babu, born in Hyderabad, direct Sunshine Ministries there. Su nshine Ministries oversees a fellowship of nearly 100 village pastors, some of whom lead up to 4 congregations each Sunday. Sunshine also runs the Good Shepherd Children’s Home where 26 children with no place to go, live and attend school. The Home has a school for children in pre-school through 10th grade with nearly 200 students who attend… for free. Also scattered through the smaller villages, Sunshine Ministries has opened 13 sewing centers where women (mostly Hindu) can come and learn a skill from a Christian teacher who teaches the skills of sewing in a 3 month course that meets Monday-Friday for 3 hours per day as well as shares the love of God. There is also one computer center where young women can learn the skill of computer while also being introduced to the gospel message in a non-threatening way. While in India, I preached at a church where nearly 500 people gathered, sat on the floor, outside of the windows and under a canopy in the yard to hear God’s word. We then had dinner on the grounds with large pots of rice that served 200 people each! I ministered to the children at the Good Shepherd Children’s home and fell in love with them! They are attending classes in an old factory building with a leaking roof. The children sit and sleep on a concrete floor. I visited 2 sewing centers and met young women, formerly Hindu, who had come to know Christ and quoted Scripture to me. I met 14 young women at the computer center, all of college age, and only one of whom had ever touched a computer before attending this class. They also were being exposed to God’s love. Then I traveled to a retreat center and taught the Ten Life Choices to a group of 60 Indian Pastors who sat with rapt attention and allowed God to move in their hearts. Each Pastor left with a copy of the book, several Bibles in their own language, blankets, a commentary, and some ministry supplies, all provided by Sunshine Ministries. David and Abigail Babu live in Pennsylvania. They have raised money as missionaries but both work full-time jobs in the states. All of their support is used to pay the teachers and leaders of the school and Children’s Home, buy sewing machines and computers for the centers, pay a modest stipend to the leaders of these centers and provide resources for the Pastors of the fellowship. They direct these ministries from the states, taking trips back and forth as they are able. They are both fluent in the local language of Hyderabad, loved, respected and accepted by all who meet them there and two of the hardest working people I have ever met! The ministries of Choose Life Indonesia and Sunshine Ministries are making deep impacts into their culture for the Kingdom of God. In these countries, the people are simple, humble and their needs are basic. Most of you know how I hate to ask people for money but the Lord has impressed these needs on my heart so strongly that I cannot be disobedient. I feel certain that God wants to provide for these needs through those of us who truly have more than we need! Here are the needs: 1. Housing for Kristian Lehom, his wife Asri and their two beautiful daughters. The rent for the next year is about $1000. Their rented home also serves as the office for Choose Life Indonesia. 2. Eight of the children at the Good Shepherd Children’s Home have come to the home in the last year.Their stories are heart-wrenching. As of yet, none of these children have sponsors ($25 per month) so that their basic needs can be met. 3. Sewing machines for the sewing centers. These machines cost about $80 each in India. Some of the centers have one machine, others have two. Each center is impacting at least a dozen Hindu and Moslem women throughout the Hyderabad area. 4. Computers for the computer center. The computer center has 14-15 students every 3 months and they currently have 2 outdated PC’s that the students take turns using. Computers in India run about $700 (and all of the techs live in Hyderabad!). 5. A new building for the school at Good Shepherd Children’s Home. A two story classroom, dormitory building has been drawn using a local architect. The cost for this building is approximately $120,000. A local official visited the school while I was there and gave his blessing for the building, even pledging to help get the materials at a discounted rate. This man is not a believer but impressed with what David and Abigail are doing. The time to build is NOW while the favor of this official still has influence.
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