Praise God! We have began our 5th year here in Indonesia! God’s mercy and faithfulness is still new every morning and the work never becomes boring. I write this now with joy.. but also with a heaviness. This month had many successes but also a disappointment. As a partner in all of what takes place here I want you to be able to rejoice in all the good reports, but also let you know of the heartache we sometimes face when the good news is rejected.Â
As you know this month was going to be our huge youth festival in the coastal city of Sibolga. A day before the festival the preparations had all been made, the sound system was already on the field, and the whole city (population of about 200,000!) was buzzing with excitement.. But then trouble came. I won’t bore you with the details or the struggle that day.. but I will be honest enough to tell you that our event was canceled. Muslim radicals had obviously noticed that this was going to be the biggest event ever in their city!!.. so they took drastic steps to stop it. I don’t believe we were ever really in danger. But because the police chief took away our ability to do it.. we had no choice.
That night I went to stand by the ocean… as I watched the sunset I heard the mosque praying.. it was like a cry of those who don’t know Jesus.. I cried over the city of Sibolga. Over the 1,000’s that wouldn’t be able to hear the good news of Jesus the next day. It was quite possibly my biggest disappointment ever. But by the grace of God I became strong and would not give up! We pushed and pushed until that Saturday we were able to do something for the youth there who had worked so hard for this.. Even though we weren’t allowed in the city the youth came pouring out to the village.. 100’s of them! Until the church couldn’t hold anymore.. they filled the doors and windows! And we let our sadness go as we praised God with everything we had! There was such an excitement in the place!
I realized.. maybe I couldn’t preach the gospel to 1,000’s on the field.. but if I could fire up 100’s of young people.. they could preach to 1,000’s! So that’s exactly what we did! The place was like an explosion of joy!  Not only that but almost that whole village heard the music and came and soooo many received Jesus that night! I know God works all things for good.. and I can already see that working already! Even though it’s just a few days later I am already full of passion for the next city! This rejection happened to Jesus and the apostles! The very night it was canceled I read in Acts of how it happened to the apostles. Do you know how they responded? They didn’t give up. They didn’t hide in fear. They didn’t stop preaching the gospel! But that very night they left to a different city and once they arrived they preached the gospel to those who had rejected them!! We must follow their example! This has opened my eyes!
I was totally blind to see what an impact this event could have! I had expected a few thousand.. but now I see how much bigger it was going to have been!.. it could turn a whole city upside down!! More than I ever imagined! I don’t believe any longer that we have failed in this.. I believe we have had an experience that will make us even better at bringing the good news to those who need it!
We had many other awesome experiences bringing the good news to those who needed it this month! As a team we conducted a two day village festival in Bukum Suwah. As I was preaching the 2nd night I couldn’t help but to almost jump up and down with joy at the good news I was speaking. After we prayed for the sick a few village grandmas came up to testify.. and to demonstrate how they felt they started dancing! Before I knew it I was surrounded by dancing grandmas! Hahaha.. they even grabbed the mic and started singing! Oh boy! It was such a breakthrough of joy and an awesome celebration of them receiving what Jesus had done for them!Â
One day I was preaching in a Sunday service in Medan.. I was preaching about how we can live a ‘stree-free life’ in Jesus. (something I am learning on a daily basis). After I finished the service a young woman ran up to me to hug me, thanking me. She told me that she been struggling with so much worry that she felt like she had no excitement for God anymore. She told me ‘I think God sent you here just for me! You said exactly what I needed to hear! I feel so free!’ Seeing her face lit up with joy was a real blessing to me.. I know I am nothing. But knowing how Jesus uses His word through my mouth to free His people is such an honor!
And to keep you informed of what’s ahead!!: In a few days I’ll be heading to the city of Siantar, about 4 hours away, to build up the women in a conference. After that I’ll be celebrating the Muslim New Year with all my Muslim friends, building up relationships in our community. Then I’ll be traveling 12 hours to Padang Sidempuan to help in an emergency with depression and problems in the young people there. Right after I get back I’ll need to pack up to fly to the opposite side of the country to set up a festival with Pastor Peter Youngren. That will take us to November where I hope to do another large youth event! Thanks for keeping all of this in your prayers!!
I already know that this year is going to be another awesome year full of God doing exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ask or think!!! Thank you so much for being a part of it!!
‘Kuat di dalam kukuatan kuasaNya’ (stong in the power of His (not our) might!) Eph 6:10
Blessings,
Susan Joy
1.)Â Â Â A beautiful moment as many in Bukum Suwah raise the hands as a sign they want to receive Jesus into their lives!
2.)Â Â Â Me dancing with the grandmas in Bukum Suwah!!
 3.)   This adorable girl in Bukum Suwah testified about how she had been sick her whole life but that Jesus had healed her that night!
4.)   The youth event in Sibolga.. the camera couldn’t catch the joy as the band played because these youth were just jumping around too fast!!! Woohoo! Haha
5.)Â Â Â Preaching in the youth event.. you can see a little bit of how many were standing outside as well!
6.)   After the youth event our youth team and the local committee of young people gather for a group picture.. even though it wasn’t what we had planned.. you can see it’s not sadness, but joy, that we left the youth in Sibolga with.
7.)   The beautiful sunset in Sibolga that brought me to tears.. even at a time of disappointment God’s beauty makes us almost speechless!
8.)Â Â Â With the girls on my youth team. I was so proud of the band and team! They traveled for 10 hours even after they knew the events was canceled.. giving their best to whoever they could!
9.)   The excitement of the children after receiving our flyers! On that night as we handed out flyers they began to follow us.. we soon had a ‘parade’ going down the street of up to 100 kids!
10.)Â Steve and I stand out on the fishing docks in Sibolga. The fishing area is mostly run by the Melayu people, an unreached people group. Please continue to pray for them.
11.)Â Our faithful publicity team in Sibolga.. I was amazed at their dedication.. and their excitement.. but I think that goes without saying! haha
12.) Speaking in a kid’s school retreat in Berastagi.. on our 1st day back in the country! What an awesome opportunity!
13.)Â Having fun being interactive with the kids.
14.) A picture I didn’t include last month. The village festival in the Muslim village of Ujung Teran.
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