In His Steps

A delightful Saturday morning.  Where time stands still for a while as we take in a deep deep breath from very busy schedules.  The roosters have long finished cock-a-doodling, the Mosque has long been quiet from the early morning calls to prayer.  The tropical sun is rapidly rising equaling hot water in the solar water tank.  The phone rings.  Can Pastor Darron help come and baptize 36 students who are ready for baptism from a Week of Prayer?  We are puzzled by the last minute request, which boggles our western minds that would have known how the baptism was to take place planned 5 days prior.  Darron makes a call or two to see if the request is really validated.  It is.  Church clothes thrown on.  Water bottles grabbed.  Umbrella’s thrown in the van (for shade).  Puppies gathered from running under the Kijang.  Older dogs held so they don’t run out the gate as the Kijang pulls out.  We are off. 

Church has just started when we arrive.  The preacher (Rick) is the Week of Prayer speaker.  Who is an Indonesian man.  He has lived in the States for about 30 years.  He felt really impressed that he needed to come to Indonesia and do this week of prayer.  His work (in America) would not grant him more then a week off to come here…..so in faith, he turned in his resignation and came anyhow.  Before preaching he addresses our family and specifically thanks our children for coming here.  I appreciate his words.  I know that he understands where my children have come from. 

After church we proceed to the baptism site.  We forged through a river that was quite tricky.  This spot was tucked away, well off the road.  Even the bus plunged through the river…….  I just never seize to be amazed ……….  People scramble over sun hot rocks and toasty piles of river sand to take their viewing spots.  Lalah and I seek the shelter of our umbrellas and our feet in the cool river water, along with Lalah’s young children who enjoy a little splash about.  Then Darron and two other pastor’s baptize these young men and women.

Then something happened that is just etched in my mind.  It is one of the highlights of our time here so far.  I was so impressed by this next event, that it has replayed in my mind hundreds of times this week.

The students that were baptized were all standing in a row, waiting for people to shake their hands.  I happened to be right behind the Rick, the Week of Prayer speaker.  He hugged everyone of those students and spoke words to each one of them.  Most of them had tears streaming down their faces.  Boys and girls alike.  Many clung to him, sobbing.  I have never seen this emotion displayed so strongly during our time here.  It is evident that this man has connected to these students in such a powerful way.  I was awed to follow in his steps….shaking each of these young people’s hands.    Rick knew the heart language.  He knew how to truly minister in a way that we will never know.  Witnessing what I did this past weekend, impresses on me all the more our need for Indonesian Christian workers.  The harvest is GREAT.

The hot sun beats down on the black Kijang.  We turn the a/c on full blast, but it only slightly cools the two of us riding in front.  We forge through the river.  We jolt and jilt back home.  Our hearts are full by all we have witnessed.  Praying that more young Indonesian men and women will answer the call of God to serve, and follow in HIS steps.