Use of and improvements to the Ruko

Danicl and his wife, Naomi

New Partition to keep in the cool and keep out the mosquitoes

The new glass partition to keep the mosquitoes out and the cool air in

Students

Students

Students

Students

Students

Students

Students

Students

Students

Our Shop House (Ruko) teaching center

Second from the end is our's

My apartment

My apartment

My apartment

Worship center

First floor classroom

Second floor classroom

Worship center or classroom

First Baptism 2009 in the Ruko

First Baptism 2009 in the Ruko

Daniel Takes her confession

Daniel explains the situation to the congregation

Baptistry

New church building in Gunung Sitoli, Nias

MARCH, 2009

Volume 2, Issue 1

STEVE’S MISSION NEWS

NEWS FROM NIAS
The new church building was dedicated March 15th.
The vocational school has started the tailoring course.
Christian women from Malaysia will teach our Nias women May 29th through June 4th.
The children's home should be ready for orphans by May 1st.
Local preachers supported through the work fund continue to produce good results.

NEWS FROM JAKARTA
The ruko is beautiful and fits our needs perfectly.The first floor is large enough to adequately provide space for several smaller rooms for classes and offices for our staff. There is a rest room on each floor.
The second floor is being used for worship services on Sundays and is large enough to seat all those presently attending. We could comfortably seat three times our number of 20-30.
The third floor is my apartment. I have an air conditioner, western bath room with a water heater for the shower. We will have a clothes washer, kitchen table and chairs – everything literally but the kitchen sink! Dishes will have to be washed in the bath room for now. There will be a partition between the second floor and the third to keep out the curious and the mosquitoes, but keep in the cool air.

Daniel has purchased good chairs, plus whiteboards, desks, air conditioners and all other supplies necessary for worship and our classes.

Other partitions are still under construction and will be complete in the near future.
The number of students we are now able to accommodate has doubled, at least. We were teaching about 20 to 30 people a week in the donated room before. Now, in the ruko, Martin is teaching about 40 students every week while Daniel teaches at least that many and usually a few more. Some of Daniel’s students are there to study the Bible in English while others are only interested in studying the Bible. Martin has spent several months teaching the Gospel of Luke and establishing trust on the part of the students. He now has begun a new study which is more doctrinal and directed toward true obedience to our Lord and Savior. One of Daniel’s students was baptized in January.

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT
When we first started planning to rent the ruko and furnish it for our needs and realized we would need $25,000, we asked God, “Where will we find the money?” Immediately God provided an anonymous donor who promised to provide $12,500 in matching funds. Others gave large amounts and still others gave small amounts but every dollar given was equally appreciated! By December 31st we were still short by a little over $2000. The elders of my sponsoring church decided that they would make up the balance so that all the money would be available by January 1st.How can I thank those of you who gave financially and others of you who prayed that our dreams might be realized? I don’t have the words! My prayer is that God will continue to shower his blessings down upon you. Your support both financial and otherwise is so encouraging to Daniel, the members of the Bekasi congregation, the students, Martin and Juli, and me. Now we have tools to work with.

PLANS FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE
Colin and Ellen McKee will be in Bakasi during the month of April and now that we have the ruko we will be able to invite some of our WBS students for a couple of seminars. Colin and Ellen will also work with our English/ Bible students and Colin will probably preach for all three congregations on the Sunday he is in town. It is possible that all three congregations will meet at the ruko. Plans are still being worked out. This kind of activity was not possible before.

THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA is comprised of thousands of islands. With an estimated population of more than 200 million people. It is the world's fourth most populous country.

STEVE CATE and other missionaries have worked with the church in Indonesia since 1968, teaching English and preaching the gospel-helping the church grow there. Your contributions sustain this important work.