We then moved on to Island of Nias. Our interpreter, Abraham, who has worked with me the last 10 years in Indonesia, said: “Suzette this must be the most remote place we have been in Indonesia”. If you imagine that we have been to about 30-40 cities in Indonesia then it should give you an idea of just how remote this place really is. The earthquake 3 months after the Tsunami in Aceh almost destroyed the entire Island, yet it was here that I fell in love with Indonesia all over again.

The fish on the table served every night was fresh from the sea and the meals prepared with great love - the Indonesian hospitality at its best with what they had. The meetings took place in a large building that was rebuilt after the earthquake and about 2,000 participants could fit in with the overflow, yet one seminar and one of the crusade nights were broadcast to the entire Island with its 400,000 inhabitants through the local radio stations. The Islands “governmental officials” came out in full force to greet us and I smiled at the “blue lights and sirens that accompanied our convoy”. The chief of police attended all the meetings and looking at all the motorbikes and police officers that accompanied him - brought a smile to my face. Not only were we VERY, VERY SAVE WITH ALL THE POLICE PRESENT BUT GOD HAS A WAY TO GET THE PEOPLE IN THE MEETINGS TO HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD THAT WOULD NEVER HAVE COME OTHERWISE! They accompanied the chief of police and with that HAD TO LISTEN to the Word of God!

The fist night was “hard work” with tremendous spiritual opposition as the enemy tried to disturb the entire outreach. Gayle was almost hit by an electric short off the electric cables in her room. Also the morning before I had to do the first seminar, the brace that the doctors put in my mouth fell out into my hands and broke - without that I could not speak. I was truly disturbed, but thank God for “super glue” so we glued it together and forced it like that into my mouth and prayed that it last while I speak. My interpreter said ”Suzette I was so sure you would speak – even if you had to do it with sign language!” absolutely right - when Satan fights like that it makes me just more determined. After the meeting we went to a dentist – when I walked in there I gave one look and thought “Jesus there is no hygiene, are we doing the right thing?” I first wanted to walk straight out again but then thought of how toxic the super glue in my mouth is, so I stayed, but I must say – she repaired it as well as a dentist in Germany would have done - thank the Lord.

The break through came the next morning at Gayle’s seminar - she preached a powerful message and then the Spirit of the Lord just brought a brokenness and weeping upon those that streamed to the alter call. There was such a holy reverence of God present that the presence of the Lord was almost tangible. Even the chief of police stood with tears in his eyes, stepping forward for prayer - something unknown in that Island. The first night a young girl was carried in with some “demon manifestation”. Everybody wanted to see what was happening - these things were unknown to the people – Jesus set her free and the next day she was shining with the beauty of the Lord as she testified.

Nias is an Island that needs our input, preaching, salvation, signs and wonders and certainly SPIRITUAL AND PHYICAL HELP. I promised that we would return with a 7-day open-air crusade as soon as we can by the grace of the Lord.

Running a program as we do here can be very demanding - the nights are short and the days long - preparation and prayer times seem to run into ministry and preaching hours and soon life is like an whirl wind of activity, prayer and preaching however I bow my knees in thankfulness before the Lord, what love He bestowed on us to have the privilege of being part of what He is doing in the Nations. Truly this is more worth than silver or gold for truly the harvest is ripe but the labourers few.

When I sometimes feel that it is all to much and I physically can’t keep up, I remember the surprise in the eyes of the young Buddhist man when he was instantly restored, or the smile on the face of the old man that could walk again after being bed ridden for one year, or the tears in the eyes of the woman who could not even walk due to the pain in her hip and so many more testimonies. I then bow my knees in thankfulness before the Lord that He would even consider people like us to be part of His work and for His grace towards us in Voice in the City.

We are all shareholders in what He is doing, one day you will stand before Him, the only one that can reward you for what you do for Him in love. However from me - a great and hearty “thank you” for all you do in standing shoulder to shoulder in the vision and work of Voice in the City – He will reward you - that I am sure of.

Back to Jakarta – The Orphanage

We visited the children in the orphanage and had our “Christmas party” with them. Voice in the City bought 180 school bags for each child - a bag as a Christmas gift from our prayer partners and us. On Saturday was the ladies gathering with about 700 women and then off to the next crusades in Kupang, Malang and Palankaraya.