"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matthew 28:19-20)
"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me" (Isaiah 6:8).
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord" (I Corinthians 15:58).
September 2021 is the month I started doing mission work in Makassar city. I am very grateful to God for His providence and thank several congregations from Malaysia as well as Indonesia who have committed to take part in funding God's work in Makassar. I also thank the congregation of God in Sawangan, Manado, for being willing to become the supervisory congregation and sponsor for the missionary work in Makassar.
My activities during September 2021 are as follows:
Carrying out the First Vaccine
Thursday, September 2, I went to a provincial government hospital, Rumah Sakit Abdul Muluk, in Bandar Lampung. My initial purpose was to ask about the schedule and place of vaccination in Bandar Lampung, as informed in the Peduli Lindungi android health application after I registered to get a vaccine ticket. The health worker on duty that day asked me if I wanted to be vaccinated that day. When I heard that, I immediately agreed to be vaccinated. Praise God, I had no serious effects other than body aches, which slowly went away after a few days.
Saturday, September 4th, it were for Kenneth and Kathleen's turn, my children, to be vaccinated. The vaccination process went smoothly even though many were vaccinated that day. With the success of this first vaccine, the three of us have fulfilled the requirements to travel long distances during the PPKM (Enforcement of Community Activity Restrictions) period in Indonesia.
Packing Luggages and Farewell with Brethren at Asoka Congregation
Monday, September 6 to Friday, September 10, I was assisted by Bro. Amos Lafau and several brothers and sisters in Christ packed the goods to be sent to Makassar via cargo. On Friday afternoon, the Himeji Express delivery service came to pick up all the 12 bags of goods that had been packed. During those few days, a number of brethren came to visit to give us moral support in our ministry in the city of Makassar.
Thursday, September 9th, brothers and sisters from Asoka congregation, brought food for dinner together at our residence in Bandar Lampung, which was a very memorable moment for us to remember.
Depart to Makassar
Saturday, September 11, at 11.00 WIB, three of us left Bandar Lampung and arrived in Makassar city at 18.00 WITA. We thank Ms. Dortje Parante and Ms. Evi Tagan who came to visit us in the morning the day we departed. We thank Bro. Elias, Sis. Sulis, Bro. Gaby, Amanda, Bro. Darias, and Jessica who took us to Radin Intan airport, Branti, Lampung. We also thank Bro. Jossie Rolos who picked us up from Sultan Hasanuddin airport, Makassar, South Sulawesi and treated us for dinner at one of the restaurants, before taking three of us to Sentosa Guest House at Jl. Mappanyukki 50F, Makassar, where we stayed from 11 to 22 September.
Sunday, September 12, three of us were still worshiping at the guesthouse where we were staying.
School Registration For Children and Looking for House and Place of Worship for Rented
Monday, September 13, I enrolled my two children at their new schools in Makassar; Kenneth at SMK Handayani and Kathleen at SMP Frater. They were accepted and were able to study on Thursday, September 14. While still buying the school supplies for two of them, I also started looking for a rented house and a place of worship. Praise the Lord! Finally, we found the best choice for both! Saturday, September 18, we and the employee, Confie Indonesia Co-Working Space, which is located at Jl. Purification Raya Complex PDAM No. 7, Karampuang, Panakkukang, Makassar 90000, had a deal regarding the rental of space for a capacity of 10 people at a cost of IDR 70,000 per hour, complete with facilities such as chair, tables, audio-visual aids, etc. Three of us had our first worship service on Sunday, September 19 in this building. I presented a sermon entitled "The Meaning of Life" (Matthew 16:26). In the afternoon, after the owner of the rented house and I made a contract agreement for the house with cost of Rp. 15,000,000/year, I met the owner at the house that was to be rented and I immediately paid a down payment of Rp. 2,000,000. Monday, September 20, I paid off the remaining Rp. 13,000,000, and I received a clean house with the keys.
Living In A Rented House
Wednesday, September 22, we began to occupy a rented house which is located at Perumahan Beringin Permai 2 Blok A4/7 Jl. Toddopuli 6, Borong, Manggala, Makassar 90233. The atmosphere is comfortable and the neighbors are friendly in this residential neighborhood. The availability of water using a water pump is sufficient and suitable for use. Starting Thursday, September 23, I bought more priority household furnitures, and others will follow gradually in the future.
