Palu Mission Trip - Day 13

Day 13 - JELAMBAR

Our Mission Trip finished on a high with us visiting Jelambar Corps during a ten hour stop-over in Jakarta on our way home.  We served Jelambar Corps with a team from our previous appointment at Noarlunga Corps on a Mission Trip three years ago.  So, it was so good catching up with great friends and seeing the progress of the building project we contributed to on that trip.

Walking back into the compound of Jelambar Corps brought back a flood of memories as we were greeted and embraced by the youth, now young adults, from the Corps.  It was quite an emotional reunion picking up where we left off with the people that we had developed such a strong bond and spiritual connection.  The new Corps Officers were also very gracious to receive our visit and allow us to walk through their building and reconnect with our friends from their Corps. 

The third floor of the building was nothing more than a few concrete pillars when we last visited Jelambar.  Now all the walls and roof are constructed and work has begun on the internal linings.  We stood in the middle of the newly construction space and reflected upon how faithful God has been with this building project, prompting a spontaneous time of worship and prayer with our friends and the Corps Officers.  It was quite an emotional time hearing these guys pray and sing again, with the worship led by Johnwill Dama on the guitar and the time of prayer led by former Corps Officer Major Nyoman Timonuli.  God is so good!!  We were then treated with lunch and a time of fellowship by the Corps Officers, before Bek, Adam and the Jelambar crew had a jam session in the church, rekindling the times they shared together playing music three years ago.

From Jelambar Corps we spent the afternoon at Central Mall in Jakarta with our friends before saying another difficult good-bye at the airport.  It was a truly blessed day reminding us of the unity we have in the Spirit as members of God's family and the international movement of The Salvation Army.

Palu Mission Trip - Day 12

Day 12 - FUNERAL

The Salvation Army in Palu takes funerals to a whole new level with seven services officiated over three days for Mr Oskar Hohoy!  It has been an incredible privilege to witness the proceedings and to be asked to speak at two of the services.  Through this tragic loss we have been given a cultural and mission experience that we could have never anticipated.

This morning commenced with a 10.00 am service at the Hohoy home, with the entire community gathered outside the house to pay their respects and celebrate the life of Oskar.  The service included a number of very moving vocal tributes for the family outside their front door and a fitting message by Major Nyoman Timonuli.  Oskar's wife shared a heart felt testimony and his daughter a beautiful poem that didn't leave a dry eye in the congregation.  Immediately following the service there was a ceremonial handover of the coffin to government officials for the procession to the church.

Towua Corps was absolutely packed with school kids, teaching staff, Corps members and the local community for the main funeral service.  It was clear by those present that Oskar's influence and impact was far and wide.  The funeral service also included a number of contributions from the School and Corps with Lt. Col. Selly Poa giving the message.  At the conclusion of the service in the church the funeral then continued on to the cemetery.

In the evening we gathered back at the Hohoy house for a final service as a celebration of Oskar's life and thanksgiving to God for His faithfulness throughout this time of mourning.  I spoke about 'Continuing A Godly Legacy' drawing on the godly leadership of King Hezekiah and the legacy he left for future generations.  This message was a celebration of the godly legacy of Oskar's life and a call to continue that legacy through a consecrated and covenanted life committed to the ways of the Lord.  After the service it was great to see some impromptu singing by the youth and a lighter atmosphere after a very emotional day.  Ness, Bek and Adam took the opportunity to give Oskar's children two little plush Australian animals that were left by Steve and Kirsten, whom we felt were the perfect recipients for these gifts. 

Today has been a very long and emotional day, but one that has allowed us to serve and care in a way we never imagined on our Mission Trip.  We praise God for this unique opportunity to engage in such a way with Majors Nyoman and Suni Timonuli, the Hohoy family and Towua Corps.

Palu Mission Trip - Day 11

Day 11 - AVAILABLE

Today has simply been about being available.  Available to respond and connect where needed as Nyoman and Suni make arrangements for Oskar's funeral tomorrow. 

