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Indonesia is the largest archipelagic country in the world. It stretches along the equator, over one-eighth of the earth's circumference. The number of islands in Indonesia is estimated to reach 17,504 islands, of which about 6,000 are inhabited. Indonesia shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and the eastern part of Malaysia, as well as maritime borders with Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, Palau, and India (Andaman and Nicobar Islands).

The five main islands of Indonesia are: Sumatra, Java (with more than half of the country's population), Borneo (known as "Kalimantan" in Indonesia), Sulawesi, and New Guinea. New Guinea is administratively divided into two parts: its western half comprises the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua (collectively, formerly called Irian Jaya); and its eastern half comprises the major part of Papua New Guinea, an independent country since 1975.

Papau New Guinea and East Timor are included on the Australian Workers list. Indonesia is one of Australia's closest neighbours.

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The Workers pioneered Java, one of the largest five Indonesian Islands.

When did the workers first arrive in Indonesia?  1929 in Java

Who were the first brother workers? George Absalom and James Bird (from South Africa)

Who were the first sister workers? Gladys Bird and Isabel Rosseau in 1931 (from South Africa)

Who was the first to profess? 

Who was the first native to go in the work?  

When & Where was the first meeting? 
When & Where was the first baptism?

When & Where was the first convention? 
Where have subsequent conventions been held?
Where is the convention currently held? 

Who have the Overseers been?
Joshua Van Ysseldyke, from Holland, entered the work in 1947. In 1950, he went to Indonesia. In 1962 he returned to Holland due to the immigration laws, but in 1970 returned to Indonesia where he remained as the overseer until his death in 1990 at the age of 74.

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Notes on the Work in Indonesia, November 26, 1996

George Absalom and James Bird from South Africa were the first workers who came to Indonesia. This was in 1929. James' sister, Gladys and Isabel Rosseau, came in 1931. Bernard Frommolt and Bertie Olivier came in 1933. Alec Pierce and Arie Blomerus came in 1934. Alec accompanied George back to South Africa. Esther Loots and Gertie Maree came in 1938.

Willem Boshoff came in 1939. This made it possible for Bertie Olivier, who was in poor health to return to South Africa. Gladys Bird was very frail, and because of this she and Isabel Rosseau left Java for South Africa just before the Japanese forces landed on what was known at that time as The Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. James Bird left six months earlier. These early workers were all from South Africa.

During WWII, Bernard and Willem were interned for twenty-two months by the Japanese Army in Sukamiskin, a prison near Bandung and in Cimahi, West Java. Marcus Hendricks, a native brother who decided in 1939, was a real help to these brothers. He sent parcels to them during their time in prison, but none of which ever reached them.

After their transfer to the prison camp in Cimahi, Bandung; a Mr. van Krimpen decided through the meetings they had in the prison camp. On the other hand, the sisters, Esther and Gertie, were put in the prison camp in Semarang, Central Java. These four workers suffered from beriberi. Part of their meagre diet was snails.

Indonesia declared her Independence from Holland on August 17, 1945. After Bernard and Willem were released from the prison camp, they went to our friend's home, Mrs. Nancy Stalder, an elderly widow, on Jalan Kebon Sirih 122 in Jakarta. They decided to stay with the friends who had been left on their own for so long.

However, shortly after their release, commotion once again erupted. This time, young Indonesia freedom fighters, called 'Pemudas', were rounding up all Europeans. Persistent knocks at the door and forcing the windows open brought Bernard to the door to face the 'Pemudas'. He was promptly taken to the riverbanks behind Kebon Sirih. The 'Pemudas' tied his hands behind his back.

Meanwhile, Willem, who had gone to the hospital for some treatment, came back to Mrs. Stalder's home looking for Bernard. The 'Pemudas' who were there told him, 'We will take you to where he is'. Take him there they did, only to tie his hands behind his back, together with Bernard. They were killing people and dumping their bodies into the river.

After 26 hours on the riverbanks with such uncertainty as to what will happen next, along came a young man of mixed Indonesian and Dutch blood, turned Indonesian freedom fighter. He inquired from the rest what Bernard and Willem were doing there. After he found out, he wasted no time to set them free. Bernard felt strongly, that had it not been for him, they would not have been released by the others.

After the WWII, all the South African workers returned to their country. Only Bernard and Willem returned in 1948. After Indonesia became independent, due to South Africa's apartheid policy, the former broke off diplomatic relations with the latter. Willem, the last of the South African workers, left Indonesia in 1964.

