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JKDOMESIAM CHURCK Of CHRIST MISSION

fiox 3

Jl Merbabu 78

Vermilion, Illinois 61955

Boyolali, Jateng, mxmsik

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It*s Thanksgiving Day and there's no turkey! Vie all got together two days
ago tv celebrate because so many church aetivitie were in progress for today# Still, 1 find iryself thinking and thanking, VIe're so thankful for all of you who sti].l support us with your prayers and giving even though you very seldom hear
from us. Even though we are almost constantly on the go, there is nQ excuse for failing to tell you what's happening.

The best nev;s of all is that our original group of 13 Christians now exceeds
175 and it continues to grow almost every week. We and the llacLean family are now holding regular services in 6 locations plus many weekly Bible studies. Three ether areas will soc.-n be opened so the growth vdll continue. Our total mission

team (nuw 7 families and 2 single women here in Central Java) has a goal of 1500
baprbised believers by r.iid 1980,
timel

Already over SCO have been baptised and if the

rapid grovrfch continues, the goal will be met possibly as much as a year ahead of
I like the Lord*s timetable much betterI

With such rapid grov.-th and r::;w areas being opened, one priority has been

leadership train'jig. Every Monday we have a formal session with about 10 men. They study the lessen for the week, discuss any problems from the previous week and work out any necesi^ary lon^ range plans. Each week a different raan presents the lessons in the villages so that they gain experience as viell as head knowledge. The nice part about it being this v/ay is that our part in the service is only incidental, liost of the time, I can just sit and listen. As the village leaders continue to grow spiritiially, and the responsibilities get bigger, they become ever more aware of their limitations. To help them grow

faster than those they lead, we will be starting S, (Theological Extension Education) in January, This program of intensive study will be a joint project of all the missionaries and will last for at least 2 years, hopefully longer, depend
ing on the government,
RECENT RTOLINGS

Just recently there have been several announcements from the government that
don't soxmd good for the future of the work here. One such ruling forbids the evangelisation of any person already holding a religion, A person can on his own still change his religion but we may not force him to do so. Mo problem? we never have tried for force a person to become a Christian, We are still free to talk to people about Christ, to explain the Bible and Christian faith to them and to encourage them to believe but we can't call that "evangelism" anymore,

A few days after THE above announcement, the government gave notice that missionary activity would be gradually phased out and that the phase out would be completed by Feb, 1981 at which time programs to train national leadership was to

be completed (hence our 2 year program). Others think it means just what it says.

Some say it's just so much hot air. Frankly, we don't know what to believe.

Such things have been said before and have faded into oblivion, VJe are working and planning on the assumption that it is true. When the time comes, the churches-

will be able to stand completely on their own and if wo don't have to leave, we'll
open new areas.

WOI^iENS WORK

Louise and Jan MacLean have been teaching the village women for just over a year now. Theirs is the hardest job because most of the women are illiterate. They use a flip chart that surveys the redemptive plan of the Bible and Christian living. It is designed for use with illiterates so that part isn*t too bad. The rough part is convincing the women that they an leam and even more, that they teach others, A few have caught on though and the groups are growing as a results Both Louise and Jan need your prayers. They operate under a handicap that Bob a; 'l
I don't have - they have no nationals to share in the teaching load. They desperately need some women to do the teaching for them. The lessons can never

be totally clear until they are taught by nationals to nationals.

The language

. and cultural differences arc just too great.

'

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" 5,';*

ON THE FAMILY SIDE OF THUJGS

about one month ago when Grandma and Grandpa Fumas and niece Debbie arrived- We

hs a family, we arc all doing almost too v;eU. Christmas began for us all

uiiey had stuffed in their suitcases# Toys, clothes, and probably 3 months worth of cancfy somehow had been fit in. Then, this v/eek we received 3 big boxes of gifts
from tho folks at the Marion Church of Christ, nine. I enjoy all the presents and candy too. Louise and the kids are on cloud

had a reaUy wonderful 3 week visit with them and as usual it was really hard to see them go. They had us wondering if there was no end to the amount of things

We've managed to stay in good health for most of this year, A wonder \n.th
little ones especially here. There is so much sickness and disease all around ijs we just thank tho Lord for His protection. We are constantly giving cut pills for flu and infections. Fink eye, trachoma and other eye infections arc rampant. Frequently the nonChristians seek the witchdoctor's help before they do anyone
else. The end result is that we have scon several people who have been blinded

for life.

These fake healers have no desire to sec a person got healthy.

I^* they

stay sick then they keep paying. One man lost everything he-owned and was still on tho edge of death from malnutrition. He is better nov? having been hoop3.ta3J but he will never recover financially. About 10 days ago v/e wore taken to a home

where a 6^year old boy had been in a semi coma for nearly 7 months under a witch-*
doctors "care". Now having spent 10 days in the hospital he is almost completely recovered. The problem is rooted in sin and ignorance and fear. The answer lies in the perfect love that casts out all fear, (I John l+tlC) Does that sound too
simple? too pat an answer? I might have felt that way before but no longer.

Having seen the change Christ has made in so many of those people we know that the
answer is just that simple, even for us.
The excitoment and rush of the Christmas season is binTdirig for us and you

too, but don't forget to put us on your gift lists,

Louise and I both want tho

Merry Christmas, Ed, Louise, ICaron, Joanne

and I'lichello

tjk.r ncv S

18

Indonesia Church of Christ Mission

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Eastham, F.A,

/-'

PM

Box 3

io DEC 17

!97a

Vermilion, Illinois 61955

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117.