After a quiet morning buying souvenirs at the local mall we returned to the school and just hung around to see if we were needed.  While we didn't do much, we engaged in some casual pastoral conversations with staff and Corps members, offering our prayers and support.  It's times like this I wish my Bahasa Indonesia was more than a few words and phrases, but a reassuring smile, shake of the hand and comforting touch on the shoulder is a universal language of love.  More than anything, today we wanted to be available for Nyoman and Suni.  It is an incredible privilege watching these guys lead and minister in their cultural context and seeing the way they manage a diverse and complex centre, especially in the midst of a crisis.  You cannot help but love and respect them both!

It was also great to see the rapid progress of Mr Iwan with the construction of the school canteen.  Working alongside Mr Iwan previously in Jakarta and now in Palu, I am so impressed with his work ethic and quality.  His good nature and hard work makes him a great bloke to work with.  So, it was lovely to touch base with him and his son Irwan today as we wandered around the school.  It seems there isn't a person in the school, from the classroom to the building site, that Oskar's death hasn't touched.

Tomorrow is going to be a very long day with funeral services starting at Oskar's family home first thing in the morning, proceeding to the church and then to the cemetery in the afternoon, followed  by another service back at the home in the evening. 

Palu Mission Trip - Day 10

Day 10 - EMOTIONS

Late last night I received a phone call from Major Nyoman Timonuli to inform me that our plans for today needed to change as the Elementary School Principal of Palu School and CSM of Towua Corps, Mr Oskar Hohoy, had suddenly passed away.  We were shocked to hear this tragic news, as was his family, friends and colleagues at the School and Corps.

So it was a morning of many emotions, saying goodbye to two of our team members, Steve and Kirsten, who needed to return to Melbourne for work commitments, and then attending a memorial service for Oskar at his family home, as is the custom in Indonesia.  As we arrived at his home, his body laid dressed in Salvation Army uniform in an open coffin with his mourning family at his side.  A large crowd of colleagues and Corps members gathered out the front of their home ready for a service to comfort and support the family.  Major Nyoman Timonuli, as the Director of Palu School, led the service and it was an extraordinary privilege to be asked to deliver a message of encouragement for those gathered to show their respects.  In all the funerals I have conducted over 18 years of ministry as a Salvation Army Officer, I don't think I have ever seen and heard such an outpouring of grief and emotion as we did today among this gathered community of family and friends.  Yet, amidst their grief was a strong hope that can only be found in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The afternoon presented us with an entirely different set of emotions as we travelled to the Gimpu District to conduct the planned district meeting at Lauwa Corps, two and a half hours out of Palu.  Salvationists from surrounding Corps gathered for a time of combined worship and to hear from God's Word.  The service included some amazing local musical talent, presenting performances with some unique local bamboo instruments, as well as an inspiring youth singing group.  I preached on 'Faith & Miracles' comparing two powerful miracles from the Bible - Moses standing at the edge of the Red Sea and Joshua standing at the edge of the Jordan River - to describe the relationship between faith and miracles.  This led to an invitation to the congregation to step out in faith first and then trust God for the miracle.  Once again, we were overwhelmed by emotion at the extraordinary movement of Holy Spirit as a crowd of people stepped out in faith to the mercy seat!  It was an incredibly moving sight to see so many of the congregation respond to God in heart-felt prayer. 

I don't know if it is because we are visitors or because there is a greater receptivity to the prompting of the Spirit here, but we have never experienced this degree of response to our ministry back home.  It is truly a humbling and blessed experience to be a part of an outpouring of Holy Spirit in such a way.  All praise and honour to our God!!  Memuji Tuhan!

Palu Mission Trip - Day 9

Day 9 - CHILDREN

Throughout this Mission Trip we have been blessed by meeting so many children in Salvation Army run kindergartens, schools and children's homes from one side of Central Sulawesi to the other.  Every time we have been greeted by delightful smiles and enthusiastic waves from kids who been as interested in their foreign visitors as we have been in them.  In some places initial shyness has given way to curiosity and excitement to near hysteria in the short time we have visited each centre.  Today was no exception.

