TESTIMONY

Testimonies from some of the members of Lampung Mission team:

 

It’s an awesome experience when teaching the students!! At first I thought that the teaching will be hard/just normal but it turned out to be one awesome and fun teaching.The first time i slept there, it’s so hot cuz theres no AC so we’re all sweating and its hard to sleep or go to the toilet. But i did have fun!! I hope God can touch the student’s heart from all the teachings that we’ve done there 🙂

– Stacey 

Since the day we went to Lampung, I always complained and I realized that I should be thankful for all the things we have now because even though the people from provinces do not have the advanced things, the fancy restaurants, the private schools or anything we have now, they don’t complain… Even their toilets… haha. So I’m thankful I had an experience in a mission trip to a province to appreciate more than complain. 😀

– Honey

Just like Stacey said, I thought the teaching would be kind of boring and tedious. But surprisingly, it was the opposite. It was actually the one of the most fun things we did in Lampung. It was great to be involved on this trip. Our patience was tested with the kids and other stuff and most of all, we learned to be more thankful with what we have.

– Faith

Journey with God

As I’m writing this testimony, I pray that God will lead me on what am I going to say.

Looking back my journey with God since I joined this ampm in August 2008, I am happy to say that God has lead me in every step of my life and I know that I’m not the same anymore as I was in 2008 where my understanding and knowledge about God was so unclear.

I come from a non-Christian family background. I was baptized in Malaysia in November 1998 after a huge riot and chaos in Jakarta. That was the first time I had to survive myself in a foreign country without family. I left Jakarta and my family in a terrible and traumatic condition. Until one day, one of my friends took me to church; I straight away falling in love with the church and the people. I felt secure. From that moment I kept coming back to church even though I had to take bus 3 times. I become more involved in church activities. As a baby Christian, at first I felt honored with these responsibilities. However, until I reached a point where I was so fed up, and tired. I had no joy and peace in my heart anymore, and I just did it because I was being ordered to do it without knowing what was the meaning behind all these? Besides, I felt that I was struggling myself to try to be perfect. To make it worse, I felt God has fooling me around by giving me all these rules to be perfect. That time I was only 19 years old, I wanted to try many things and explore. Plus I still have to do my college. Because I am a type of melancholy and one of its traits is perfectionist, therefore, I felt I am a failure if I couldn’t do my responsibilities. After I left Malaysia in year 2000, and back to Jakarta, practically all my church activities also vanished. Starting from 2001 to 2008 I wasn’t even exist in church. The reason was because I don’t see any difference between going to church and not going to church.  I don’t want to ruin/spoil God’s name with all my sins. Until one day on 17^th May 2008, one of my friends took me to a gathering which I didn’t know it was a church gathering. There was a pastor prayed for me. That was the FIRST and BIG calling for me to come back, but I still didn’t believe if it’s God who wants me back…. What for?! The prayer is being recorded by my friend (thank God I still keep that prayer, almost 2 years now), and every time I listen to it, I cry. God wants me back to the first love, He has forgiven me. He wants me to be strong to fulfill the plan He has for me. I couldn’t believe how much He loves me.   

When I joined ampm, I am still a baby Christian. But I admitted that I learned a lot from the sermon in church and also from my lovely cell group members, and leader; my beloved sister Susy. When Pastor Eddy Leo preached few weeks ago, one of my questions has been answered why I felt trudge all these times. It’s because I don’t let God control my emotion, heart and mind, but I try to control it myself and it is not going to work. I used to be someone who easily get hurt and difficult to forgive, but by letting God dwell in me, everything become sooooo much easier….. and when I maintain the close relationship with God, I can hear His voice right away pop on in my mind (it is all from the Bible verses, although I don’t remember on which chapter, but I know I’ve read/heard  those verses before J ), He can speak to me as simple as: “ just listen and be quiet.” That means He wants me to stay still in Him, hang on in Him, trust Him, but at the same time be quiet and avoid arguing. This happened to me when one of my free-thinker friends shares his ideology. It is not easy when I have to let them “win” the discussion debating session. But by the grace of God who works in me, I have the most powerful backup, that is not about winning or losing the discussion session but the most important is how to be the living testimony for them where the character of Jesus reflect in me because I believe actions speaks louder than words.

Sister in Christ,

Lanny      

Waiting for God’s perfect plan

I strongly believe that God’s provision has always been with us ever since the day we were conceived inside our mother’s womb. Our life story was already written in the palm of our hands. God is guiding us always towards His ultimate plan for us… His perfect plan
I am a single parent to an 8-year old daughter. My husband and I got separated for almost 5 years that is why I played the role of a father and a mother to my child. Raising a child alone is not easy. But by God’s grace I was able to send her to school, provide her needs in all aspects of her life, instill good values and let her grow with God fearing heart.
By God’s grace I was able to work as a primary school teacher in my home country, Philippines, for 8 years. And the knowledge given by the Lord and the experience that I gained served as a stepping stone for a better teaching career here in Jakarta. From the very first day of my journey here in Jakarta, God used His people to provide all my need. God allowed me and few good people to have crossed paths. God used some of my friends, colleagues, and especially the Morante family to comfort me in my times of loneliness and homesickness. I found a second family here in this land through these people.
Now I can see God’s perfect plan for me and for my child. I have realized that the hardships and heartaches that I’ve gone through molded me to become what I am now. I believe if a fearless heart conceives FAITH in God, MIRACLES begin. Since then, I have appreciated God’s blessings more and more each day. In return, I have found myself serving Him again through the field I love the most… through Music. Now I am a part of the Praise and Worship Team of Filipino Service.
I know someday everything will fall into right place. Let His perfect will be done in His most perfect time. To God be the glory!

Geraldine
(from Filipino service)