Jozua van Ysseldyk came from Holland in 1950. Bernard, who was on hand to meet him, in welcoming him said, 'Welcome to the first Dutch cheese' (??). Jozua countered by saying, 'There are still more of them back there'.

Maartje Zwijnenburg and Annie Palsgraaf, the first two Dutch sisters, came in 1952. They were together for five years as there was no other sister. Deetje Mandey, the first Indonesian sister, launched forth into the Work in February 1957.

Between 1952 and 1958, well over 100 of the friends and their children left for Holland. The years 1957 and 1958 were especially difficult ones for the Work in this Land as there was very strong feelings against the Dutch among the Indonesians in their clamour to gain full control of the then New Holland, and what is now known as Irian Jaya. The trouble led op to all the Dutch workers having to leave.

By 1964, only Annie was left behind. The authorities lost track of her papers and thus she was still in the country. It was God's provision to help the little flock. Annie and Deetje were the only two workers in the country for the next six years. We are thankful to God that they were used to stand in the breach during those difficult times. At that time, there was no direct mail sent from Holland to Indonesia. They received their mail through Singapore.

Bernard left in 1959. Willem along with Marcus assumed responsibility. At that time, Willie Roumimper was also in the Work. However, his health failed after five years. His parents both professed and had meetings in their home. Marcus' health failed after 11 years. Both filled very useful places till their home call. Jozua left the country in 1962, Maartje in 1963, and Willem in 1964.

Of special mention was the help of the workers in Singapore and Malaysia who came on six month visas; like Lucien Garth, Cooper Sandosham, John McQuillan and Silas de Wind. Cooper was able to stay on for a year and a half and was such a big help.

By 1970, things begun to improve. The doors opened again for workers to come. Jozua came back in 1970. Ralph Joll (New Zealand) who until 1970 laboured in Thailand, came with him. Cathrien Saman (Holland) came in 1971; Ray Cruickshank (Aust.) in 1972; Simeon Sarmiento (Philippines) in 1973; Mieke van Noordennen (Aust.) in 1974; Rudy Samallo, an Indonesian brother, launched forth in 1975; Dan Douglas (Canada) came in 1976; and Esther Penny (England) came in 1977.

Since 1978, there has not been any foreign workers allowed to come in. The only hope for more workers are the sons and daughters of the Land. Altogether, the staff here is made up of five Indonesian sisters and two Indonesian brothers plus the four who came from New Zealand, Australia, England and the Philippines who have since become Indonesian citizens in order to continue on in this Land.

 

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1929. JAVA. George Absalom (from South Africa) laboured in Java for some years; he and James Bird (formerly Dutch East Indies) being the first workers to go there in 1929.

1939 & 1948-63. Willem Boshoff (2nd) from South Africa started in 1933 and in 1939 went to Indonesia while it was still under Dutch control. He was interned by the Japanese in 1942 along with Bernard Frommolt and two Dutch sisters until 1945. On being released he returned to South Africa but went again to Indonesia in 1948 where he preached until 1963 when he returned to South Africa where he continues to labour (1991).

1950-62 & 1970. Joshua Van Ysseldyke (2nd), from Holland, started in 1947 and in 1950 went to Indonesia. In 1962 he returned to Holland due to the immigration laws, but in 1970 returned there where he remained as the overseer until his death in 1990 at the age of 74.

1962. John McQuillan, from Queensland, Australia, started in the work in 1961 and in 1962 went to Indonesia, in 1963 to Singapore, in 1964 to Thailand, c1980 to the Philippines and in 1990 to Sarawak.

1970. Ralph Joll, from New Zealand, started in the work in 1950, went to Sabah in 1953, to Malaysia in 1956, to Thailand in 1956, then to Indonesia in 1970 where he currently labours (1992) having taken citizenship in that country to enable him to stay.

1970. Ray Cruickshank, from Victoria, Australia, started in 1966, went to Malaysia in 1970, then to Indonesia in 1987 but was unable to stay in the country.

1970s. Simeon Sarmiento, from the Philippines, started in 1957 and went to Indonesia during the 1970s.

1974. Mieke Van Noordennen was born in Holland but professed after the family migrated to Victoria. She went into the Work in 1964 and went to Indonesia in 1974.

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 THE EARLY DAYS OF GOD'S WORK
IN NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES.

Arrival of the Workers by boat in Tanjung Priok:
George Absalom and James Bird in May 1929;
Gladys Bird & Isobel Rossouw; Bernhard Frommolt and Bert Olivier in February 1933 in 1931
Arie Blomerus in 1934
Gertie Maree and Esther Loots in 1935
Willem Boshoff in 1939.

