Getting Going

Celebration of the Goodness of God in Missions
We started the year with a “Celebration of the Goodness of God” mission evening in Perth. Dehes Ministers has been carrying out its work in Central Kalimantan for the past 10 years and for all the goodness which God has been bestowed on us throughout this time, the occasion was a celebration of thanksgiving for His grace and mercy. We hosted approximately 180 people from across all denominations. Our aim was to encourage God’s people to be actively involved in His Great Commission and since then, we have received very good feedback. We pray that those who have been in touch with us will go forth to be doers and not just hearers of the Word.

Getting Going
I had just returned to Perth after spending another 3 months in Indonesia. I am thrilled to report that the construction of the medical clinic is now underway, in fact it was 65% completed when I left Tumbang Samba. This is indeed another miraculous move by our great God. Before I left Perth, we had nothing and now, if all goes according to plan, the medical clinic will be up and running by early November this year. God has brought into our fold a philanthropic institution which has extensive experience in setting-up medical clinic and through this benevolence of God, this project has gained pace in a very short period of time.

If I may share with you, from my experience in serving the Lord, the commission to “Go” and the promise of Jesus “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt 28:16) is extremely powerful. If we go, He goes. If we step out, He steps out right beside us. God wants goers, not sitters. We first need to start. That is what God wants, people with enterprise and vision.  By His grace, this is how Dehes Ministries has grown to be what it is today. It is never easy to step out when we have nothing but once we take the first step, the wind of the Holy Spirit will start to blow and the work of our God will start to take life and flourish from thereon. I struggle for words to describe how wonderful it is to be serving our living God.

While we are constructing the medical clinic, we have also started the work for the radio broadcasting station. The foundation of the building has been laid and we are in the process of applying for the license to broadcast. When we talk about window of opportunity, this must surely be the God appointed time for us to start this project because when we lodged our application for the license, we were told by the local authority that this will be the last year licenses will be considered for private operators! Praise the Lord that we get going when we are directed by Him to do so. Once we have the license, we will proceed to build the building and purchase the radio and broadcasting equipments. This will be a very exciting project because the Gospel will be broadcasted throughout Katingan and all of our 8 churches along the Samba River in that region will serve as the “catchment” areas for the unsaved and new believers to fellowship in the house of God.

There is good news to report on the growth of our churches. The local pastors are working hard to network with the villagers and win souls for the glory of our Lord. When we talk about winning souls in the interior, we are talking about “fishing” for lost souls in the ocean of humanity – it is not pinching fish from another pastor’s aquarium. It is hard work and requires patience, perseverance and diligence but our pastors and workers are committed to the task. For example, in the Tumbang Baraio church in the upper stream of the river, Ps Misraim has saved 52 new souls since we planted the church 2 years ago. In the Dehes church, the congregation has grown from 25 to 42 believers in the past 12 months. In last satellite church which we planted in Tumbang Panjang just 9 months, Ps Yatie, whom I can only describe as a dynamo and firebrand, had already baptized 12 new believers in that short time. Ps Yatie, who is a fresh Bible college graduate, has such a hunger for lost souls that she is paving the way for the villagers to know their Lord and Savior. Praise the Lord that He continues to draw to our ministry such caliber of pastors who are so eager to win souls for His kingdom.

To all our ministry partners, I always rejoice when I think of what Paul said in Phil 4:17 “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account…” Through your continuous support and generosity, souls are being saved and this is the fruit of our ministry. Paul was happy because he knew this same miracle fruit and reward of his ministry was going to be passed on those who partnered with him – his partners will be “supplied in abundance to their accounts” for their own needs by Christ Jesus! From the testimonies I have received from our partners, I know this Word of God has come to pass in their life and as I write this note, I just want to shout out “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!” Thank you for your obedience and faithfulness to the voice of the Spirit, and for giving me the privilege of experiencing the truth of this Word.

Before I pen off, my sincere appreciation to Ps Frank Mitchell (Australia), Ps Andrian Chandra (Indonesia), Ps Jason Goh (Malaysia), Ps Jeanet Saren (Hong Kong) and their respective team, for their time and ministry to our people in Katingan. It is always a joy and pleasure to be working in the mission field with my fellow colleagues who share the same passion of winning souls for God.

Until I write to you again next time, God bless and watch over each and every one of you as you continue to stand by us as we soldier on to do the work for which we are called to do in Katingan Central Kalimantan. We cover your prayers.

In His service,
Sebastian

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