Page 104 - Introduction to New Jerusalem Evangelism

The crusades lasted extraordinarily well in a temporary wooden structure
without walls and having its roof made of rumbia with a bamboo-structure stage in the
front. While the lodging house was an openly-elevated structure with 4-side bamboo
mesh walls of half-open and the rumbia roof too. The bathroom and WC was in open
air and its roof was the sky itself, its wall was 4-side of sheets of zinc with the bathtub
from an ex oil drum cut in half. Local foods consisted of the roasted deer and kangaroo
meats, the boiled cassava-like roots, potato-like tubers and beans, lentils and nuts as
well. The crusades were done in the morning (09.00 – 12.00) and evening (17.00 –
20.00) for 3 consecutive days. The sermons were given in English and performed by Ev
Andreas Hartanto and the dual, Ps Jeffry Rengkung (in Indonesian) translated into
English by Ev Benny Gozali. Altar calls were basically attended by full crowds. The
attendants had to come by small boats, canoes and also ‘on foot’ and they had to cross
and break through the same lake-and-weed area overcoming many obstacles in the
journey and risking their lifes too in order to join the crusades. Wow…..strikingly
amazing! Some of them had crossed the swampy area and walked through the up-to-
chest water. What a militant Christian people! Thank God for the chance of meeting
and serving these people!
The striking surprise also happened to us i.e. the NJE group at the end of the 3-
day-and-night crusades. The crusade committee demanded NJE group to delay the
departure from Wandouw because they wanted to still continue the crusades. Their
reason was clear and meaningful. This was due to many people from other villages
were still on their ways to Wandouw. In view of the obstacles and risks they had
already taken to go to Wandouw everybody could understand their request. The local
committee was in a difficult position, they were afraid of the people but they had to
stick to the original plan and agreement i.e. NJE would return back after completing
the 3 full day services. And the wise solution came from the military men who had
escorted us. The NJE and Sota groups had to be released and allowed to return back
to Indonesia because they had to escort us again. They could not stay any longer due
to their strict 3-day assignment given by their commander in the first village where the
station was. As reported to us by the crusade committee the military guarding of us
was part of their duty: any foreign evangelist or pastor who entered into any isolated
village especially in forest, river bank and swampy areas had to be protected so that
he (she) could perform the mission and returned back to his (her) country safely. What
a privilege for the man of God! Thank God again!

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