My two children and I are very grateful for the availability of support funds both for daily living needs and renting a house and a building of worship from God's congregations in Malaysia and Indonesia. May God bestow His blessings upon all of you!
Second Sunday Worship at Confie
Sunday, September 26, we had our second worship service at Confie with Bro. Jossie Rolos at 13.00 WITA (same as Malaysia and Singapore time) and I delivered a sermon with the title "What Should I Do To Be Saved?" (Acts 2:37). After the service was over, I spoke with Bro. Jossie about the activity of worship since God's congregation is in Makassar now. Next, before we went back to our respective homes, we had lunch together at a restaurant that serves a menu of typical food from the city of Daeng, Coto Makassar at Jl. Abdullah Daeng Sirua No. 10, Masale, Panakkukang, Makassar.
Communication With Brotherhood
Monday, September 27, I received a call from Bro. Joko Folabesi, a member of God's congregation in Lopi, East Luwu. He is also one of the administrators of the church-government relations area. He was happy with our presence and God's church in Makassar. He knows that there are some members of God's congregation in East Luwu who are studying in Makassar city, and he will ask them, including his daughter, to join us for worship at Confie on Sundays and also to participate in the spiritual activities of the congregation in Makassar. At the end of our conversation, I asked him to help the congregation in Makassar to register with the Department of Religion in Makassar. He is willing to help in this matter.
On the same day, via WhatsApp message, I received information from Sis. Serly Adwiyana, an NSSBS student, that his uncle named Wandi is currently studying at Hasanuddin University (UNHAS) Makassar. He asked permission to give him my contact number, and not long after, Bro. Windu contacted me via WhatsApp message. We introduced ourselves to each other, and then I gave information about the Confie worship building and the worship schedule. He will come to worship on October 3, 2021.
A Domicile Transferring Affair in Makassar
Monday, September 6, before moving to Makassar, I went to the head of RT 015 Sukabumi, Bandar Lampung to ask for a covering letter to be brought along with a number of other files to the sub-district office to issue a domicile transferring letter from Bandar Lampung to Makassar. After I submitted all the required documents, the officer of sub-district said that it would take time to process this transferring letter from DISDUKCAPIL (Department of Population and Civil Registration) in Bandar Lampung, and the domicile address was clear in Makassar. Because I haven't been to Makassar and was just looking for a rented house, the officer suggested that I neeeded as soon as possible to go to Makassar to get a definite address, then send the information to the officer for a domicile transferring letter.
Tuesday, September 21, the day after I paid off my one year house rent, I sent the complete address information for the housing we rented, which the officer took care of at DISDUKCAPIL then sent it to me via the JNT delivery service. Monday, September 27, I have received the letter of domicile transferring.
Wednesday, September 29, I went with the domicile transferring letter to the Borong sub-district office on Jl. Toddopuli 6 No. 25, Borong, Manggala, Makassar 90231. When I submitted the letter, the Borong sub-district officer asked me to request a covering letter from the heads of RT 04 and RW 12 and fill in several forms to fulfill the requirements to be accepted as a resident in Makassar city. I immediately went to the house of the head of RT 04, but he wasn't home that day. Thursday, September 30, in the morning, I went again to the house of the head of RT 04 and met him, then he made me a covering letter, which I then took also to RW 12 to be signed. It is very fortunate that the house of the head of the RT, RW and Borong sub-district office is close to where we lives, making easier for all these matters to handle. I'm currently filling out the four forms requested by the sub-district, and as soon as I'm done, I'll go hand them over to Borong Sub-District for further processing while waiting for the notification of the citizenship status of three of us in Makassar.
My two children and I are very grateful to the Father in heaven for His mercy and providences in all things in September 2021, and of course we also thank the sponsors and supporters for their prayers and cooperation so that we can get through September 2021 very well.
Makassar, October 1, 2021,
Harun Tamale
Mission Monthly Report in Makassar
Under the supervision of GSJKDI Sawangan, Sawangan Village Guard IV, Kec. Tombulu, Minahasa, North Sulawesi 95662.
Email: haruntamale@gmail.com
Blog: https://mission-report.blogspot.com/
