www.koi-kidsofindonesia.org

Please take a look at today's new posting on the "Latest News" page of the web site. You'll find interesting information about one of the children we are feeding today. You'll see her photo plus the following story: 


Because she lives in a dirty environment, Santi can’t grow to be healthy. Her body looks wrinkled, thin, and skinny, as if she has no future. From the looks of her body, everyone who sees her would be able to guess that she is not healthy.  Because the parents live under the poverty line, it is not possible to take her to the doctor. Santi is only one of the thousands of Indonesian children living is such poverty. You are very unfortunate, Santi, but trust that God exists, and "HE" never even gets sleepy, much less sleeps.

New Web Site Is Up

Please click on the following link to get recent updates and continue to learn of about our work in Indonesia. We will be using the new Web Site for the KOI work from now on. This blog site will soon be used for other purposes. Thanks.

http://www.koi-kidsofindonesia.org

Moving Day

Today is the day Daniel and his family move out of their house and into a small rental property not far away. The re-bar has been purchased and is being formed and tomorrow construction will begin on the new two story house where the family will live on the second floor and we hope to house 20 orphans on the first floor. This marks the second phase of our overall plan: 1. feed 20 children, 2. rent a place where we can take care of 20 orphans, 3. purchase a permanent property to house the children, 4. build a self-supporting National Plus school on the children's home property where our children will graduate from High School having followed an Indonesian curriculum but fluent in English.

In phase 2 all of our activities will be moved to Daniel's house. The cost of construction is our rent payment and we will have the use of the house for 10 years minimum. All of our classes will be taught there and Sunday services will be conducted there as well. We will continue feeding the 20 children from phase 1 (street children who live with their parents) while we accept an additional 20 abandoned, neglected and unwanted children into the children's home.

It's exciting to see the work progressing and growing. We see the hand of God in making this all possible and we invite you to join us by making a financial contribution to the work. Thanks.

Washing Dishes

Washing dishes in the door-way of the house. These people have no kitchen sinks, no drainage and no running water. There probably is a latrine nearby but if it is crowded they will run to the river.

May Feeding

One of 20 children we are feeding this month. These are the poorest-of-the-poor. $15 feeds one child, one meal a day for a month. $100 will feed, clothe, shelter, educate and medicate one child for a month. Will you help us?

Yusuf's Ordeal As Reported by Daniel

Yusuf told me that when he used his motor bike to go to the restaurant, a black car stopped at our area and when he turned left from the ruko that car has parked at the bridge

and when he turned to the road the car forced him to stop his bike 

and 2 men jumped out to capture him. 

They ordered him to get into the car, taking his motorbike keys and hand phones.

He was taken to a social department building. 

On the way he asked them what was happening since he thought he was being robbed. 

The persons (6 of them) said that he didn't need to be afraid. 

Then they told him that this was because of an order from the family. 

One of them then called somebody ordering them to take down all the posters and photos of Yusuf posted around the harbor, 

since they have the man.

The men also showed the police report from Surabaya that had been signed by Yusuf's father

claiming that Yusuf was a missing person.

They kept him until the next day, waiting for the family mebers to arrive.

This is the normal procedure for missing persons, the police keep the person at the Social Department after being apprehended.

Yusuf was kept in a cage like jail

untill the family arrived.

The police also went to Yusuf's rent house to make sure that he actually lived there.

Yusuf's uncle and sister stayed at his place and asked him to return home but he refused, giving the reason that his wife is pregnant and needs to wait till she bears a child.

They agreed but reported to the neighborhood government official to keep watch over them.

Yusuf's father is an official in the Justice Department in Makassar and also a prosecuting attorney.

No wonder he has connections with the police and can succeed in getting them to apprehend his son.

He is also a rich man.

Yusuf's wife didn't know that he was apprehended 

and Yusuf kept it a secret.

His wife wonderred why he didn't return home.

but when she saw his uncle and sister, she thought Yusuf went to his uncle's home at the harbor and waited for his sister

from Batam to arrive.

Yusuf didn't want his wife to be in shock

in her 8th month of pregnancy.

Yusuf says he was treated well, 

but all of his books were taken by his uncle especially the book making comparisons between Islam and Christianity. 

Yusuf's own writings were also taken. 

His uncle didn't take our books (WBS and some that I gave Yusuf). His uncle said they were taking them for Yusuf's own protection because they didn't want him sharing them with other family members which might endanger Yusuf's own life.

Adam lost Yusuf when leaving to go to the restaurant. He thought Yusuf might have rushed on ahead of him. 

