2026-03-STM Trip Journal (2)

Indonesia Mission Trip Journal (2) – BTCC

March 4–13, 2026

Ying, Jannie, and Pastor Anthony arrived safely in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia ten days ago. After a day of rest, we spent nine consecutive days living alongside the teachers, staff, and students, at the Batang Tarang Christian Center (BTCC) Kasih Karunia School, located about 120 kilometers from the city (a journey that typically takes at least three and a half hours by car).

The BTCC staff made thoughtful and thorough arrangements, taking great care of us. We stayed in the guest rooms on campus, and shared breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily with different groups of staff and students. This truly made us feel at home. The school facilities have improved significantly compared to before. Classrooms and dormitories are now equipped with air conditioning, and the guest rooms now have hot and cold water dispensers, though there is no hot water in the bathrooms. The campus is also much cleaner.

The surrounding natural environment is peaceful and serene, far from the noise of the city, with a countryside atmosphere that refreshes the soul. The weather over these days has been pleasant—generally sunny in the mornings, with rain in the evenings bringing coolness. As we interacted with teachers and students, even though there were some language barriers, it did not diminish our eagerness to communicate. We quickly felt a sense of familiarity and connection, and were able to adapt to the rhythm of classes and activities. We greatly enjoyed serving here as ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers.

Currently, BTCC has five classes, ranging from Grade 7 (junior high) to Grade 10 (senior high), including two Grade 9 classes, with a total of over 130 students. More than 90 of them are boarding students, living in the boys’ and girls’ dormitories on campus. Over 20 teachers and staff also live in the teachers’ dormitory.

For the ESL tutorial classes we taught, students from each grade attended at scheduled times, divided into Level 1 and Level 2. These classes were held during part of their regular English class time during the day. Since Grade 9 students were busy preparing for their senior high school entrance exams, their ESL tutorials were scheduled after dinner. As a result, the three of us taught between one to three ESL classes each day from Monday to Friday.

BTCC is in great need of English teachers. The students’ English proficiency varies widely. Some are not yet able to hold simple conversations in English and have only a basic understanding of grammar. Therefore, we adjusted our original teaching plan to better meet their needs. On one hand, we used engaging activities such as English riddles to help students build confidence in speaking. On the other hand, we taught grammar and encouraged practice, even helping them use more accurate English when leading prayers before meals.

In addition, Ying organized an extracurricular beginner class for the 6-hole ocarina. He brought over forty ocarinas to give to students who signed up voluntarily and led daily practice sessions after school. The response from students was very enthusiastic. Over forty students participated attentively, and some were able to grasp the basic techniques and play a simple melody within just just one or two lessons.

The BTCC students are polite, eager to learn, intelligent, and quick to understand. They show strong initiative, and with proper nurturing, they have great potential for the future. Recently, the school held entrance exams for new students, receiving over 100 applications for junior high and more than 40 for senior high. The school plans to open a Grade 11 class in the coming academic year.

However, the student dormitories are already full. Construction of a new boys’ dormitory is scheduled to begin early next month, with hopes of completion by July for the new school year. Even with the new dormitory, capacity will still be limited, and only about 70 new students can be admitted. We pray that the construction will proceed smoothly and that all needs will be provided.

One of the most meaningful experiences at BTCC has been the opportunity to have personal conversations with students—expressing care, offering encouragement, and building relationships.

The past week and more has passed quickly. On Friday evening (yesterday), we spent over four hours traveling back from BTCC to Pontianak city. Tomorrow (Saturday morning), we will visit Joyful Christian School and have been invited to share with over thirty teachers at their monthly training meeting. The following Sunday, we will be sharing a message at the GKNI Pniel Church Pontianak worship service.

Next Monday, we will return to BTCC to continue serving until March 25. So far, we thank the Lord that all three of us remain in good health with no discomfort. We pray that God will grant us wisdom, keep us healthy, and strengthen us for service. We humbly ask for your prayers and remembrance.