I've received a few updates since I last wrote to you. I'll try and put some explanations in parentheses where needed. Sorry the updates have backed up. I'll try to keep up with them as they arrive. Thanks for continuing to pray.
Garth
Update 5
Dear OE follower:
Further update today from Debbie Adams (Todd and Debbie Adams are the host missionaries. They've been in Ibele for many years now). Even though you already received some news today I thought I’d pass this along since there is an update on the hike:
Groups 1 – 4 are back in Ibele having arrived at about 12:30. They had hiked since 7am. Debbie said they are in good spirits but those groups, joined by all other groups will need to hike for about a half hour tonight to reach the big Youth Meeting. (You may notice that Rachel is in Group 2, so she had just returned from the hike. I will also highlight in the table below, all of the kids who live in our dorm.)
Tonight is the Big Youth Meeting. Please be in prayer for that. Ethan and Abbey are giving their testimonies, and 6 groups are doing their skits. Todd Adams will be preaching and Patti Jordan will be doing some translating.
Update 6
Dear OE follower:
Today’s update is from Group 7. Leader Peter Seow starts with:
Group 7 NAMED “SWAG” (Saved with Amazing Grace) is doing fantastically well. All members are extremely cooperative and have a great attitude even though the work can be difficult and schedules get changed because of circumstances on the ground. It is a pleasure to lead Group 7 on OE 2017.
David Mathews: Still alive! OE is going great! I have been able to spend quality time with each member of my group. Thanks for your prayers. God bless you!
Joella deJong: It’s so beautiful here! It has been fun so far on OE and I love hanging out with the locals here, especially the kids! I think I have become a babysitter (ha ha!) Anyway, I miss you all very much and also my warm bed! I will see you soon.
Jordan Adams: It’s going good! My group is great! Kid’s club and youth night went great.
Josiah Lewis: So Fun! I have really been enjoying OE. My Group has been great. We have really been working well together. Sleep has been sad but definitely not bad! And I have not gotten sick.
Kenneth Kosasih: It’s Bagus Sekali!! I have been enjoying OE. God is really working in me, my group, and the Ibele people. Thank you for your prayers. I am very healthy. Please continue to pray for us and me. Can’t wait to tell all the stories. Sleep is a bit rough but its ok.
Morgan Dinkleman: OE is going really well. There are some days when I felt a little sad but I talked with God and asked Him to be with me and its going well. I love this baby I am holding in my arms right now. I love talking to friends, working on projects and helping people.
Manin DeVries: Ibele is a beautiful village and the sun shines most of the time. The Lord is good. Tomorrow groups 5-8 leave for the small village – this includes me.
Sophie Erickson: I’m having a great time and don’t really miss anything (except my brothers and my Dad!) OE is the bomb and I NEVER want to leave. I wish I could stay here forever!
Yali Wilson: Surviving and enjoying OE. I have lots of stories. I can’t wait to be home but then I will miss the beauty here!
One of today’s OE devotionals follows:
Just to start things off, I hope you are having a wonderful time on our OE trip so far. What I want to talk about is anger. I heard overwhelmingly positive stories of people going to OE, but I also have heard some negative opinions as well. Clearly OE is mentally, physically, and spiritually exhausting, and that will lead to some people feeling fairly agitated. If you are agitated, or you know somebody who clearly is getting angry, would you please look at Proverbs 15:1. “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Everyone runs into setbacks in their lives, but the problem is that we let the emotions that come forth from that ruin our day. God does not want us to be angry, because we so easily let that get in the way of our path with him, and we proceed to bring down those around us as well. The path of Christianity is a narrow one, and anger can easily make us turn away from God. This is where you need to sit and calm down. Remember, Satan wants you to fall off of the path.
Instead of having our heads hang low, and focusing on what is going wrong, you should look at everything positively. Rejoice in things that do not go your way, for they are just trials God put before us as a test of your faith. Be honored, God is giving you a test, and an opportunity to honor him. Keep your heads held high, encourage those around you, and take comfort knowing that God has it all under control. ~ Joshua Larson
Update 7
Dear OE follower:
Today’s update is from Group 4.
Ethan Martin writes -- I am having a blast. Learning lots. Hanging out. Small village was amazing! The kids here are so fun and they speak good Indonesian. That makes having fun a lot easier. Praise God for all he is doing in Ibele.
Grace Holsten writes – The bakar batu (a "bakar batu" is a big feast where they cook pigs in hot rocks.) after church was really pretty good. The Chicken, ferns, ubi (ubi is a vegetable like a sweet potato) hit the spot. It was fun to hang out and eat after the 3.5 hour service.
Atalee Brown writes – today we were at church which is around a thirty minute walk away. In church I sat by this really cute little girl. Half way through the service I found out she is kind ofnaughty. It was sort of funny.