Bek and Adam felt a lot better about their schooling in Australia when they discovered that kids in Palu go to school six days a week and only get four weeks holidays a year.  So it seemed a little strange for them to start out early on a Saturday morning to visit six schools around the outskirts of Palu.  Starting at Jonooge, we made whirlwind visits to Watubula, Maranatha, Petimbelagi, Tanapobunti and Kalawara Schools with our apprentice interpreter Captain Suni Timonuli, while Major Nyoman Timonuli was having a much needed rest.

It was at the Watabula School where we received an incredible reception that took us by surprise.  After initial greetings by the principal and some teachers in the school grounds, we were ushered into a meeting hall where the entire school had gathered to treat us to a special welcome assembly.  We were given VIP treatment in a beautifully decorated room with a number of singing performances by the children, all dressed in their Salvation Army school uniforms.  We were each deeply moved by the smiles and sincerity of these beautiful kids.  Like many of the other children we have met, one very special greeting of respect and honour that touches our hearts every time, is when the children take your hand and touch it to their forehead.  It is something you really need to witness or experience to appreciate the deep respect these kids have for their elders or those in authority.

Palu Mission Trip - Day 8

Day 8 - TEAMS

After a much needed day of rest and with a couple of team members still feeling a little off colour, today we were given the option to divide into two teams.  One team would take a fairly strenuous trip back up into the mountains on motorbikes to visit schools and Corps in the Lindu District, while the other team would stay local visiting Corps and Centres in the Palu area.  

Team 1 - Nyoman, Robert and Adam headed off into the mountains, leaving our car at the entrance to Lindu National Park in exchange for motorbikes to continue the journey up the mountain along single tracks through gorgeous tropical forests to Lake Lindu.  The track was more narrow than our last adventure into the mountains, but not quite as steep.  However, there were a number of landslides along the way showing how vulnerable this thoroughfare is for locals.  For such a remote track, there was a considerable amount of motobike traffic taking goods to and from the villages.

Along the way we stopped off at Schools and Corps at Puroo and Tomado.  It seems there may have been some mixed messages about where we were to have lunch, so we were treated to lunch twice at Tomado Corps and Langko Corps.  While in Tomado, Adam and I were taken for a walk along Lake Lindu, enjoying some stunning views and a bit of history about the area.  This area has abundant crops of coffee and cocoa, making it almost heaven!

On our return trip off the mountain we called into Salua Corps with Kindergarten where we stopped for refreshments.  The Lieutenants, Jeffrey and Phoebe, were Cadets in Jakarta when visited Jelambar Corps on our last Mission Trip and they remembered meeting us at a combined youth meeting.  It was great to be reunited with these lovely people who have such a fresh enthusiasm for their ministry and community.  (Team 1 reflection by Robert)

Team 2 - Suni, Vanessa, Steve, Kirsten and Rebekah took a tour around Palu visiting DHQ and Salvationist Supplies (called Haleluya Christian Books & Accessories Store), Palu Corps number 1 & 2 and Palu Girls Home, Woodward Corps which is also a apart of the hospital.  It was great to be able to meet the Divisional Commander and Divisional Secretary at DHQ who gave us a very warm welcome. 

When we arrived at Palu Corps number 1 it was a pleasant surprise to catch up with the Major and his wife who were in charge at the Bali Boys Home when we visited there for a previous Mission Trip.  He remembered us and was surprised at how much Bek had grown up since we had last seen him in 2009.  

