Last July, Olivia and Bikonzi, two of the Mission ONE team members, traveled to Indonesia to begin a new and impactful partnership. This partnership seeks to empower missionaries on the ground, equipping them with resources and practical skills to foster deeper relationships within communities. These efforts allow the gospel to spread organically, transforming lives in remote areas where the message of Christ often remains unheard.
A key part of this partnership involves integrating practical work, like farming, into ministry efforts. Missionaries receive training to launch projects that meet tangible needs while also creating space to share their faith. One such example is the ministry of Dani and Wina (names changed for safety), a missionary couple serving on a remote island in Indonesia.
Ministering to Individuals Through Farming
In March 2024, Dani and Wina started an organic farming initiative on a remote island, using farming as a way to engage the local community. This project became a gateway for building meaningful relationships with people on the island. Two women, Cahaya and Yuni (names changed), were among those who joined the farming community and quickly grew close to Dani and Wina.
Through farming, Dani and Wina grew close to these women and their families. They spent time with them daily, learning about their daily struggles and offering them practical advice to help them navigate life’s challenges. The trust built through farming created opportunities for Dani and Wina to walk alongside Cahaya and Yuni as both mentors and friends.
On September afternoon, Cahaya and Yuni visited Dani and Wina’s home in the village. What started as a conversation about farming naturally shifted into discussions about faith. Dani and Wina shared stories from their personal journeys of faith—stories of Jesus’s faithfulness, guidance, and the peace they’ve found in knowing Him. Cahaya listened intently. By the end of the visit, she confessed that after witnessing Dani and Wina’s way of life and hearing about their faith, she felt drawn to know more about Jesus Christ.
A few days later, Yuni returned to Dani and Wina’s home with her own testimony. After reflecting on their conversations, she too had opened her heart to Christ. She prayed with Dani and Wina to receive Jesus and shared that from now on, she would bring her concerns to God through prayer in the name of Jesus Christ.
This life-changing experience didn’t stop with Cahaya and Yuni’s personal decisions to follow Christ. Inspired by their faith journey, Dani and Wina have since started a house church among the farming community. “Praise the Lord!” Dani said. “We’ve launched a house church with new believers from the MB people group.”
What began as a farming project to meet practical needs has now become a spiritual gathering where faith continues to grow. Through this house church, Cahaya, Yuni, and others from the community are studying God’s Word and supporting one another in their faith journeys.
Mission Through Relationships
The heart of this new partnership is equipping missionaries to engage communities through practical means like farming, building trust that leads to deeper spiritual conversations. Dani and Wina’s ministry is a perfect example of how simple, everyday activities can create space for the gospel to take root.
Their story is just one of many that began in the field. As more missionaries immerse themselves in community life and cultivate relationships like those with Cahaya and Yuni, more lives will be touched by the love of Christ. Every conversation, visit, and a small act of kindness becomes part of God’s greater plan of transformation on this remote island and throughout Indonesia.
As we move forward, we invite you to join us in prayer. Please pray for:
- Cahaya and Yuni to grow deeper in their faith in Jesus and walk closely with Him.
- The Organic Farming Community to continue growing and bringing the impact of the Kingdom of God where Dani and Wina live and serve.
- Opportunities to meet more people from the MB people group who are hungry for God.
- That God will open doors to preach the Good News throughout the MB people group on this remote island.
When faith is cultivated through relationships, it flourishes. And as more lives are transformed, the gospel continues to spread, bringing hope to the farthest corners of the world. Together, we can transform more communities to look like the Kingdom and bring the hope of Christ to places that need it most.
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