Ryan Sitanggang writes – Today was a special day of spiritual growth. I also had my first bakar batu which was crazy! I miss you guys. God bless.
Elisha Lewis writes: I sat next to Peran at the bakar batu andhe also hiked with us from Butliam, our small village. He carried my back pack. I am glad he got to go back to his family after taking the six hour hike.
Daniel Dinkelmann—we went to church today and we ate bakar batu and now I kind of feel sick. I am happy and surviving.
Micaiah Elliot – today I hiked up from the same trail for the fifth time.We went to church then had a feast. It was good. Special happy birthday wishes to Noah!
One of today’s OE devotionals follows:
We have been tasked with a commission, a great commission. We have been asked, by God, to go out into the world and make disciples of all nations. Oftentimes, when we read or hear about it though, we discard it saying, “That’s for when I’m older” or, “That’s what my parents do”. We say we’ll make an impact on the world “when we have a chance to”. Well, here’s our chance. God has put us in this place today where we can make a difference. How many times will you have this opportunity? Chances are that most of us will never come back here. If we don’t take the risk and step outside our comfort zone, we are wasting the chance that God has given us. OE is that chance. Don’t ignore it because others are better at talking with people, or interacting with kids, or spending long amounts of time with some people they just met. I found out on my first OE that even something as simple as throwing a Frisbee can make a difference in peoples’ lives. God will do the work, you just have to step forth in faith and let him use you to do great things.
On that note, I give you (and me) a challenge for this OE. I challenge you to ask God to work through you and then talk (or listen) to the local people (groups are fine) for at least an hour or more outside of the times required by your OE schedule. Let God do great things with your life. Here are some helpful verses. 2 Timothy 1:7-8, Matthew 28: 19-20, Mark 16:15 ~ David Mathews
Update 8
Dear OE follower:
Today’s second update is from Group 5 and Mr. Berg. Here is the Group 5 update:
On Saturday Group 5 started with painting. We had a great time working together and we formed stronger bonds. We were able to welcome the hikers from Thursday with songs and cheers. This was followed by a hike to the church for the youth outreach. It was a physical uphill hike for 35 to 50 minutes but everyone kept a good attitude. The youth outreach was especially exciting. Many young people, perhaps 40 from HIS and here locally responded to God’s call for salvation or to give Him more of their lives. It was a memorable day where we saw God at work. So keep praying for us that God uses us even more.
And another update from Mr. Berg himself:
It’s a new week on OE 2017 and what a weekend!!! Groups 1-4 returned safely Saturday afternoon and the reports from the small village were amazing. God is working! Students did a great job on the trail and ministering. After a couple hours break all groups left for the youth ministry meeting (45 minutes hike.) At the youth meeting some of our groups did character skits. Tammy Wisley and band led worship, Abigail and Ethan shared their testimonies, one Ibele youth shared a testimony. Todd Adams used English while Patty Jordan translated. Todd spoke on the kingdom of heaven. He challenged the youth to repent and believe. At the end of the service there was a call to come forward and many of our students as well as Ibele youth went to the front. It was an emotional time. We prayed and sang songs. Then while Peter Seow set up the movie, groups 1-4 returned to base camp to get some rest while groups 5-8 watched a movie with the youth. Sunday we hiked back to the same church to be part of their service. Dan Wisley spoke on purity while Todd Adams translated to Indonesian. Service was around 3.5 hours long with singing and sharing and announcements. Students did a great job of staying engaged. More Ibele people went forward after the service. And Dan’s talk is still being discussed amongst our leaders and students. After this we had a bakar batu and returned.
This morning as I write, groups 5-8 are preparing to depart for their hikes. We can see their villages from here and they are at a higher elevation which will mean some climbing. Please be in prayer for them.
As a large group we continue to learn about unity and what it means to put the needs of the group before our personal needs. Unity is always a huge part of what we try to accomplish on OE. Community living can be difficult but the students and staff are really stepping up to this challenge.
Sick Bay report: Runny noses and coughs are going around and this is causing some to feel weak. Again I am so impressed with your children. No major injuries. Praise the Lord. Please pray for the groups hiking (groups 5-8) and for continued safety. God is moving and teaching.
(Mr. Berg is the high school principal. He is the main leader and organizer of OE. Two weeks before OE began, Mr. Berg tweaked his knee playing ping pong at my house, of all things. One week before OE, he traveled to Singapore to see a knee specialist. He was hoping to get surgery to fix torn meniscus and damaged tendons. The doctor examined him and decided that he didn't need surgery, just some good physiotherapy. So, Mr. Berg hobbled his way to Ibele a few days late, hitching a ride on an MAF supply plane. He really didn't want to miss his 12th OE.)
