In 1978, we left the USA by faith for Indonesia as missionaries. Indonesia has the fourth largest population in the world with more Muslims than any other nation. When we left we had no mission agency to send us, no financial support from any church, and no invitation from anyone in Indonesia. We went trusting in our Lord to open the way for us and make us fruitful for the gospel. The Lord graciously led us to the big undeveloped island of Borneo—far from civilization on the main island of Java where the capital city of Jakarta is located.
The following year in 1979 the Lord opened the way for us to two unreached villages in the remote interior of Borneo accessible only by riverboat. We settled in one of the villages where living conditions were night and day compared to life in the USA. Below was the view we had from our front door.
Below you can get an idea of our bathing and toilet facilities—both together in the very same place.
We began to preach the gospel from home to home in the villages. The people for the most part practiced ancestor worship, idolatry and witchcraft, and had never ever heard the name of Jesus Christ. As we shared Jesus Christ with them, the Lord graciously confirmed the truth of the gospel as many people with infirmities and demons were miraculously healed and set free—miracles the people had never before witnessed. The villagers began to come to Jesus as Lord and Savior, and were baptized.
We met with the believers regularly to teach them the Scriptures and to disciple them. Below we are having the Lord’s Supper with the believers in the home of one of the believers.
The home where we met with the believers for services
After three months, we had a congregation in each of the two villages…pictured below.
Encircled is a young girl named A Song
At that time (1979) we had to leave the flock in order to return to the USA after nearly a year in Indonesia. After we left, the leaders we had trained took over the ministry. Today the work of the gospel continues through the now-grown-up little girl A Song in the photo above. She now leads the congregation there as Pastor. The seed of the word of God we planted 37 years ago in this remote jungle corner of Indonesia has borne fruit that has remained.
A Song today (left)
The new church facility where the believers now gather under Pastor A Song
In 1980 we returned to Indonesia to preach the gospel fruitfully and make disciples in other unreached regions until 1987—when we were forced to return to the US. For our missionary autobiography which relates our adventures during those years, click on Dancing on the Edge of the Earth.
Brother Akong, one of our first converts to Christ in Indonesia