Isabel Rossouw - Gertie Maree - Gladys Bird - Esther Loots
Arie Blomerus - James Bird - Wilm Boshoff - Bernard Frommelt - 1934-1937

James Bird:
It was in 1905/06 that my grandfather met the Workers, attended the gospel meetings they held and professed: he, his wife, my uncle John and his wife and they brought my parents, and they professed about the end of 1909 together with 5 other couples.

In 1923 I professed and in 1926 launched out into the Harvest field. At the end of 1928 on convention Alec Pearce, our Elder, asked me if I've ever thought of the Work overseas. I said: "Yes", having in my mind to be sent out to Japan, but he asked if I was willing to go to the Island of Java belonging to the Netherlands East Indies. I said that I was willing to go to any country in the world, I have never made conditions.

In May 1929 George Absalom and myself left Durban by ship to Batavia, now called Jakarta. The voyage was not so pleasant as there was a passenger mental defective on board causing much trouble and had to be locked in a cabin. The ship called at Colombo, Ceylon and two Workers: Bill Tibbs and Alec Mitchell met us and we stayed 12 days with them and had some meetings. They were there already for 6 months and a Church was formed and although everything was strange to us the fellowship was very sweet.

We had to change of ship and travelled on a German flag vessel bound for Singapore. To our fright we met the mental defective man on board this ship again; George went to the doctor and told of our experiences with that man on the former boat but as there was no other cabin we were compelled to share our cabin with that man, however he made sincere apologies and promised to behave himself, on the other hand we became good friends with the doctor.

In Singapore it appeared that the shipping agent had forgotten to transfer us on a Dutch flag vessel, what to do now? The doctor on board heard of our problem and invited us to have an over-night with him and the next morning he arranged for us a place on a ship which sailed that day to Batavia and we got on board the ship, arriving at our final destination the next morning. It did not last a long time and we stood at the quay with all our belongings: 2 bags, 1 camping bed each, and while standing there we drew the attention of a Dutch man who inquired if we were foreigners. When we confessed that, he was so kind to tell us where we could find a reasonable hotel, called a taxi and explained us how much we had to pay so that we would not be deceived. It was still morning when the taxi stopped at a hotel in the part of the city called Weltevreden (well satisfied), we got a room and because of the heat we want to take a bath, there we had our first experience with life in the Netherlands East Indies: the bathroom was big and cool but had no bath-tub but a cistern filled with cool water, we were used to a tub or a shower and realized we were in a foreign country; we had to scoop the water with a gayong and throw it over our body. After being refreshed we went to a bank to changed our money.

The man at that bank was kind and had a certain interest in us and asked for what purpose we had come and invited us to come to his home if we need some help and gave us his address. The same evening we went to his home and he told us how to find a house or part of a house and advised us to buy 2 bicycles which was easier and quicker than walking in the sunshine and not so tiring and cheaper than using a dogcart - a cart pulled by a horse, in some places pulled by 2 horses-.

The next day we bought 2 bicycles and rode along the roads which were well paved and several houses had a sign on the gate or against a tree in the garden "for rent", we went in and asked after the price and the condition of the rooms but the price was too high, the room not suitable for us or there was something else. After some hours we came to Meestercornelis -Jatinegara - and saw a big old house with a big garden. We spoke with an old woman who was so kind to show us the house, the large, rooms and everything that we liked to know, and all was for rent and the price was 10 guilders per month, which was a big sum in those days and we decided to stay there to the joy of that woman and gave us a helping hand and gave us some furniture to get settled. Soon after being there a fruit hawker came with some papayas, bananas and mangos and just for a few cents we got two big papayas and 2 combs of bananas. Money had a great validity in those days and we learned to bargain.

The man of the bank was so kind to tell us how to come in contact with people e.g. to put an advertisement in a newspaper: "Dutch lessons required in exchange for English lessons". Some people responded amongst others a teacher and a professor who wanted to improve their pronunciation and after one month they told us that we were making good progress in the Dutch language and we found it necessary to make a start with Gospel meetings.

The man of the bank, Mr. Plet, helped us in writing a request to the Department of Religion to get a permit for having Gospel meetings. Within 2 weeks we got the permit to preach the Gospel amongst Europeans and Indo Dutch people and not to disturb the Indonesians" as most of them are Moslems; we were allowed to make use of school buildings freely and if necessary also of electricity and water and with the help of Mr. Piet we found a place and had our cards printed and later on in Bandung we met a certain Mr. Mix who had a printing-shop and he thought: printing work for religious purposes he should do free of charge and he never accepted payment from us for printing our invitation cards.