One of the things that has consistantly stood out to our team is the amount of people that attend the meetings throughout Palu, many of them have anywhere up to 300 people in both their holiness and salvation meetings, and many of the salvation meetings are full of youth which is very encouraging.  The other highlight for the team was being able to visit the girls home.  There are 56 girls at the home and those who are old enough attend the school in Palu that Nyoman and Suni are the directors of.  As we arrived, the girls were coming home from school, each one of them with huge smiles that certainly lit up the room.  Each one of them were keen to show us their rooms which held approximately 26 girls in 13 bunk beds.  

Woodward Corps was a real contrast, as it is only 12 months old and had been opened by General Cox and was one of only two corps in Palu that has airconditioning.  This congregation is made up of some of the nurses and administration staff that work at The Salvation Army hospital which is across the road.  (Team 2 reflection by Vanessa)

Palu Mission Trip - Day 7

Day 7 - REST

After a week of full-on mission activities and adventures taking us all around Central Sulawesi, we were all feeling a little weary!  So, after lunch at the Palu School, we decided to call it a rest day and enjoyed the afternoon in the pool and a quiet tea at the hotel.  This proved to be a wise choice giving us a chance to recouperate, ready to fully engage with the rest of our trip.

As we rested I took the time to reflect upon the extraordinary opportunities we have been given so far to observe the diverse mission and ministry of The Salvation Army in Central Sulawesi, travel through some amazing countryside, participate in a variety of mission activities, partner with a session mate and colleagues, encourage and bless other Salvationists, reunite with Officers we met on previous trips, interact with children and staff at many of the schools and centres operated by The Salvation Army, and experience the rich culture and hospitality of Indonesia.  I think we have received way more than we have given!

The itinerary for the remaining days of our Mission Trip promises so much more, so we look forward with anticipation to what God is going to do during the rest of our time in Palu.  We are so blessed to be a part of the international movement of The Salvation Army.

Palu Mission Trip - Day 6

Day 6 - ADVENTURE

Our mission trip today took us on an adventure high into the mountains to the remote Tamodo Corps in West Palu.  Due to limited road access, we changed vehicles half way up the mountain at Dombu Corps, climbing onto the back of motorbikes with local riders for the last hour of the trek along very rugged, steep and narrow roads.

When we reached the top of the mountain, we were enthusiastically greeted by the whole community of Tamodo village.  After being served refreshments by the Corps Officer we were given another traditional welcome, this time with two men waving machetes while dancing around in front of us, as we walked through the crowd of people who had gathered to welcome our team.  At the front of the church the young people formed a guard of honour singing a beautiful song before presenting us with a small welcome gift.  We couldn't believe that such a remote village and Corps went to so much trouble by having a large banner printed in honour of our visit.

Given that this is the first time this village has ever had outside visitors, a special worship service was held at the Corps where I was invited to preach and our team had the opportunity to pray with those who responded to a 'call to prayer'.  Once again we were surprised by the size and strength of The Salvation Army in such remote and almost inaccessible areas.  The Tamodo Corps has 300 families, representing over 600 people in their congregation.  We got a very real sense just how important The Salvation Army's ministry is in this mountain district from the welcome greeting by the village leader. 

The return trip on the motorbikes was just as rugged as the trip there, but was an extraordinary adventure giving us some amazing views of the mountains and village life and an appreciation for the remoteness of this district.  On our way back down the mountain we were rather amuzed at being stopped at a toll gate by an elderly local man who seized the opportunity to make some money from these rare foreign visitors.

Palu Mission Trip - Day 5

Day 5 - REVIVAL!

Despite breakfast not being scheduled until 7.30 am, none of us could sleep much longer than 5.30 in the hot and humid conditions and with 380 energetic kids getting ready for their sporting events on the last day of camp.  Just to be sure, the mother of all bells was rung at 6.00 am to announce the start of the morning activities.

The much anticipated Youth Revival Meeting commenced at 10.00 am with youth from six Corps and seven Outposts gathering in the Pantolobete Corps hall for worship.  During the service singing groups from a number of the Corps and Outposts present sung some beautiful and moving worship songs.  One group that really stood out to me were the ten kids from Kabuku Outpost, the most remote in the district.  The group walked half a day to a track that was only accessible by motobike to attend the camp!

