Houston International Church | Northern Sumatra Mission Trip
Judy Motanya & Steven Mbola
The Great Commission given to Christians is to "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 always, even unto the end of the world. Amen," Matthew 28:19-20.
That’s what the Houston International Seventh-day Adventist Church, in Houston, Texas, mission team set out to do. They have previously traveled to eight countries in the continents of Asia, Africa, and South America. This has resulted in close to 2,000 baptisms, six church plants and constructions, thousands of literature distribution, 5,000 Bible studies and hundreds of patients seen for health care needs[1]. The team visited North Sumatra, Indonesia, for the second time in early June (June 9 – 19). It was a different location than the 2012 trip.
Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim country (87.2%). Other religious groups include protestant (7%), Roman Catholic (2.9%), Hindu (1.7%), and other (0.9%). It is the fourth largest country in terms of population size (261 million) and diverse with multiple cultures and languages[2].
After the church chose Indonesia as its mission site, the pre-work started three months before the mission team arrived for the reaping series. The local Bible workers held Bible studies with individuals during this time. The logistics were laid out and more volunteers from the host country came to aid in translating and other duties.
A typical day for missionaries on the field started with worship at seven in the morning followed with breakfast. They attributed a large percentage of the day to the health care aspect of the mission. At about nine, the team headed to the clinic site with a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, a dentist, a pharmacist, and other volunteers. Two hundred and eighty patients received care. They had their blood pressure and blood glucose checked, were assessed by physicians, free medications were provided, and spiritual counseling and prayer offered.
The medical care allowed an opportunity to minster to the needs of the people in the community just as Jesus did. “During His ministry, Jesus devoted more time to healing the sick than to preaching. His miracles testified to the truth of His words, that He came not to destroy, but to save.”[3]
While providing for their physical needs, the missionaries found an opportunity to pray for them and to invite them to the evening evangelistic meetings.
Once the clinic ended around two in the afternoon, the team had lunch then retreated to rest before the reaping series at six in the evening.
They held the evangelistic meetings in Northern Sumatra at Porsea, Laguboti, Balige, and Parsoburan concurrently. The team was divided to support the meetings at the four sites leading in the special music, health nuggets, sermons, Q&A with gifts for attendees, and a children’s program.
After five days of evangelistic meetings, 34 souls gave their lives to Jesus. They were baptized on the last Sabbath of the mission trip.
The Bible workers and pastors in the host country will continue working with the baptized individuals for an additional three months to ensure they are grounded in the faith.
Jesus said in Mathew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
We are called to spread the Good News, whether at home or abroad, with our prayers, financial contribution, and with our time. The Houston International church mission team’s next trip is to Africa in the summer of 2019.
PC: Lydia Mbola
- For more information on previous mission trips, visit houstoninternational.org/global-mission.
- https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/id.html
- White, E.G. (1905). The Ministry of Healing, p. 19. Washington: Review and Herald Publishing Assn.