I Just Thought Maybe He Was Stupid

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When translated Indonesian materials were placed into my hands for an Indonesian Mothers in Prayer (MIP) group, I KNEW this was a ministry I wanted to pursue.  I have seen so many answers to prayer through our International MIP group over the last 4 years, that I thought…..what a gift this would be to share with my Indonesian friends.

Any Mom can pray for her child. In any school.  In any language. In any city, town or village around the world.  Bottom line is:  ALL of our children need prayer.  Throw into the mix: drugs, alcohol, peer pressure, sex, internet, hand phones, bullying, and the list goes on and on of the things that need to be covered in prayer for our children.

So ARMED with intentional and thoughtful Indonesian material I approached the local Pastor’s wife and my friend, Ibu Jeane to see about starting a prayer group at the Adventist school next door.  This school hosts over 300 students, from all denominations and backgrounds.  Some of them are day students, some are dorm students from far places and some live with extended family members scattered about the community.

After weeks of time clicking away…..we finally met for our first meeting.  I was the only one there for the first 15 minutes.  However, I was so blessed as I began to pray for this school that I had not thought to pray for before.  Tears slid down my cheeks as I asked Jesus for protection and for the fruit of his love in each of the students.  I fell in love with the fact that I didn’t have to be fluent in the language to pray for this school.  In time, Ibu Jeane showed up and we prayed together.  Lovely!  She was so apologetic that more mothers had not shown.  I encouraged her, that even at the international school for 2 years, it was just one other mother and myself.  Now in our fourth year, there are still usually just 4 or 5 of us.  Numbers do not matter!!!!

Fast forward to week #2, this past Tuesday.  It was MY TURN to be 15 minutes late.  As I settled myself, Ibu Jeane asked how she could pray for one of my children.  I asked her to pray for Jacob and began to explain that he has dyslexia, so I need patience and wisdom in teaching him.

“Dys……  What did you call it?  What does it mean?  Tell me more?  Oh, I want to know more about that.  You know my son, my 15 year old son?  He cannot read.  Even to this day.  Well, he reads like a kindergartener.  Very slow.  Sometimes I think maybe he is stupid.  But I know he is very smart.  Yet even though I tried and I tried to teach him, for many years now, he cannot read.  What is the name of that?  Is it a sickness?  Did he get the wrong diet?….. Maybe my 9 year old son has it too.  He reads very very slow and cannot write well.  He is always the last student to leave the class room.  His teachers say he is so slow.  But I also know that he is very smart……What is the name of that, Dys…?” Ibu Jeane questioned.

DYSLEXIA!!!  Not enough teachers for this special educational problem in a first world country.  Not even addressed or acknowledged or understood in a third world country.  Yet Dyslexia is not limited to the first world.  It crosses boarders and oceans.  One in 5 students struggles with some form or shape of dyslexia EVERYWHERE!

Ibu Jean and I only prayed together for 5 minutes on Tuesday, but it was a God divine appointment.  Hope was shed into this Mommies heart.  A name to call the “problem”.  A name other then “Stupid” or slow or not teachable.  Will the answers be easy, here in 3rd world Indonesia?  NO.  Will we find resources and accommodating teachers?  Probably not.  Will the internet provide some answers and a few solutions?  Maybe.  BUT before you start whipping out your first world solutions THINK, the Kindle (with voice reading) and other such beautiful electronic devices are not an option here (or extremely limited).  The LACK of awareness is our first huge obstacle.

Is God leading me to a new ministry here in Indonesia?  Will Ibu Jeane be part of bringing this message of hope to other struggling students in this part of the world?   Would you do me a favor, and join me in praying for precious brilliant students around the world who are not given a chance because their teachers and parents just don’t UNDERSTAND? 

Who knows what will happen?  All because of two Moms meeting together to pray.  Watch out world, because Jesus is the the midst of them.

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