Silas & Amanda Issa
Serving in Australia
Reaching English and Arabic Speaking People in Multinational Melbourne

MP2 - East Timor 2005/2006 Ministry Report

We asked you to pray for several things for our trip. Today we hope to share with you how God answered your faithful prayers.

We truly experienced God's hand of protection for the team in all areas:

• God protected us through our travel: We were able to check in without any difficulties. Our flights were comfortable and even though some of our luggage was thought to have gone missing they were sent to us the following morning. Our luggage was not tampered with as we were greeted by a new friend we met in Melbourne who happened to be a Minster in the East Timorese Parliament.
• God provided a place for us to live in: The Smiths were able to rent a place three days before we arrived. They furnished the rooms with mattresses and mosquito nets. We had access to showers and western toilets, even though they were slightly elevated. Thanks to Pastor Silas and Lysol for keeping us hygienic and disease free!
• God protected us from physical danger: The team stayed safe from any attacks from the locals. We had several locals sneak into the house but only had time to steal cameras! God also protected those who travelled to Manatutu from local authorities who questioned their presence in the town. His protection was also much needed on the road as we travelled to the towns we ministered in, especially when rocks were falling off the cliffs and onto the road that we were required to travel on. Singing always managed to keep our minds off the daily near death experiences.
• God protected us from both Malaria and Dengue Fever. We were told that at least four of us would get sick with these diseases but praise God; the only problems we faced were due to dehydration and other gastro difficulties. We made sure that Dr. Nancy's time was kept quite eventful with our medical issues!
• God also protected us from fire! Let's just say water was not too far away!
• Also God protected us during our final two days of touring the country. On our boat trip to a nearby island we were faced with waves, motion sickness and sun strokes!

We asked for Team unity and that we would grow in grace and servant-heartedness:

• We were able to serve in two towns simultaneously. Everyone put in their 110% to make sure the tasks were completed. We served in Dili, which is the main capital city, both weeks, in Liquica, a village an hour away to the west, during the first week, and in Manatutu, a village an hour and a half away to the east, during the second week.
• Many of our team members were stretched in their skills. Cathy, Synthia, Alanna, and Dan taught for the first time. Ruth, Nathan, Grant, and Garret lead music, while Nancy, Renee and Samya led sport. KK lead the team in Manatutu and Amanda A took on the craft ministry, Tanya, Ann and Synthia food preparation, and Antony flexed his muscles and took on the handyman position. Pastor Silas and the boys lead our devotionals.
• It was a great way to see us rising to the new challenges given, such as Grant preparing an appropriate devotional on the spur of the moment and Dan preaching at a Baptismal service in Manatutu. We had to be flexible in our new roles and responsibilities and in all that keep a positive and helpful attitude. Even when Ritta and Amanda I thought the children's program was completed, God sent them 60 children to minister to that day. Teacher's hats had to be put back on!
• God gave us love for the East Timorese people and showed us that we need to love others regardless of a person's environment or background (socio economic status). We are all equal before him.
• Keeping a joyful attitude was sometimes hard especially with the rooster crowing, music roaring and the pigs grunting all hours of the night, not to mention strange men walking into the house at nights, diarrhea, constipation, ONLY butter sandwiches, intoxicating sewage smells, animal droppings all over the place, constant sweating, nineteen smelly people and their laundry under one roof.

Taking down of every strong hold against the gospel:

• We faced many challenges on a daily basis. Communication in an unstructured society is very difficult. Understanding their culture and social etiquettes and their expectations was very tricky. We had to be very flexible and continuously change our plans to meet the newly acquired information. Surprises were no longer seen as such they were actually expected but with apprehension.
• We had many challenges dealing with village chiefs. These chiefs had to be visited by Pastor Chris several times to explain what our program was about and to encourage them to advertise our presence to their people. Some said yes but did nothing, perhaps they were expecting bribes. However, in Liquica we had one chief and his people actually walk an hour to come to our program. It was a great blessing for us to minister to them.
• We also had challenges with other Christian denominations. The leaders in those denominations were angry that we were running these activities and warned the youth not to attend our activities. Once again, Pastor Chris had to have long meetings with these leaders, explaining that we are teaching the Bible and nothing against them.