Preaching to such a large crowd of youth is both exciting and intimidating, particularly in a cross-cultural setting through an interpreter.  However, Holy Spirit moved in ways that I've never experienced before with 94 young people recommitting their lives to Christ and 24 stepping forward to respond to a call to Officership!  There were intially two waves of young people kneeling at the mercy seat with tears flowing from many, including myself, as they submitted themselves to God in front of their peers.  Our team wanted so badly to pray with these kids, but it was one of those moments when it seemed right to sit back and allow the local leaders to minister to their young people.  Even so, God ministered deeply to each one of us as we watched and prayed in union with the moving of the Spirit of God.  This revival meeting certainly lived up to its name!!

Before the Revival Meeting, Nyoman received a call from Palu informing us that Rebekah had been admitted to hospital with severe dehydration.  She was treated with IV fluids as her blood count had dropped as low as 72,000 when it should be around 150,000.  Ness stayed with Bek overnight in the hospital and received the most amazing love and care from Suni and the staff of the Palu School while we were away and out of mobile range.  When we finally arrived back in Palu after another long four hour drive, I was so relieved to see Bek showing good signs of improvement.  I was also relieved to discover that she had been admitted to The Salvation Army Hospital in Palu and was being well looked after by the medical staff.  She will stay in the hospital for another night with Ness by her side to ensure she is totally recovered.

Palu Mission Trip - Day 4

Day 4 - RFA

Our day started early with a long trip to West Palu for some more school visits enroute to the Lalundu District Youth Camp, where we stayed the night.  The trip was long, hot and dusty, taking us initially along the coastline past some fishing villages and a series of quarry mines cut into the sides of the hills, and then inland through a never ending maze of palm oil plantations over the roughest roads I have ever travelled on.  Along the way we passed through a number of traditional rural villages, including a Balinese style village lined with Hindu altars at the front of each home.

The schools we visited were similar to what we have seen so far, but the facilities seemed a little more rustic and the children were from much poorer backgrounds.  As has been the case with every school visited so far, the staff have been greatly encouraged and the children captivated by our presence.  

This is where the day got interesting!  

Bek became progressively unwell during the trip and was showing strong signs of dehydration by the time we reached the second school.  After lunch at the Officer's quarters, we made the decision to organise transport for Bek and Ness back to Palu away from the intense heat to the coolness of the hotel room.  This meant that other team members had to step into a significant ministry role that night in Vanessa's absence.  Before coming away we spoke to the team about being RFA  - Ready For Anything - on the mission trip, which became the reality for Steve and Kirsten.  They literally had a few hours to take the notes that Ness had prepared and present a seminar to 380 eager young people attending the camp.  I was incredibly impressed by their willingness to step up to the task and the way in which they delivered a well presented seminar to the youth.  Adam also demonstrated his readiness by giving a powerful testimony and responding to questions from the audience.

A very long and tiring day ended with a bonfire where we were treated to some campfire games and singing before we settled for a very hot and uncomfortable night.

Palu Mission Trip - Day 3

Day 3 - CONNECTIONS

The words of Don Moen's song, "My soul follows hard after thee, early in the morning will I rise up and seek thee," seemed apt as we arose very early this morning to get ready for the 6.00 am Holiness Meeting at Towua Corps.  Worshipping together with our Indonesian Salvationist brothers and sisters in Christ allowed us to connect with each other through a common language of worship, transcending our linguistic differences, as our spirits connected with the Spirit of God.

Between services we continued to connect through rich and diverse fellowship over a meal that gave further expression of the generous hospitality of our Indonesian friends.  We have been deeply humbled and blessed with the way we have been welcomed and cared for during our visit.

