In September, the Indonesian Bible Institute (LAI) team conducted a Bible distribution in West Amarasi, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), in the midst of the dry season. This activity took place on September 9-11, 2024, with LAI team members Anggun Nurhayati Panjaitan and Hana Ferrennanny Budianto. They were accompanied by Gereja Kristen Indonesia Jemaat Citra 1 partners Endah Sri Hapsari and Zusana Albertina, as well as the LAI Mitra Kupang Support Gathering Working Group (KKPD) team, namely Rev. Wim Nunuhitu, Pnt. Yoram Bang, and Jack Elvin. A total of 8,256 Bibles and parts were successfully distributed to West Amarasi and surrounding areas.
The One in Love (SDK) trip to West Amarasi District, NTT, was an experience I will never forget in my life. This program, initiated by LAI, has the noble goal of spreading the word of God to remote areas of the country, especially to those who do not have a Bible. SDK is not just a social program; it is a good news mission, a call for us to bring the light of Christ's love to the remote corners of Indonesia.
Amarasi Barat is a truly remote area, nestled behind hills with rocky and challenging roads. There, life moves slowly, and everything feels limited. But despite all these limitations, there is a group of believers whose hearts and souls are full of hope. They waited eagerly for the Word of God, as if it were the treasure they had longed for.
When we first set foot on the soil of West Amarasi, my heart trembled. It is a beautiful place, but beneath its natural beauty, there is a great longing from the people to have their own Bible. A spiritual need that we may take for granted, but here, it is a long-awaited great hope. At the first point of Bible distribution, at GMIT Ebehaezer Noekaesmuti, Rev. Noverrikus Dalsimus Maufa, S.Th was overjoyed that the LAI team and partners arrived during the dry season. Because if it was during the rainy season, the team would not have been able to arrive at GMIT Ebehaezer Noekaesmuti due to flooding and landslides so it would be impassable.
The most touching moment was when we arrived with Bibles. Children who had just come from school, with simple uniforms even some without shoes ran towards us with sweaty faces. They ran enthusiastically, bright smiles on their little faces. It was as if the presence of the Bible was the most beautiful gift they could get. When they received the Bible, the look in their eyes radiated unstoppable joy. There is nothing purer than the laughter of children who rejoice in receiving the Word of God. For them, the Bible is not just a book, it is a light of hope that will accompany their every step forward.
This trip opened my eyes that in remote parts of the country, there are still many people who crave God's word as part of their lives. They want to live in His light, living each day guided by His word. I feel blessed to be a part of this journey, bringing a ray of light to a corner of the country that may often be forgotten. I pray that this experience will touch the hearts of many. May we all march together with the Indonesian Bible Institute in spreading God's love, until His word reaches every corner of the country. Let us be a part of this mission of love, carrying the Bible, bringing light, to the ends of the earth.