While inviting people for the first gospel meeting George did one street and I the other one and the people were very surprised to be invited by a preacher himself as most of them have never experienced that an elder of the church paid them a visit. Most people invited us to come in and talked with us, but there were some who said:" You are at the wrong address". The first gospel meeting was in a class-room of a government school building; it was well attended and they sat like pupils in the class. During the meeting some people couldn't help to laugh about our strange way of speaking and using strange sounding expressions.

Our friend, Mr. Plet and his wife were not willing for the Way but remained kind, she was a member of the 7th Day Adventists. Mrs. Ouwerkerk professed, her husband was a teacher, had nothing to do with religion but was kind and wanted English lessons to improve his pronunciation. She invited us to their home for a meal at Meestercornelis – Jatinegara -, this was a little begin: they invited us to stay in the pavilion of their house and we stayed with them.

Then there was an experience: Mrs. Bogayewsky and her son Lodyk attended the gospel meetings and wanted to get rid of her husband, but Mrs. Ouwerkerk told her to first speak with George and for more than 2 hours George spoke with her, and she accepted his counsel before she went home. She lived in the mountains and had a lime-kiln in Tanjungkarang near Cibadak. She expressed her willingness to serve the Lord in faith and in truth and invited us to come to her lonely place, where we went sometime later on and started a Bible-study with Mrs., her son Lodyk and 4 other sons: Nike, Alec, Jima and Georgyk. Mr. Bogayewsky was always kind to us but never sat in the meetings, only his wife and Lodyk accepted the Truth and Georgyk professed in 1989 in Sydney.

One day it was my turn to go to the family in Tanjungkarang and after the Bible-study the bus came very late and when it approached the railway-station of Cibadak I saw the red lights of the train leaving the station. There was no other train or bus to Meestercornelis that evening, so I walked back to the Bogayewsky's a 12 km distance and it began to rain with thunder and lightning, it was dark and only when there was a lightning, I saw the road. Very late in the night and half-drowned, the family saw me and made me a cordial welcome plus a warm water bath, some cloths of Mr. B, a nice cup of soup and a delicious supper and I was really refreshed and strengthened. Lodyk was a willing and helpful young man. It was very sad that not long after his marriage with Onny Schenkhuizen, Lodyk went to his eternal reward.

When Lodyk had to go to the Technical School the Bogayewsky family removed to Batavia and lived in a house next to the Sint Carolus Hospital at Salemba Road and lived there until the sons emigrated to Australia and the parents passed away.

Mrs. Bogayewsky was very faithful and an encouragement for the friends. During wartime she was brought before an officer of the Kempei Tai (Japanese Gestapo) and interviewed and was questioned:" Which kingdom do you belong?" Mrs.B.: "I belong to the Kingdom of Heaven!"
Officer:" Who is the king?"

Mrs. B.:" My King is an almighty King, very great not to be compared with any king on earth, no other king can conquer Him, He is Almighty". Officer: "How is your flag?" Mrs. B.:" The flag of my Kingdom is beautiful, the colours are bright", and she mentioned the colours of the rainbow. The Japanese officer nearly explode and screamed:" Ru gira!" -you are mad!- Get away:" In those war days the Japanese were very afraid of mad people and TB patients. With a bright smile Mrs. B. went home and felt lucky that she was not beaten by the Japs.

In the early days there were only Mrs. Ouwerkerk and Mr.& Mrs Hartsink and later on Mr.& Mrs. Philipus and daughter Els and sons John and Daan. Then there were Mr.& Mrs. Van Agerbeek all living in Meestercornelis and in Kemayoran were. Mr. & Mrs. Sanders. There were many who were glad when we visited them but did not show a real hunger after the Bread of Life and it seemed we made no progress in Batavia; one day Mrs. Ouwerkerk told us that her husband was transferred to Buitenzorg -Bogor- and invited us to go with them and stay with them.

In the meantime we got our permit to preach the Gospel in whole Java; the receipt of this permit and the invitation to go to Bogor was for both of us as a sign from Heaven and we shifted to Bogor, started a mission in a kindergarten and had some people to preach for of whom Mr.& Mrs. Mouthaan were the first to profess and some others followed, so a little Church was formed: we started the fellowship meetings and Bible studies on Sunday and Wednesday evenings.

It was a great relief when in 1931 my sister Gladys [Bird] and Isobel Rossouw arrived to help us. When Mrs. Mouthaan and her mother shifted to Batavia, we went with them and Gladys and Isobel continued in Bogor; sad to tell that Mr. Mouthaan became bitter and made it very hard for his wife to go to the meetings although later on in Bandoeng his cousin Frans Mouthaan, the brother in law of Marcus Hendriks, professed.

