Wood (Southeast Asia) Update – January 2024

Inside the attached Newsletter, you will find brief stories from God’s work among the Gereja Kristen Luther Indonesia (The Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church-GKLI), Indonesian Fast Facts, an explanation of our listen-mentor-teach-translate approach, a bit about the Indonesian hymnal project, and a brief explanation of how this ministry is funded.  Still have questions?  To ask, email   matthew.wood@lcms.org.

OIM Workers in Asia Visit Medan

Each January the LCMS OIM Asia Region workers and families meet together for an in person retreat. It’s an important time for us to study God’s word together, worship together, bounce ideas off each other, share our struggles, and encourage one another. This year the team came to Medan, Indonesia. Kali and I were overjoyed to be able to host the evening in our home city.

In considering where we will meet each year it is important to our team that there be a church body with whom we work closely. This way the whole team can meet, encourage, and be encouraged by a local partner. So when we invited the GKLI to join us we knew that it was important to introduce not just the leadership, but also some of the GKLI traditions. We worshiped together according to the GKLI order of worship, which was translated into English. The GKLI followed along in Indonesian and Batak and the OIM families followed along in English. It was a blessing to be able to host the GKLI leadership and show them hospitality through doing our best to incorporate their language and their traditions into our worship time together. 

Our positions and work are funded entirely by voluntary contributions given by God’s people, and sustained through prayer.  Your partnership changes lives for eternity! 

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GoogleVoice: (952)491-0762.
This number works in Indonesia!