He never heard Yusuf scream, calling for help.

The Beat Goes On

Yesterday after worship, the members agreed to eat together at a certain restaurant.  Most went by car, but “Yusuf” and another member went on their own individual motor bikes. On the way “Yusuf” was intercepted and forced to follow others to the Social Agency building where he was kept against his will until 4 PM when he was released under the care of his uncle and sister. They took him to his house and it looks like they continued to try to convince him to return to his father’s home.  Almost 24 hours later, “Yusuf” is still in shock because of this trauma. It looks like the family is putting a lot of pressure on him. Please pray that he remains faithful.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHILDREN'S HOME TO BEGIN IMMEDIATELY. Our plan for the children's home has 4 phases: 1, to feed 20 children a day; 2, to rent space to house 20 children; 3, to purchase a permanent facility for the home; and 4, to add a private school on the property. We are now ready to move into phase 2. The money has been raised. A property has been made available for our use for a minimum of 10 years free of charge and remodeling of the present facility will begin immediately. This is God's doing!! We couldn't do it by ourselves!!

Earthquake News - Little Damage on Nias

Ceri says that the quake only lasted a few seconds but if it had lasted longer there would have been much damage. As it is, there is little. We thank God.

Our First Orphan

Ezra in the yellow.

Our First Orphan

Ezra

Nias Earthquake Wednesday

Jakarta television stations are reporting that there was no significant damage done on the island of Nias or in the city of Gunung Sitoli. We are checking with our people on the island for verification and should have some information later today.
sc

Rice, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Noodles and other food stuffs for the Children

We buy in bulk and then devide it up among 20 children. We will soon have one orphan living with us full time.

Thank you for your donations. $15 feeds one child one meal a day for a month. $300 feeds 20 children for a month.

Two Recent Baptisms in Jakarta

Yusuf's Hunger to Know the Truth

Bro Steve:

Yusuf is one of our Bible students. He heard our radio program, and has already studied with me 5 times (at least 10 hours). Last Sunday he came to our worship and saw a difference in the characteristics of the people he met here and those of the group where he formerly worshiped. He said. "saya merasa dianggap sebagai manusia yang dihargai" ("I feel like someone who is valued"). Those were his own words. After studying with us he became confused because of the teaching he got from the former group about miraculous signs, tithing, musical instruments and other things. He also discussed these things with Alip since I had told Alip that this person was a Muslim and is still learning, Monday he came to sudy and asked for more time to study in private. He said he needs to know completely without any disturbance  from other students and their questions. He has other friends that he wants to teach and to bring with him to our class once he is fully convinced that we teach the truth. I have given him my phone number and I told him that he can contact me anytime.and if I'm free I will answer his questions.

Daniel

A Photo of Ezra

Daniel remains busy

Daniel reported this morning that he had 19 students today - 10 in the basic English/Bible class, 4 in the advanced,  and 5 in the Bible class. His classes started at 8 AM and continued until 5.30 PM.

Is God Opening a Door for Us?

With KOI (Kids of Indonesia), our plan had four phases: 1. To feed 20 children a day. 2. To rent a house and shelter, feed, clothe and educate children, 3. Purchase a property where the children's home could be permanently located. 4. Add a school on our own property for the KOI.


The first phase has been in existence for several months now and is progressing fine. As we prepare for phase two, God has led a man to us for Bible study who with his former wife adopted a son. Now that his wife has left him he has no way of taking care of his son (Ezra) and making a living for the two of them. He has asked Daniel to take the boy like Eli took Samuel and raise him to serve the Lord. Daniel has agreed to do this when the current school year is up so the boy's education will not be interrupted.


In November the lease on our present store front building will be up and we have decided that we will look for a house where Ezra and perhaps others that God sends our way will live. Our classes and worship services will also be conducted there.


We ask for your prayers that the rent money will be supplied and that the additional funds needed for Ezra's school supplies, uniforms, food, clothing and medical attention (if needed) will be available. It will cost about $100 a month to support Ezra and give him the home he deserves. We will add him to the KOI budget and trust that God will open the hearts of people like you to help us give Ezra and others a hope for the future both physical and spiritual.


Please help us. The donate button on the right works. Money has already been donated this way and it is easy to do. We need money to operate, but more than that we need your prayers as we begin this second phase of what we believe God is calling us to do. Please help us. Thanks.
sc

Bible Students Ask for More Time

Daniel has several students with whom he studies the Bible directly in Indonesian without using the English lessons. These students today asked Daniel to extend their time allotment for their studies from 2 hours to 4 hours three times a week or from 6 hours a week to 12 hours. All of these students also attend the Sunday worship services. It's truly gratifying to see people who are hungry for knowledge of the word.

