OMC Recap
How can we unleash Indonesia’s potential? All of us know the potential of Indonesia. Indonesia has been blessed with plenty of natural resources and strategic geographical location. President Joko Widodo and the previous presidents have crafted many policies to unleash its potential. However, none has been successful. Mr. Michael Sianipar, one of OMC keynote speaker and Governor Ahok special staff, explained that the government can only expand the access to the better education, economic, welfare, or political system. Unfortunately, the government has very limited ability to control or even improve the quality of these systems.
Mr. Sianipar also tossed another challenge to us. Indonesia will experience a major shift in demography. Indonesia will have more people in the productive age within 10 to 15 years. This shift can be a blessing or a curse. A blessing when we could channel this massive energy into positive growth. A curse, when we could not grow the country fast enough, and have to subsidize these younger generation.
As Indonesian Christians, what can we do? According to Mr. Sianipar, the quality of the education, workplaces, and political systems will never get better unless Christians get involved and provide leadership. Jim Yost, another key note speaker, went even further. Mr. Yost said, unless we as Christians are willing to carry the cross and suffer for Christ and for other Indonesians, Indonesia will never be better.
Mr. Yost shared his experience in transforming his community. His church consists of prostitutes, criminal gangs, and punk youths. He and his family run medical clinic and bring the church to where these unwanted youths gather. He and his team build schools, train sport teams, run social campaign against drugs and promoting peace, build businesses, and develop media and art shows for youth. This will never happen, if Jim does not follow God fervently and willing to suffer for the least of these.
OMC Attendance and Financial
This year we are reformatting the OMC conference. The OMC started on Saturday (9/3/2016) rather than Friday. Also, we spent time outside the conference. We visited Islamic Society of North America conference on Friday and went out for dinner on Saturday. The conference ended on Monday (9/5/2016).
We are really encouraged with the attendance. This year the conference was attended by 35 people. Amazingly, about 21 people were either first time attendees or attended the conference 10 years ago. We have never had these many new attendances in the last 5 years.
We experienced firsthand God’s provision for this conference. There many generous first time donors that helped provided funding. The funding was primarily used to help reducing transportation cost for the students. FICA total expenses for the OMC 23 were $11,269.20. Majority of our expenses was to pay the speaker’s expenses, which was $4,766.26. This year FICA gave scholarship in the amount of $1,151.3. Our total revenue was $7,200. Of this amount, the total donation was $3,300. FICA incurred $4,069.2 net loss for holding OMC 23.
Summary
As Indonesian Christians living in America, what can we do? During the OMC, there were 7 examples presented. These examples showed each one struggle to carry the cross and suffer for others especially people in Indonesia. They all use the little talent God gave them. But the results are amazingly impactful. One of them opens a technology business which employs non-Christians. Another brother uses internet data to predict the mental and emotional conditions. There is another one that taught financial accountability to Indonesia’s youth.
It is very clearly observed in their presentations that there are two important characteristics to their efforts: courage and perseverance. It takes courage to quit your daily job to pursue God’s calling to serve Him in Indonesia. However, it requires persistence to see the fruit of your labor. After many tries, one brother has successfully mentored an Indonesian student to study in the US.
During commissioning, Pastor Jim Yost wants us to follow Caleb and imitate his spirit. Caleb is different because he sees God hands rather than the calamity surrounding tragedies and sufferings. Not only that, he is willing to obey God immediately. This is exactly why God knows that king David has God in his heart. Acts 13:22 says, “… God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’”.
These Overseas Mission Conferences are always about God and our obedience to God’s calling. God has provided us resources to carry out this conference for 23 times. Let us pray and listen to God’s voice on what He wants us to highlight next year. Please let us know, if you have any idea or want to participate in the preparation team for this conference.