Morning greetings from the Eastern part of Indonesia #1,
Raja Ampat, West Papua
The trip from Sorong to Salawati island,
Batanta Island, Waigeo island, and Arborek Island of Raja Ampat was done by
speed boat. Traveling by sea has its dynamics, sometimes there was a calm and
fresh voyage, but in another time it was rainy and scary wave. We experienced
such situation during our trip, so we could feel the challenges in the ministry
of pastor Grace Nanuru and all pastors in Raja Ampat as well. Sometimes pastor
Nanuru sails using her roofless speed boat in a small engine boat for 4
passengers during her services. When it rains, of course, the raindrops hit
them and the sunlight heated during the day time. The trip between islands
takes at least 90 minutes (one and a half hours).
Her living cost is not too much (around 2 million rupiahs) with 2 children who are in grade 2 of junior high school and grade 3 in elementary school. We witnessed the extraordinary tireless spirit of her service, even though she had a small figure but she had a big courage because she took risky service almost every day, even her little daughter accompanied her sailing across the sea. I shed tears when I was with pastor Grace on the boat. If I compared her ministry with what I did, I had nothing to compare about. Lord Jesus called and sent pastor Grace to preach in the inter-island based only on the love and inclusion of the Lord Jesus.
She and the congregation saw the tourists who
enjoyed the holidays and spent tens of millions on cruise ships enjoying the
area, however, the pastor and the congregation kept smiling because they could
make tourists happy even though their own lives were full of struggles.
"Rejoice in the Lord, once again I say rejoice in the Lord Jesus,"
Philippians 4:4. ***
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