One of the children we are feeding

March Feeding Program

Delivery of foodstuffs for the Kids of Indonesia. $15 feeds one child one meal a day for a month. $300 feeds 20.

Food for March children

Rice, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, noodles...these are some of the foods that will be divided up into smaller sacks and delivered to the children for March. We are feeding 20 of the poorest-of-the-poor in Jakarta. No one else is helping these people. They do not have and cannot afford to get government documentation so they are left out of the government's help programs. Few of the children attend school, many are forced to beg to help out with family expenses while the parents scavenge through the garbage dumps looking for any materials that can be recycled for money. If the parents are fortunate, they might earn $1 a day. The government wants them to return to their home villages, but they would be no better off there. They have no land, no job, and no hope. They ask us for nothing and accept what we offer them.

2nd request

Edison asked Daniel again today if we could raise his adopted son for him like Eli reared Samuel. Daniel replied that we would take him as soon as the present school year is ended so he won't miss any school. This will be an added expense and one that we had not planned on at this time but God will provide. I'm not sure, at this time, what the expenses will be for this child. Any help you can send will be appreciated. Thanks.

Will you rear my adopted child?

Daniel writes,

"Edison H, 46 years old, became a student of the English/Bible course three weeks ago and has now attended four classes. He states that he was baptized when he was a baby but doesn't know why, exactly. He didn't learn to read until he was 34 years old. He worked washing cars and learned to drive from moving the cars around the lot. After learning to drive he became a taxi driver and learned to read from using the Bible. His wife left him and their adopted son about 2 years ago after returning to her village to receive her inheritance where she met up with her ex-boyfriend and committed adultery.

Edison now studies with me and today asked how to become a true Christian. He also asked if his infant baptism was valid.

Amazingly, he told me today that he is willing to leave his adopted child (7 years old and in 1st grade) with us to be trained like Samuel (left by his mother, Hannah, with Eli, the High  Priest) The child is now living in an orphanage but Edison can't always visit him. The orphanage makes rules that the children can only be visited once a month and only for 2 hours. Edison loves the child even though adopted, and he wants the child to become a good man like Samuel. Edison doesn't want the child to be like himself: uneducated with feelings of guilt. Edison wants somebody to train the child, teach him how to live right, and how to be received by others without isolating himself because of poverty or status.

Edison asks many questions in class and said he intends to invite many of his friends and taxi drivers to study with us."

Can you feel Edison's pain? Can you help us take care of children like this child, in a place where they can be taught the word of God and be given hope for a better future? We have plans to rent a house soon where children like this can prepare for this life and the life to come. Call me if you have questions or suggestions. Donations for the work can be made through the address on the right. Thanks

Steve Cate

This is why we keep a low profile

Go to the following link to read about the forced closure of two congregations in Bekasi a suburb of Jakarta.

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/11625883/

More Students

Another class of students.

Bible/English Students

These are a few of our Bible/English students. They come to us from the radio program (World Radio) and use materials from World English Institute. The English courses use Bible stories to illustrate English grammar principles and the students often find themselves more intrested in the Bible lessons than the Enlgish. Several private Bible studies result from these classes. All classes are offered to the students free of charge. Funding for these courses comes out of the regular fund and your contributions help to make this work possible. Administrative costs for the KOI (Kids Of Indonesia) work also comes out of the regular fund so that all contributions to the feeding program (KOI) can go to feed the children. No KOI money is used for any other purpose. It all goes for food. But, again, your contributions to the regular fund make all of this work possible. Please call me if you have questions or comments and thanks for your support.

What a joy to be able to help

"Bro. Steve, Today I went to the garbage people's village giving plastic bottles for one of the men we help. This man's daughter is still studying at the school but her shoes are worn out, so I gave her the money to buy the new ones. I met the man with his wife and one of his children under the bridge close to the mall. The man searched the garbage while his wife and the child waited under the bridge. We collected the plastic bottles from our class, my house and from the members and gave all those to him this afternoon. You can see from the photos that most of the people who live in that village do the same kind of work - collecting garbage and sometimes they have to beg in order to make enough money to survive. I think they share what they get with each other. They have the same problems and no one will use them for work or business. Some of them were ex employees who lost their job because of the economic crisis. Most of them are uneducated and homeless except for a cardboard, one room hut with dirt floor in this make-shift village.
Daniel"

Today, Daniel met with the local government official for this village and found that there are 300 families in the village and all in the same financial condition. This official thanked Daniel for what we are doing with these children and wished we could do more.
We also wish we could do more and with your help we could. Remember $15 will feed a child one meal a day for a month. $300 will feed 20 children.
These are the poorest-of-the-poor in Jakarta and we are making a difference in the lives of those we help. I thought about that this morning as I read Daniel's letter and found my eyes welling up with tears. What a joy to be able to help those truly in need.