Tonight, during the Salvation Meeting, I was given the privilege of connecting with the Towua congregation through preaching the Word of God.  As a preacher and teacher I always look for effective ways to connect with my audience, but in a cross-cultural setting, preaching through a translator a challenging theme that was assigned to me, I was even more anxious to connect and communicate well.  By God's grace and the power of the Spirit of God a connection was made that moved a large number of people to respond to God's Word at the Mercy Seat.  It is in and through such powerful connections that the mutual value and impact of our Mission Trip is affirmed.  Praise the Lord!!

Palu Mission Trip - Day 2

Day 2 - CONTRASTS

Today we hit the road for a visit to three schools run by The Salvation Army in the East Palu Division.  Our trip took us along some pretty windy and rough roads into the mountains where our senses were overloaded with unfamiliar sights and smells of rural Central Sulawesi.  Along the way we passed many other Salvation Army Corps and were amazed by the enormous presence of The Salvation Army as the main expression of Christianity in the region.

First contrast - The state of school facilities and availabiltiy of education to children in the villages compared to Palu was the first major contrast we saw.  While the school in Palu, the primary focus of our mission trip, has many development needs, it is well equipped and staffed, providing a quality Christian education in Palu.  The first two rural schools we visited offered modest, but acceptable facilities with equally committed staff, but showed signs of greater need and lesser resources.  The third school at Dongi Dongi was very confronting!  There were four completely inadequate classrooms for 180 students!!  They are run down timber structures with dirt floors and make shift desks crammed into barely useable space.

Second contrast - It seemed the deeper we drove into the mountains the stronger the presence of The Salvation Army.  Each rural Corps was far from a struggling country church community, instead large vibrant faith communities with a minimum congregation of 150, with most averaging 200-300 people and a larger Corps we saw having a congregation of 500+!  The contrast for me was reflecting on the average size and location of worshipping Salvation Army communities in Australia.  Every where we drove a Corps or Outpost was pointed out to us representing 80% of Christians in the region, a reality far removed from what I observe in my own cultural context.  The Salvation Army in Central Sulawesi is having a profound impact advancing the gospel in this part of Indonesia.

Palu Mission Trip - Day 1

Day 1 - RECEPTION

Our mission trip to Palu commenced with a series of overwhelming welcomes from the staff and children at the Palu School.  From the early morning staff devotions to a tour of the school grounds, we were greeted with great enthusiasm and interest by the curious onlookers.  As we moved through the elementary school our team was literally swamped by very excited kids who were not shy to pose for photos and who eagerly sought autographs from each of our team members.  This 'rock star' reception of our team gave us a sense of the value of our visit, even for a short time.

Once we freed ourselves from the over exuberant children, it was straight to work with Vanessa, Kirsten and Rebekah commencing the painting project in the kindergarten and Steve, Adam and myself assisting Mr Iwan and his son Irwan with the construction of the new canteen for the school.  We worked hard for the afternoon making better progress than expected before washing up and getting ready for the Youth Meeting that night.

The Youth Meeting was an extraordinary time of worship with about 200 youth at the Towua Corps.  The creative expression of worship was truly moving and it wasn't hard to sense a strong movement of the Spirit in the room.  I had the privilege of preaching to the youth from the story of Zacchaeus about getting a transformed perspective, with the help of my translator Major Nyoman Timonuli.  The invitation after my message opened up a powerful time of prayer ministry with dozens of young people responding to a Holy Spirit challenge.  Our team were deeply blessed to minister to the youth who responded for prayer, crossing language barriers by stepping out in faith to pray in the Spirit for these young people.

What a great start to our mission trip!!

Palu, Here We Come!

Tomorrow, together with our mission team from the Cranbourne Corps, we embark on an exciting adventure to serve our friends and colleagues Major Nyoman and Captain Suniati Timonuli at The Salvation Army school and Towua Corps in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

We trained together with Nyoman in Melbourne 18 years ago and this will be our third mission trip serving him and his family in their ministry context - Denpasar in 2009 and Jakarta in 2011 with the Noarlunga Corps mission team and now Palu with our mission team from Cranbourne Corps.

