BY DMITRIY SAGDAYEV
BERRIEN SPRINGS—Last month, fifteen students from Andrews University departed for a week-long mission trip to Manado, Indonesia. Upon returning to Berrien Springs, they testified of God’s timely intervention during their trip.
The visit was never smooth, and encountered difficulty from day one. They arrived at Sam Ratulangi Airport where a van was waiting to take them to their accommodations in Klabat University. The students managed to survive the unpleasant hour-long ride which took them up Klabat Mountain.
“I couldn’t believe the heat and humidity. We knew that we would face a stern test but we resolved to press on. The van’s air-conditioning wasn’t working, so we were sweating through our shirts. The ride was bumpy too,” said Michelle Black, a pre-med student.
The next day, students visited Bunaken National Marine Park, where they snorkeled and were captivated by the coral reefs. Unfortunately, not all were able to participate since several students forgot to bring their motion-sickness tablets.
“Some of us started throwing up over the side of the boat. I decided to pray and I heard a voice telling me, ‘Don’t worry, I’m with you. Remember, I brought you here to carry out my work to minister to the lost people of Manado. Just relax, take deep breaths and enjoy my creation.’ Even though I was still dizzy, I gathered myself and was able to snorkel,” testified Shane Taylor, a theology senior.
After recovering from their bout with seasickness, the group went out to Tinchep, a remote village two hours away from Klabat. There, they played soccer with children, passed out health message flyers and installed a few mosquito nets.
“It was great being able to spend time with the locals. I was stunned by the abject poverty around me, but just by playing soccer with them, it felt like I made a real difference in their lives. We also set up some booths to distribute some pamphlets, even though the whole time we were eaten alive by mosquitoes. The moment we saw those mosquitoes, we knew the Evil One was trying to derail our mission, but we stayed firm. Finally, we put some finishing touches on some of the last mosquito nets. We didn’t have to do much but hammer in a couple of nails. I wouldn’t say we did anything significant at all,” described Taylor, humbly.
Later that week, the group encountered more difficulty on their way to shop for souvenirs. Their van overheated and broke down. They exited the van and decided to huddle together to pray. In timely fashion, God came through once more.
Black shared, “We were getting discouraged, but Dr. Lawrenson reminded us of God’s blessing throughout our whole trip. He told us that we were here because of a divine appointment and God would never forsake his children. So we held hands in a circle and prayed. A few seconds after Dr. Lawrenson said ‘Amen,’ several locals approached our van. They were carrying some tools and repaired our van for mere pennies. Thirty minutes later, it was working again, although the AC still wasn’t working. I suppose God still wanted to test our faith.”
The students resumed their journey and were able to get souvenirs for their loved ones. At the end of the week, they celebrated the successful completion of the mission trip at the Novotel Resort.
“Overall, it was a great,” said Black. “I was able to find meaning and I realized that God always answers prayers when we do his will. I didn’t know that I could make a difference in someone’s life thousands of miles from home but God works in wonderful ways. We need more young people like us who are willing to venture out of their comfort zones to change the lives of strangers. I’m definitely signing up again next year.”
The thirteenth Sabbath offering this year will go towards providing elementary education for the children in Manado.