Berastagi Shop House

This is a shop house that, for $500, can be rented for one year.

About a year ago, Tuloasa baptized several people from near the city of Berastagi up in the table top area of Tanah Karo not too far from Medan. They have been meeting in member's homes all this time but now are out growing these very small homes and need a larger place in which to meet.

If you or anyone you know could help us rent this shop house it would be a tremendous help to the brethren in this area who are very poor. With more members they would eventually be able to pay the rent themselves. Your donation now would help them get started. The address for receiving donations is listed in the column to the right.

If you have questions, please call me.  Thanks.

Micah 6:8

Micah 6:6–8 (ASV)

⁶Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old? ⁷will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? ⁸He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?

You must treat people fairly. / You must love others faithfully. / And you must be very careful to live / the way your God wants you to.^[1]

“The piety that God approves consists of three elements: a strict adherence to that which is equitable in all dealings with our fellowmen; a heart determined to do them good; and diligent care to live in close and intimate fellowship with God.”^26[2]

Thus this saying is not an invitation, in lieu of the gospel, to save oneself by kindly acts of equity and fairness. Nor is it an attack on the forms of sacrifices and cultic acts mentioned in the tabernacle and temple instructions. It was instead a call for the natural consequence of truly forgiven men and women to demonstrate the reality of their faith by living it out in the marketplace. Such living would be accompanied with acts and deeds of mercy, justice and giving of oneself for the orphan, the widow and the poor.^28[3]

Two applications of this passage are offered by Stuart:

1.   Faithful participation in worship is not enough. It must be accompanied by faithful, proper living.

2.   A good look at the past reminds us of God’s loyalty, and of our responsibility to be loyal to him in return.^29[4]

Two duties towards man are specified—justice, or strict equity; and mercy, or a kindly abatement of what we might justly demand, and a hearty desire to do good to others.^[5]

Beware of cherishing a merely formal piety, of honouring God with your lips whilst your hearts are far from him, of resting in outward reformation and external worship (Ps. 51:16,17 John 4:23, 24).^[6]

smooth each other’s path through life.

Mere justice is not enough, there must be tender commiseration for the suffering; the poor and the distressed must be remembered. Mercy must not only be shown, but loved. To help the needy must be delight. ^[7]

We must love mercy; we must delight in it, as our God does, must be glad of an opportunity to do good, and do it cheerfully.^[8]

---

^[1] Barker, K. L. (2001). Vol. 20: Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (114). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[2] Barker, K. L. (2001). Vol. 20: Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (114). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[3] Barker, K. L. (2001). Vol. 20: Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (115). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[4] Barker, K. L. (2001). Vol. 20: Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (115). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[5] Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., Fausset, A. R., Brown, D., & Brown, D. (1997). A commentary, critical and explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[6] The Pulpit Commentary: Micah. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (92). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[7] The Pulpit Commentary: Micah. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (103). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[8] Henry, M. (1996). Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume. Peabody: Hendrickson.

Hosea 6:6

Hosea 6:6


what he really wants is true piety, expressed as love for others and knowledge of God, and not outward shows of religious zeal (v. 6).^[1]

he desires that his reader acquire the loving and compassionate heart that comes from a transformational life with God. ^[2]

In modern language one might appropriately rephrase this verse as, “I desire devotion and not hymn-singing, service and not sermons,” without thereby concluding that hymns and sermons were evil.^[3]

the former is seen in works of charity and benevolence, the latter consists in right motives and the right relation of the soul to God. ^[4]

All the prophets of the Old Testament asserted the superiority of ethical over ceremonial laws. ^[5]

But the God who is himself all holy, and who is the Searcher of hearts, must needs detest the hypocrisy that is scrupulous in all outward observances, but neglects the weightier matters of the Law.^[6]

One of the greatest dangers facing believers is the tendency to define religion in terms of formal acts of worship. ^[7]

Religious ritual apart from a personal walk with God is worthless (6:6b).^[8]

---

^[1] Garret, D. A. (2001). Vol. 19A: Hosea, Joel (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (160). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[2] Garret, D. A. (2001). Vol. 19A: Hosea, Joel (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (161). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[3] Garret, D. A. (2001). Vol. 19A: Hosea, Joel (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (161). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[4] The Pulpit Commentary: Hosea. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (169). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[5] The Pulpit Commentary: Hosea. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (180). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[6] The Pulpit Commentary: Hosea. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (190). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[7] Smith, J. E. (1992). The Minor Prophets. Joplin, Mo.: College Press.

