Sukodono, Indonesia–In 2008 I went to Cairo, Egypt, under YAMEN! to work at the Anaphora Retreat Centre of the Coptic Orthodox church. I used my limited English language as a basis for learning Arabic.<\/p>\n
After a month and a half, however, just as I was getting the feel of Egypt, a friend drove me to the immigration office in Cairo to renew my visa. To my surprise, the officer told me that I could not renew it; this was different from what the embassy had told me before I came. I had to return to my beloved Indonesia. The lesson I learned at that time was: God lets good things and bad things happen to us, but he never leaves us alone to walk by ourselves.<\/p>\n
When I arrived home, my friends were shocked, wondering whether I was unable to do the work. But they prayed for me that all would work out.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, my fellow MCCers in Egypt had talked to other international MCC staff and were able to arrange that my assignment could be transferred to Zimbabwe. Was I dreaming? I had heard that it wasn\u2019t a good place to visit. Inflation was very high, and the country was in economic crisis. Health services were unavailable, and many people were suffering with HIV and AIDS.<\/p>\n
I was grateful to God for my host, Pastor Milson Ndlovu, a Brethren in Christ (BIC) pastor in Lobengula-Bulawayo. He asked me to be his assistant in his pastoral visits and in his Bible teaching. I attended pastors\u2019 meetings and visited people in hospital and seniors\u2019 homes. I even helped to teach in the BIC\u2019s preschool program in Lobengula.<\/p>\n
After nine months, it was time to go home. I was happy that I would see my beloved family, but it was hard to say goodbye to my new family in Zimbabwe. I had experienced Jesus in Africa.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, I completed my studies at my college, STAKKWW Pati, associated with the Gereja Injili di Tanah Jawa (GITJ) synod and the Global Discipleship Training offered by Global Disciples, a mission organization. The GITJ synod is one of three Indonesian member churches of Mennonite World Conference.<\/p>\n
Then I took a job as a teacher in a preschool and kindergarten run by the GITJ in Sukodono, a small city in Central Java, Indonesia. In July of 2010 I was married to Deni Kurniasih of the Sukodono church. Recently we opened a new play group that reaches a variety of families, including people who are not Christian. In it we try to concentrate on character development. I also am a youth discipleship trainer with the GITJ synod.<\/p>\n
Before I joined YAMEN!, I was not confident with strangers from other cultures and languages. I would feel uncomfortable, foolish and inferior. My experiences in Egypt and Zimbabwe taught me that I am Jesus\u2019 own creation, just like anyone else. Anyone visiting a new country feels lonely and small. When I realized this, I knew I could be flexible and grow as a person.<\/p>\n
My growing confidence helped me not only in my YAMEN! assignment; it also made me confident in facing new situations here in Indonesia, too. I came home with a new spirit, wanting to accept God\u2019s call for my life. Currently, it is to serve the church in Sukodono.<\/p>\n
When I saw the suffering of the people in Zimbabwe, I also learned to be thankful. Today, I would be ashamed to ask God for something that I don\u2019t need. I cannot be upset when we get too much rain; others in the world need that rain.<\/p>\n
I have moved from an exclusive local mindset to one that is international. I have a new spirit that is always open to learn.<\/p>\n
God never left me alone when I joined YAMEN! Thanks to Jesus Christ for calling me to serve him in my life.<\/p>\n
Joint release: Mennonite World Conference and Mennonite Central Committee<\/p>\n
Participants in this year\u2019s YAMEN! program<\/strong><\/p>\n Kenia Vasquez of the Iglesia Evang\u00e9lica Anabautista, Santa Cruz, Bolivia, serving in Mozambique; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sukodono, Indonesia–In 2008 I went to Cairo, Egypt, under YAMEN! to work at the Anaphora Retreat Centre of the Coptic Orthodox church. I used my limited English language as a basis for learning Arabic. After a month and a half, however, just as I was getting the feel of Egypt, a friend drove me to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":84663,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[286],"network":[301,178],"eventcategory":[],"class_list":["post-6304","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-yabs","network-yamen","network-young-anabaptists"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nLuisa Santos of the Iglesia Evang\u00e9lica Menonita Hondure\u00f1a, San Pedro Sula, Honduras, serving in Nicaragua;
\nYohane Mbewe of the Maone Brethren in Christ Church in Malawi, serving in Brazil;
\nBrighton Mashebe of the Kanyama \u201cA\u201d Brethren in Christ Church, Zambia, serving in Brazil;
\nNancy Sabas of Iglesia Evang\u00e9lica Menonita Hondure\u00f1a in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, serving in Indonesia;
\nAristiya Dwiyanti of the Persatuan Gereja-Gereja Kristen Muria Indonesia (GKMI), serving in Cambodia;
\nNicole Knelsen Hubert of the Vereinigung der Mennoniten Br\u00fcder Gemeinden, Asunci\u00f3n, Paraguay, serving in Indonesia;
\nJanny Lweendo Hachilenge of the Choma Central Brethren in Christ Church, Zambia, serving in Indonesia; and
\nGodswill Muzarabani, of the Entumbane Brethren in Christ Church, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, serving in Laos.<\/p>\n