Footprints Blog

Mustard Seed’s first After School Educational Centre opened three and a half years ago in the poorest area of a large Indonesian city. Many of the school-age children were unable to read and write. The parents were nervous and slow to trust.  Gradually they saw sincerity behind the help, and they saw their children blossoming as they packed into the rented room to play games and learn computer skills. The outreach to this community is changing lives. Staff and involved parents are distributing food and medicine and praying for the sick.  When a local Muslim man of influence raped two neighbourhood girls, the community around the Centre united in a call for justice.

There is another community; it's at the city dump. The air always smells of rotting garbage; the children spend their days picking through the trash for bits to hawk on the streets.  But we sense openness among the people to a Christian school. Is it just a dream, or will the Spirit provide evidence of this being a viable location for us to serve? Will these children have an opportunity for a better future?

Looking back at all that has been accomplished and looking forward to the mountain of work ahead of us, we are encouraged by the enduring faithfulness of supporters and workers of Mustard Seed.  Time seems to fly by so quickly but it is amazing to me that we can celebrate so many people who have generously gave of their time, effort and money to support the work.  They have stood by us through good times and bad.  As we prepare to celebrate the miracle of Easter, let us remember how Jesus rewarded those who also kept their faith even when it seemed that all was lost.

Luke 22:1-71  As you give thanks for Jesus’ faithfulness to Father God during Holy week pray special prayers celebrating the faithfulness of the Mustard Seed team.  Pray for encouragement.

That was yesterday's headline in The National Post.  And after the 2004 tsunami, the headlines said it would take a decade to rebuild the northwest province of Indonesia, epicentre of the earthquake that cause the big wave.  But in a report in Friday's New York Times, Rod Volway, program director for Mercy Corps' Aceh, Indonesia project, says, "Today, five years later, the capital city of Banda Aceh is almost entirely rebuilt with infrastructure better and more durable than what previously existed.  All that is left to be done is finish repair of a costal road."

So we shouldn't be surprised to see Indonesians among the first to help Haiti.

They come with compassion: 131,029 Indonesians lost their lives.  One third were children.  Another 2,150 children lost both parents.  1.2 people were affected by the tsunami in Indonesia.

They come with experience: They rebuilt 2,496 villages and 1526 kilometres of roads.

"The Advent season is a time of expectation, a time of hope and a time of anticipating what is to come. As we move through the season we get ever close to the time when we collectively celebrate the birth of a king; the saviour who came to bring life. Somewhere around 2000 years ago, a very pregnant Mary was being led from Galilee through meandering hilltops and olive groves on her way to Bethlehem. It was probably cold; a desert cold that drips into your bones and makes you long for relief, for shelter, for some warmth- any warmth. If we think back to the Christmas story, there are obvious heroes, villains and a heroine but there are also the ‘extras’, the oft forgotten cast members who hold the story together, such as the anonymous innkeeper.

At the time of a Roman census, you would think that the busiest person in town might be the hotel manager; making sure the guests of the packed accommodations are having their needs met. You would also think that at this incredibly busy time the innkeeper would have been inclined to turn away any unfamiliar faces that approached the front desk. After all, he was busy. He was doing his job. What more could he be expected to do? However, this was no ordinary innkeeper; this innkeeper saw something in the eyes of the strangers that stirred compassion inside him. It turns out that he didn’t have a room, but he had a space - albeit space in a barn. He couldn’t do everything but he did do something.

As we sit in the tension of Advent and wait with expectation for Christmas this year, may we remember the anonymous nativity characters, such as the innkeeper - or modern day innkeepers. May we be led by their example by showing compassion to help strangers and understand that while we can’t do everything, we can do something."

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for all your prayers and attention. Adjusting to a new place has been challenging, but your faithfulness and partnership is such an encouragement.

In some ways, I was able to jump right in with the girls as soon as I arrived here. We have been doing morning devotions together and I have enjoyed doing chores with them and helping with English and math. By being here at the orphanage the girls are able to attend school. Their physical needs are being provided for and they are also learning the practical skills they will need to run their own homes in the future. However, life outside the structure of family is very different. So a big part of my adjustment here has been listening to their stories, asking questions, and trying to discern how to minister to the unique needs in their lives.

One thing we have really enjoyed doing together is playing the guitar. I had never really learned to play apart from the most basic chords; I was always quickly deterred by sore finger tips and reverted back to the piano, but a few weeks ago I was able to buy a guitar, and it has been fun to figure it out and help the girls pick it up too. It has already gotten much use.

While reading the book Uprising by Erwin McManus, I was challenged by the chapter on faithfulness. We often think in terms of having faith, but the author emphasizes being faithful in the tasks before us, whether or not they seem significant. We discover the beauty of God’s plan for our lives by having faith that God will work in great ways, but also by being faithful in what is set before us.

Over this past month here, I have sometimes questioned my effectiveness with the girls and have been tempted to worry about future plans. What an encouragement to know that what God asks for is faithfulness. Faithfulness to spend time with him, faithfulness to communicate to him our dependence on his wisdom and strength, faithfulness to act in love, faithfulness to make the most of each opportunity throughout the day. If we are faithful in these things, God is honoured, our character is refined, and we learn to walk according to His will. I love the challenge and the promise of Psalm 37:5 “Commit your way to the LORD, trust in Him, and He will act.”

I must persevere in language. Living with junior high girls and leading devotions has been expanding my vocabulary in every direction from “nail polish” to “steadfast love” but there are frequently, still times when I feel like I’m fumbling for words. Thankfully I have remained healthy during this transition.

Shari

Cindy’s father died in a motorcycle accident last year. Her mother had abandoned the family many years ago. At the age of fourteen she was responsible to arrange the funeral and now supports herself and lives independently. She is an aspiring novelist.

Xander has a 4.0 GPA and is on his way to being a medical doctor.

Natalia placed third in a mathematics competition with over 1,000 participants.

Kevin is a drummer in a Christian band that recently recorded their first album. Ike began to discover an artistic talent when she was in junior high school. She now teaches a community art class that she opened in her neighbourhood.

Totok survived a motorcycle accident, was bedridden for half a year but fought back and now stars on the school’s varsity soccer team.

Remember … Because of your gifts this Christmas, young and not so young lives are being changed at Mustard Seed schools… An investment with a big payback!