Orphanage and Life In Indonesia

Hi Folks,

Here in Indonesia (Salatiga) were working on a few things:
a) helping the missionaries live amidst the local Indonesia community
b) help them begin and start a business to be able to intertwine themselves into the community (be like the people they minister to)
c) begin building an orphanage
d) helping windows and those in need locally that don't have any assistance

Why is there a need to help people like this?
Indonesians like many other cultures in the world view Americans coming to Indonesia as rich and full of money even though many of us (especially those that go to the mission field) are not. Regardless they see the whiteness of our skin and generalize on our economic state. These people have VERY meager living conditions and I guess comparatively they don't have the economic means like many of us do. For example, many people still live in huts with very bad living conditions which are unsanitary etc.. their water for the most part is not drinkable according to American standards. If you do drink it you will get Giardia or another type of protozoan bacteria which will cause sever stress in your life! They just live with it. People live simple lives trying to make about $2-5 each day just to survive. That is a good wage here in Indonesia. Yet this is still a 3rd world with lack of infrastructure, good sanitation, good water and thus why the focus on creating a method for distilled water etc...


Why build an orphanage?
because of the meager living conditions many parents find it impossible to feed and clothe their children. They simply beg on the street and their children sit and lay and sleep in the gutter breathing exhaust fumes from the passing cars and ending up with breathing and lung problems. The children really need a safe and sanitary place to grow so their parents are free and able to earn a living to then bring them back into the family. That is simply the rational. There is an orphanage here and it is so good for the kids. Its provide a place for consistent, food, sleeping, education, and sanitary facilities that the kids just don't get on a consistent basis. Sadly many parents are reluctant to put their kids into an orphanage (understandably) but then the kids suffer..


Why begin a business?
This allows the missionaries to work at the economic level of the locals and be among the locals. Be like those that they minister to.. They also have the ability to minister to other missionaries since they are so close to the compound. with coffee, communications etc..


Who do you help? and what is the best way?
Interesting question: The missionaries here are currently helping one widow, they were paying for her to have a apartment (bless their hearts - good intent since the lady leaves her little girl to sleep on the dirty gutter and beg for money while her little girl coughs up a lung). It turns out she is getting a bit demanding and expecting since she is dealing with the rich American missionaries. I liken this to either the giving of bread or helping those to grow and refine and be self sufficient to make the bread. The missionaries intent was to help the widow who is truly a widow and exhibited christian vernacular so they felt a sincere empathy towards her situation. Now it almost has turned into a enabling situation with the widow and the original intent (to help the child) has not improved. Instead of having the child in the apartment she still is with mom on the street coughing up a lung.

This situation was a source of good prayer and discussion among us as they just get into the life of living here and trying to help.

As a result we were able to discuss the scripture and the biblical principals that are set in the bible which I think are gentle which allows for the good intent but comes with controls to enable the innocent to prevail . So this is a constant learning experience and never the same twice. Just like we see in the states where each situation to help is different it must be met with a custom attitude towards the situation along with a custom response.

Christ never enabled a situation, he always met the situation head on with a manner in which cut to the core of the issue and dealt fairly and the result was a restored individual back to himself OR it was alienation cause the person was not of his fold. It is always a challenge to walk in this and in each situation. and I encourage dialog on this since it is a beginning for the missionaries and for all of us to see in the 3rd world first hand.

Covet all of your prayers

In Christ,

Dad