Speaking The Language Of Hope

Communicating with people of another culture always comes with challenges. Differences in language, expression, culture, religion, and understanding can create all kinds of misunderstandings.

But those challenges should never prevent us from speaking the language of hope. That’s why we are so thankful for your co-laboring in this work and dedication to sharing the hope of heaven in Indonesia.

One way you reached across the barriers in 2024 was by making it possible for Prophecy Odyssey to be broadcast from New York this past fall and translated live into 17 languages using advanced artificial intelligence. Our devoted Indonesian team uploaded those translated messages onto the Amazing Facts Indonesia YouTube channel, where they were watched 33,000 times. That is phenomenal in a country where 87 percent of the population is Muslim!

We share many beliefs with Muslims, including the soon return of the Messiah, the judgment, healthy living, and the transcendence of God. But our core belief in Jesus as the divine Son of God runs counter to Muslims’ most cherished belief that Allah is the only God and does not have a divine son.

Yet, despite the challenges, Jesus is reaching many Indonesian Muslims through you and the diligent work of the Indonesia Amazing Facts Center of Evangelism (IAFCOE) team. Thank you for finding ways to overcome barriers and bring hope to so many!

Sharing Hope in Indonesia

God is continuing to bless the work of IAFCOE through your generosity. Many Muslims are interested in improving their health, so your efforts through Klub Sehat Indonesia (Healthy Club Indonesia) are reaching many. The Klub provides lifestyle classes and essential check-up services (blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol). The staff saw 890 patients in 2024. They visited patients in their homes, taught health classes, and ran a health food store and restaurant. The calorie and nutrition information for 100 menus sold by the café has also been calculated, allowing customers to be more informed about their health choices.

In August, the Amazing Facts Indonesia staff conducted a Week of Prayer for 300-plus students at Purwodadi Adventist Academy Boarding School. About 40 percent of these students are not Sabbath-keepers yet. We praise God that seven students gave their lives to God in baptism at the end of the week.

IAFCOE’s fourteenth class has just graduated and is returning home to continue sharing Christ with others. The next group of students has completed their classwork and is just beginning their practicums in the community. They are engaged in canvassing, visiting people in their homes, giving Bible studies, leading church services, teaching about health, and more. Please continue to lift these dedicated native missionaries in prayer. They face many challenges!

God is reaching many people through the three Indonesian websites you make possible. Our YouTube channel has grown to 26,404 subscribers, and the number of subscribers on Instagram and Facebook has continued to grow. While many people interact with our media online, others also seek more information. Currently, IAFCOE staff are studying the Bible with eight precious souls. Please pray for these individuals to have the courage to stand up for their new faith.  

You are also working hard to share Christ through the written word. In 2024, you gave away or sold 16,780 pieces of literature. You also enabled the IAFCOE team to prepare Bible studies, books on the Holy Spirit, and a coloring book for publication. These items are currently in the editing stages and will soon be published.

Thank you so much for praying earnestly for God’s work to flourish in Indonesia. Please especially pray that those who watched the Prophecy Odyssey series will be convicted by the truths they heard and dedicate their lives to Christ. Your faithful support and earnest prayers are making a difference!  

Encouraged by a Crazy Man

It had been a discouraging day for the IAFCOE students. They were going door-to-door to sell books on health and spiritual growth. But it seemed that no one was interested. Then, one of the colporteurs came to a shabby home. An unkempt man appeared at the door and listened as the student told him about the health books he was selling. The man said nothing but seemed more interested when the student showed him the book Marriage, Divorce & Remarriage by Pastor Doug.

 Suddenly, a man rode up on a motorcycle, pointed to the unkempt man at the door, and made a sign that said, “He is crazy.” But the message initially didn’t register with the colporteur, who continued to witness to the man at the door. God blessed the student’s efforts, and the man purchased a book despite his disabilities.

As the IAFCOE student continued down the road, he suddenly realized what had happened. “I realized that the man I was speaking to was mentally disturbed—that’s what the man on the motorcycle had been trying to tell me. I felt astonished that a crazy person would have compassion and accept a stranger like me when the other people I spoke to felt they were doing fine, so they rejected the good news I brought. It encouraged me to continue sharing good news through books for the rest of the day.”

 Thank you for your dedication to sharing the hope of Christ in Indonesia. Your prayers and sacrificial gifts are helping the gospel overcome the barriers of language, culture, and religion and reach into the hearts of people longing for something better. Please continue to pray for our Amazing Facts Indonesia team as they seek creative ways to speak the language of hope to the Muslims of Indonesia. Thank you!