^[8] Smith, J. E. (1992). The Minor Prophets. Joplin, Mo.: College Press.

From this morning's study

 “But let justice roll down like waters

And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

                                Amos 5:24 (NASB95)

God’s expectations of justice and righteousness in society have remained constant generation after generation.^[1]

Without the desire to fulfil righteousness in the offerer, the sacrifice is hateful to God (1Sa 15:22; Ps 66:18; Ho 6:6; Mic 6:8).^[2]

He did not want their acts of justice and righteousness merely to trickle out of them, but wanted them to rush out, like a noisy torrent down the mountains^[3]

5:24. Instead of ritual and performance, God wanted a relentless commitment to justice and righteousness (see comments on v. 7). He wanted a passionate concern for the rights of the poor, a concern that would roll on like an ever-flowing river … like a never-failing stream that did not run dry. ^[1]

Israel’s worship was devoid of application. Instead of elaborate ritual, God wanted justice and righteousness to prevail in the land.^[2]

It was this inequity that rendered the people’s worship repulsive to the Lord, for it violated His covenant in which justice and fairness for all were supposed to prevail.^[3]

---

^[1] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[2] Smith, J. E. (1992). The Minor Prophets. Joplin, Mo.: College Press.

^[3] Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J., & Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (1328). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

---

^[1] Smith, B. K., & Page, F. S. (2001). Vol. 19B: Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (113). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[2] Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., Fausset, A. R., Brown, D., & Brown, D. (1997). A commentary, critical and explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[3] Bentley, M. (2006). Opening up Amos (74). Leominster: Day One Publications.

From this morning's study

We show our "trust in and obedience to the Lord by helping needy people - the oppressed … the fatherless, and the widow (cf. Isa 5:23; Isa 10:1-2; Deut. 24:17, 19-21; 26:12; 27:19)."

Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Children receiving food.

Children receiving food. For more photos of the children click on the following link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/johndudleytu/Dan012210#

You can enlarge the photos by clicking on them.

KOI - Kids of Indonesia

Some of the children we are feeding. These children have nothing and no hope for the future. They live in squalor, do not attend school and often beg for handouts. Their parents dig in the garbage dumps for anything that can be recycled and rarely earn more than one dollar a day. You cannot feed yourself on $1 a day, much less your family. Please help us help them. $15 will feed a child one meal a day for a month. $300 will feed 20 children. Isa 58:10

After Study Rosalia is baptized

Rosalia H was baptized by Tuloasa Saturday, January 23, 2010. Praise God.

January Newsletter Available Now

If you would like to read the January 2010 newsletter, please call me, leave an email address and I'll email you a copy. Thanks.

sc

Daniel's wife and a friend sort out supplies for the children

Sorting out the supplies for the feeding program. If you have questions or comments, please call me. Thanks.

Poverty and wealth

People live in these huts. On a good day they may earn $1 or at the most $2 from sorting out stuff that can be recycled.

Scavenger with child and wagon

Father and child have just arrived at the local dump. Children often help their parents look for anything tht can be recycled. When the children are a little older they may be sent to the nearest shopping center to beg. No education for these kids. $15 will feed a child for a month. Feel free to call for more information.

A mother begs and the children do not go to school

Scenes like this are very common in Jakarta. A mother and her children beg from motorists at busy intersections. The children do not go to school. We are helping some of these people and could help more with adequate funds. $15 will feed a child one meal a day for a month. $300 will feed 20 children one meal a day for a month. Every penny donated to KOI goes for food for the children. Administrative needs are funded out of the regular account. Will you help? Send your contribution to KOI, 12205 Lester Ct, Chino, California 91710. Thanks and God bless.

Colin's photos

These photos are of the Kitchen of the children's home on Nias, the laundry of the children being done in the children's home, Colin teaching his leadership classes, the sewing classroom, the children in the home on Nias, a group photo of the leadership class, the Pinangsia congregation in central Jakarta, and donations from our members to be given to the garbage scavengers who earn $1 a day scavenging the garbage heaps of Jakarta.