Indonesia project--The Beginning
|
In 2013 a friend of a friend convinced me to go to Indonesia and assist with the opening of a vocational trade school on the Island of Borneo. I had just started my master's in Global Community Development, and had just graduated with my BA in Global Policy and Service Studies at Southern Adventist University, so I was as anxious to put my education to practice as I was busy trying to finish my degree.
Our wealthy Indonesian sponsor went bankrupt weeks after I arrived, which lead to a quick death of our project. But this short three month experience didn't die entirely, it left a seed in my heart to continue the work as soon as I could get the opportunity. Four years later, my Tanzanian buddy whom I had spent a semester with in the Philippines, called me up and asked if I would help him create an English Education program in Indonesia. I said yes--jealousies and local politics soon got in our way, and we found ourselves getting very little of what we had planned accomplished working with a local organization. Today I am married to a wise and kindhearted Indonesian woman named Githa. We both have a passion and history of trying to help those in need. In order to avoid being held back by those that don't have our same mission and focus, we've decided that we must begin our own projects that balance the humanitarian mission, spiritual mission, as well as a sustainable mission. |
What is our mission? We seek to improve the physical health, inter-faith well-being, and financial success of those around us through education and action. We will provide classes on better living, hold inter-faith discussions for the purpose of peace building, create food co-ops for the poor (the poor spend the most on food because they can't afford the cheaper bulk quantities), provide English and finance classes, provide micro-lending using social capital, assist the undocumented citizens to get their documents and government assistance, provide scholarships to children in need, and share the good news that God loves each and every one of them. |