We will be engaged in a variety of mission activities, including - preaching, teaching, pastoral visitation, prayer ministry, school ministry, youth ministry, painting and assisting with a building project. Most of all we get to partner with other Salvationists in advancing the kingdom of God in their part of the world, building relationships and encouraging each other on our faith journeys.

We are passionate about serving God through the international vehicle of The Salvation Army and are excited about joining in with what Holy Spirit is doing through Bala Keselamatan in Palu, Indonesia. 

Tuhan Yesus memberkati anda!

Cultural Anthropology Reflection

As a Corps Officer with The Salvation Army, an international Christian movement, living and ministering in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, this unit of Cultural Anthropology has provided me with “an informed understanding of the cultural ‘water’ in which divine-human interaction takes place” (Kraft 2011, p. 89). My current ministry context is a multicultural and multi-faith environment that demands an insightful and integrated cross-cultural perspective to appropriately wade into the ‘cultural water’ where Holy Spirit is already at work. Our church is currently supporting asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Egypt, engaging in inter-faith conversations with Pakistanis from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, forming partnerships with an Indian Christian group and working with volunteers from the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Fiji, Iran, Mauritius, Vietnam and New Zealand. In addition to my multicultural ministry context, I live in a neighbourhood with a Sri Lankan Vietnamese family on one side, an Indian family on the other and a Tongan family across the road. You could say that I am treading water in very deep ‘cultural waters’.

The study of Cultural Anthropology has significantly contributed to my current cultural context and cultural sensibilities by expanding my understanding of the lens of worldview, role of missions and a posture of learning. It is also providing me with a framework of thinking to observe and interpret the underlying meaning of people’s worldview that informs and shapes their cultural forms.

Understanding the deeper level of worldview and how it provides the lens through “which reality is perceived and interpreted” (Kraft 2011, p. 56) has shifted my focus in pursuing cultural change to below the surface of cultural forms to consider the underlying cultural assumptions and meanings. In a leadership context, this has provided me with insights and language to lead our church leadership team through a process to examine our current church culture and identify the inviolable values we need to establish to create a desired environment for mission and ministry. I used the worldview diagrams presented in class during week four to illustrate to our leaders where and how we need to influence change at this deeper level. The diagram illustrating the difference between the slow change (unobservable meanings) and fast change (observable forms) was particularly helpful to this process. In a mission context, I was also impacted by Kraft’s assertion that, “The Gospel is intended to influence and change people at the deepest possible level – the worldview level” (Kraft 2011, p. 57). This quote prompted me to write a blog post reflecting on the implications of a transformed worldview on evangelism. In this reflection on my blog, I wrote the following:

“We are called to share a message of good news that transforms the hearts and minds of people towards a kingdom worldview, whereby their reality is seen through the eyes of God who “so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Such a transformed worldview provides a vision of a redeemed reality where despair is turned to hope, sorrow to joy, oppression to freedom, death to life!” (http://ephesiansfour12.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/transformed-worldview.html#sthash.YepUEfiC.dpuf)

Reading ‘Anthropology for Christian Witness’ has caused me to rethink the role of missions as I have begun to examine human behaviour from a cross-cultural perspective and discover how that shapes the way Christians give witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The author Charles H. Kraft relays a story illustrating some of the misperceptions that are experienced by the messenger and receptors of the gospel when there are differing views of reality. He shares the prayer that was prayed for three missionary recruits who were preparing to go to Nigeria: “Oh, Lord, help these young men to realize that it is You who are taking them to Nigeria, not they who are taking You” (Kraft 2011, p. 26). What a powerful prayer that somewhat challenges the paradigm of many missionaries and evangelists who genuinely believe they are taking God to not-yet-saved people. To believe that we are taking God anywhere is to assume that God is not already there. In contrast, this prayer affirms that God is already present and that He sends us to go and join in where He is already at work. This radically changes the context, content and conversation of mission for me. To go where God is already present opens our eyes to a partial revelation of God, opens our ears to interpret what God has already spoken and opens our mouth to speak appropriately into the conversation a full revelation of God through the person of Jesus Christ. It also highlights the need for a different mindset by missionaries and evangelists to realise that “we who enter other people’s societies from outside need to behave as guests” (Kraft 2011, p. 229) and therefore enter the mission field from a posture of learning and humility.