We asked that we have an overflow of Christ's love in our lives to others:

• We would never have known the needs of the missionaries in East Timor, but God knew. Pastor Chris and Margaret Smith were both overjoyed and blessed by our presence and by our ministry. They continually thanked God that Australia was interested in souls and especially in the East Timorese and in their lives. They said that the work we completed in two weeks could not have been accomplished so easily and that they will reap the benefits of the work for months to come.
• We also had a wonderful opportunity to serve with Pastor Ferdie and his family. Pastor Ferdie is a Philippino missionary, actually Dan's youth leader from the Philippines. Pastor Ferdie's church is located in Manatutu. He was one of the translators in Dili during the first week of the program and also in Manatutu in the second week.
• Praise God for the local leaders that helped us in the ministry. They too were stretched in their skills as some had to translate for the first time. The leaders namely Unitu, Marco Paulo, and his sister Graziella, are training to be teachers and to work with the Smiths. They said that our trip provided them with training and helped them learn and develop new skills.
• The best experience is serving the children and youth of Timor. To see the hunger for stimulation and love and the eagerness to be with us was a great blessing. Even though we could not communicate in their language we were still able to show love in our actions and attitudes.

We asked God to prepare the hearts of the children and youth of East Timor:

• God had pre-planned our trip and it was a huge blessing to see it revealed every day as each part of the puzzle came together. We planned and prepared the best we could before we left Australia but God made sure that we followed his ways by changing many things. It was a great humbling experience knowing that HE is overseeing everything. For example, we didn't know we would serve in three places.
• At one stage the Liquica team was a little discouraged to see that the youth in that village and surrounding villages were not allowed to attend our meetings. However, God sent 5 youth to us, so we continued with the program and served them. God showed us that he is more concerned with lives and not numbers. Three of these youth accepted Christ as Saviour that day.
• To look at the joy the children and youth had when playing a simple activity with a balloon was a huge blessing. To hear "God is so good", "heaven" and "We are the children of God" being sung in Tetun on the streets is incredibly encouraging. God planned for us to offer all we could in the short time we had and at the same time be ministered to ourselves.

We prayed for Souls to be saved:

• In Dili we ministered to as many as 150 children and 60 youth a day. In Liquica we had 60 children and some youth. In Manatutu we ministered to 30 children. Parents and other adults were always sitting and listening to the lessons too.
• Many were reached with the gospel and praise God for the 36 people who made a public confession of faith (children, youth and adults) Praise God for touching their hearts.
• One youth, after accepting Christ as his personal Saviour on the last day of the program, said to Antony, "If I don't see you again, I will see you in Lalehan (meaning "heaven" in Tetun).

We asked that the Holy Spirit have complete control of our lives:

• There was clear evidence of God's presence on this trip. Our plans were definitely not His plans. Our intentions were to go to Thailand. Our intentions were to have all 19 of us on the same site serving. Our intention was to travel to different villages during the second week. God's Holy Spirit guided and protected and had control of our lives and our trip.
• We needed to be in constant submission to God's Leadership.

We prayed for our Finances:

• Praise God that we had the right amount to cover the cost for travel and living expenses for all 19 people. We also had the privilege to share some of our finances by giving a love offering to Pastor Chris and Mrs. Margaret and a love offering to Pastor Ferdie and his family to fix his car.

We asked for Lives to be changed:

• A number of those who confessed salvation have already started their discipleship journey with Pastor Chris. Pray that God will bring about a change in the city of Dili from these new disciples.
• Eight adults who confessed salvation got baptized in Manatutu. Pray for them as they seek to serve God in that ministry.
• The Missionaries were truly touched by our love for them. Continue to pray that God will protect them and give them the health and ability to keep loving and ministering to the Timorese.
• And for the changes in our lives.

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