2026-03-STM Trip Journal (4)

5/18/2026

March 26–31, 2026

For this Indonesian Short-term Mission trip, special arrangements were made so that before the official start of the two‑week Short-term mission itinerary, some team members could participate individually in different locations for unique experiences. On one side, Judith arrived in Malang a week in advance and spent time with the twenty youths at the House of Peace children’s home under Hope Ministry. Through daily devotions and sharing together, doing meal preparation and recreational activities as a group, also through individual conversations, she was able to care for the children more deeply. Judith also had the opportunity to visit two schools where some of the youths are currently studying, meeting with principals and a few teachers, which provided strong support for the young people. She also visited several theology students currently sponsored by Hope Ministry and studying at Salam Theological Seminary; these students all grew up in the House of Peace. Because of Judith’s continuous involvement over the past few years, strong and close relationships have been built through her mission involvement, which gives her a unique supporting role within the Hope Ministry Malang team. We thank God that Judith has clearly become a caring partner who brings blessings to them.

On the other side, Pastor Sam, Ying, Jannie, Jansen, and Pastor Anthony—five in total—spent five days in Surabaya starting from March 26. Their purpose was to visit local gospel ministries that focus on “unreached peoples.” This Short-term Mission trip marked the fourth time that Jansen, now living in Surabaya, joined the K‑PACT Canada team serving in Indonesia. We really appreciate Jansen for his dedicated help, especially in interpretation and communication—his involvement was invaluable. We surely thank God for providing for our needs in a timely manner.

We are especially grateful for the loving hospitality of Brother Irawan and his wife, who are dedicated members of GKA Gloria Galaxy Church in Surabaya. Not only were we able to stay in their home, but Brother Irawan and Pastor Alex Gunawan from the GKA church also took time each day to guide us. They led us to visit various outreach ministries established by church related societies in different regions, serving different groups with a focus on “unreached peoples.” Through their introductions, our perspective was broadened, and we gained a better understanding of the challenges of evangelism among “unreached peoples”, the great needs and the opportunities for sharing the gospel among them. At the same time, we witnessed how God has wonderfully raised up faithful servants for these ministries. Their dedication and commitment to the commissioning of the gospel are truly admirable and serve as excellent examples for us in ministry.

During the five days in Surabaya, our visits included several key mission fields. One was Madura Island (Bangkalan Regency), across the Suramadu Bridge in the north, where the Madurese people live. This is a region largely unreached by the gospel, and the standard of living there is generally low and impoverished. We also visited a rural church with a children’s learning centre in a village of the Tengger minority in the Mount Bromo area in the east. A young pastoral couple, Pastor Duang and his wife, have faithfully served there for several years in response to God’s calling. This Tengger mountain village is similar to the children’s learning centre ministries of Hope Ministry Malang that we visited in the past—both serve Tengger people with a Hindu background—though the two locations are quite far apart. We also visited suburban areas near Surabaya where Muslims form the majority, including a sports ministry focused on football for young students and an after-school children’s centre called Kenosis Learning Center. Both ministries have enthusiastic local staff and volunteers engaged in preparatory gospel work. In addition, we visited Eternal Hope Vocational Christian School, a well-established Christian vocational secondary school for students from poor families. It is run in faith by a local Christian charitable organisation. For over a decade, it has carried out educational and evangelistic work, providing financial support for students in need, nurturing them to develop their skills and growth, and helping them come to know Christ personally—outreaching work that is deeply meaningful.

In just a few days in Surabaya, our observations left a strong impression. The disparity between the rich and poor is evident, and what we saw regarding the needs of the “unreached peoples” is only the tip of the iceberg. The harvest field for the gospel is vast, but the workers are few. This urges us to continue striving wholeheartedly for the spread of the gospel throughout Indonesia as God leads.

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