Adopting a posture of learning in a cross-cultural mission context turns mission into a shared experience of discovery and growth whereby the messenger and receptors are mutually benefited by the interaction. This has become real for me over the past couple of months as I have engaged in inter-faith conversations with a Pakistani Muslim enquiring about Christianity. While I passionately believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6) and he holds fast to his Islamic beliefs, I understand that our respective beliefs about REALITY will be defined by a perceived reality from both of our religious and cultural contexts (Kraft 2011, p. 17-18). Therefore, engaging in these conversations from a posture of learning has required more listening than speaking on my part, which is not the intuitive posture for an evangelist or someone with my personality type! Kraft describes this learning role of cross-cultural witnesses: “As we work with the people, we need to find out what kinds of questions they are asking for which they are unable to find answers within their culture” (Kraft 2011, p. 125). I see a biblical alignment between this posture with that of Paul when he spoke with the men of Athens in Acts 17, speaking into what they didn’t know without condemning what they did know. Finding the questions, the Athenians were unable to answer by observing their religious practices and identifying an altar to “an unknown god” (Acts 17:23) resulted in some of them reciprocating a posture of learning by saying, “we want to hear you again on this subject” (Acts 17:32). Adopting a similar posture as a cross-cultural witness with my Muslim friend has opened the opportunity for both of us to engage in each other’s faith perspectives and experiences and to see where the Spirit is at work. This reinforces some of my previous learning about Holy Spirit and other religions:

“We should watch for whatever Spirit may be teaching and doing among them. This posture creates the possibility of a dialogical relationship. We can enter into the faith of others and acknowledge truths and values found there. These are our fellow human beings, seeking truth as we are. God is reaching out, and people are responding. So let us watch for points of contact and bridges of communication” (Pinnock 1996, p. 205).

With this expanded understanding of the lens of worldview, role of missions and a posture of learning, I feel my physical and spiritual senses are heightened every time I interact with people from other cultures. From sharing a meal on the floor in an Afghan home, working side by side painting with my Sri Lankan friend, to discussing new ministry partnerships with Indian Christians, I am participating in a real-life laboratory of application of what I am discovering through this subject. An added dimension to this personal and ministry journey is that I travel to and from Tabor College each week via Dandenong Railway Station on public transport, which presents me with a smorgasbord of cultural diversity. Each trip feels like an observation assignment as I try to identify and understand “the forms, structures, and patterns that humans use in the process of living” (Kraft 2011, p. 133).

As I write this reflection, last night I received a call from colleagues serving in a remote area of Australia who are feeling pressured to commence ministry among the aboriginal people of their town. They have no meaningful connection with the indigenous population, little energy or desire for cross-cultural ministry (due to other more pressing leadership demands), and are being asked to commence a ministry without knowledge of ‘felt needs’ among these people. This conversation demonstrated a complete contrast between the situation of my colleagues and everything I am learning through Cultural Anthropology. Ill-equipped leaders being coached to introduce forms of mission without an adequate understanding of the underlying cultural assumptions is a recipe for disaster. It is these conversations and the insights and experiences I’ve discussed in this reflection that fuel my passion to be an effective cross-cultural witness within my community and organisation. It seems to me the more diverse our community is becoming, the more complex the environment is in which to communicate the gospel. Therefore, old mission, evangelism and leadership paradigms will no longer suffice if we are serious about being effective cross-cultural witnesses to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The journey of cultural transformation continues for me as I seek to integrate this learning into my leadership and ministry in The Salvation Army – wherever that takes me!