Tumbang Tarusan (September 09)

It is my privilege to be a servant of God. My heart is overwhelmed with joy to witness how God is working to fulfill His plan for the region of Katingan, Central Kalimantan. It is mind-boggling to have the revelation that He wants to work in and through us, mere mortals, to accomplish His purpose for this fallen world. We have an awesome and incredible God, no words could adequately describe Him. The only response I know is to prostrate and worship Him.

I spent close to four months in Indonesia and by far, this is the greatest trip I have ever made. I could not express my feeling to see another Church in Tumbang Tarusan completed for the glory of God. We started this project just as the world was slipping into the global economic crisis. Resources became very tight but we refused to believe that the work cannot be finished. In faith, we have made the declaration there is no crisis in the kingdom of God, and only God and Him alone could open the floodgate of heaven to see us through. And He did. He marshaled His faithful people, His children who are committed to serve Him with whatever they could give and collectively, we completed the project and
ahead of time! For the record, God poured such an abundance of blessings that this trip became the iconic trip where I spent the most for the work of God ever since I started my ministry 15 years ago. This is the God we serve, who does nothing by half measures but bless us beyond our expectation until it leaves us speechless and in awe of Him.

Success is learned. Success is practice. Success is shared. Let me share with you my journey of faith. Sometimes we get distracted and lose heart when times are tough and challenging. In the midst of building the Church in Tumbang Tarusan, God impressed upon my heart to purchase a block of vacant land in Tumbang Baraoi which is on the upper stream of the Samba River. I bought the land but stop short of building becauseour budget was too tight to carry two projects in one go. I deliberated and lost time, until the Holy Spirit came to breathe confidence with His Word: “Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the Lord.” (1 Chronicles 22:19) The rhema Word “devote” lifted me to a new level of faith and with it, I commissioned for the construction in Tumbang Baraoi to start. Our obedience together with our faith, releases God’s miraculous power. It is imperative that we learn to obey, respond quickly and act immediately if we expect to personally experience our miracle working God. There is still plenty of work ahead of us before we can finish building the sanctuary for our Lord God in Tumbang Baraoi. To all of God’s people who have continued to support this ministry during this challenging financial period, you are a part of this success story thus far. Let us continue to walk together, as we have done previously, until the work is completed for the glory of our Lord.

Around May, the pastors in Katingan completed a census of the number of believers in their region. They were astounded with the results: the total number of committed Christians has doubled to in the last two years and that excludes approximately 1,200 children. Our efforts are bearing the desired fruit and we are not laboring in vain, hallelujah! The pastors are so motivated and encouraged by what they have achieved that they are going on full-steam ahead doing what they are called to do – winning souls for Jesus.

I must take this opportunity to thank my fellow colleagues and guests who visited Dehes during my trip: Bpk Benny and his friend from Jakarta,Bro Ongkie Hananto and the Batu Tulis mission team (Jakarta), Ps Jason Goh and his mission team (New Life Sanctuary Malaysia), Ps Budi Setiawan and staff (Jakarta), Ps Herman Mulyadi and his team from Sydney and Bro Bill Mitchell, Sis Eleen Restall and Sis Kim Poh (Perth). Their diverse talents and giftings in the Lord have blessed the pastors, workers and believers in Katingan and we will continue to invite more ministers of the Gospel to this region to keep up this good work. I also had the privilege of ministering to some of the churches in Indonesia and I would to thank my colleagues in the ministry for their warm hospitality.

As we continue to do the work of the Lord in Katingan Central Kalimantan, please keep us in your prayer. To all the supporters of Dehes Ministries, may our God make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. May He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

Blessings
Ev Sebastian Sugiarto

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