Gladys and Isobel made no progress in Bogor and went to Sukabumi and found Frans & Dora Ripassa in 1933; then further to Cirebon in 1934 where they found Cobus Goossens and Adam Hauff and his wife Lien. Adam was the keeper of the prison in Cirebon; one morning while he was preparing their breakfast and slicing the bread his youngest daughter was sitting at the table looking at her father and suddenly, she put her forefinger into the bread while he was cutting; when Adam saw the finger falling on the table and the blood in the bread he collapsed. This daughter Bella kept 9 fingers was kind but never showed willingness for the Way of Jesus and the other 6 children had no love for the Bread of Heaven.

Cobus Goosens was a nice man with a great heart for the Harvest field, and the Workers waited for the right time to give him a companion; but the World War II came and had to do his compulsory military service and he was appointed as sergeant. He was taken as prisoner of war by the Japanese to Pakanbaru -south part of west Sumatra- where a railway had to be built through the jungle over the mountains, it was as terrible as the more well known deadly Burma Railroad. It was a 220 km railroad to transport coal from the mines in that area to the port of Padang, and had to be built by 12000 prisoners of war and a multiple of romushas. When the last nail was hammered in the cross-beam the war ended, so that Pakanbaru Railroad was never used.

During Japanese occupation time no Christian church services outside the internment camps were allowed but in all the camps church services were regularly held. Every Sunday-morning -the only day off for the prisoners of war- Cobus Goosens and Johannes von Kriegenbergh had their fellowship meeting underneath a papayatree. Cobus in the few moments he had preached the glorious Gospel and found Hen Tenu who was a captain in the Royal Netherlands Indies Army -KNIL- and the son of a famous parson in the KNIL. After the war when Henk came home Henk's wife saw that her lion had become a humble sheep and then she became a lion towards Henk. Because of 32 years of imprisonment in an area full of malaria, typhus, beri-beri, TB and other kinds of deceases Cobus Goosens physical condition was very week and was admitted in a hospital in Jakarta; he went to his eternal reward.

Adam Hauf had the fellowship meeting in his home and during war-time the Japanese put him in a camp in Cimahi; he could not stand that terrible condition and went to his eternal reward in 1944 and Bernhard Frommolt, Willem Boshoff, Frans Budde and Frans Ripassa laid him to rest in the cemetry of Leuwihgajah.

In 1934 George and myself went back to Meestercornelis and stayed in the pavilion of the Agerbeeks' Of whom mother and daughter professed. In the mission there first. Hartsink and her daughter professed. The husband, although not willing for the truth, was very kind and in a certain measure tried to help us.

In 1933 when Bert Olivier and Bernhard Frommolt arrived, they stayed in room in the main building of the family Agerbeek and George and myself in the pavilion.

It was Mrs. Bogayewsky who told the family Jocomettie about the gospel preached by workers from South-Africa and they invited us to come to them and tell them the message of Jesus and they offered us a complete furnished house to stay. George and Bernhard preached them the gospel. Oma and Opa Jacomettie and their daughter Dora told that they were related to the family Ruys directors and owners of the well-known Rotterdamsche Lloyd shipping company and Uni-Lever, producers of blue band margarine and sunlight soap.

They came to Netherland East Indies before the Suez canal was dug in a sailing boat and stayed in a house as big as the palace of the Governor General at the corner of what is now Jalan Merdeka Beret and Merdeka Utara. When they sat in their front gallery they had their view at the palace o§ the Governor General and saw the carriages drawn by 4 or 6 horses depending who those visitors were. Their house is now changed in an office building of Uni-Lever but is still there. The great world depression struck them, and they changed their palace for a humble home in remote Cibadak at the road junction Sukabumi and Pelabuhanratu

The evening that the meeting was tested Bernhard spoke on Ecclesiastes 12 and Oma and some others yielded their hearts; Opa cried out:" It's too late for me! When you are a smoker and you smoke your cigarette until you burn your lips and present it to someone else, will he accept it and thank you? so is my life will the Lord accept my worn out life? Since then the fellowship meetings was held in that home and also bigger meetings as the Work was increasing. Later on Opa professed.

Oma and Opa Jacomettie went to their eternal reward before World War II broke out and were laid to rest at the riverbank opposite their house and a row of shops hid their graves from view, but they are still there. In that same year George became ill and the Workers in West-Australia invited George to come over for a change and to help in the conventions. However, the shipping company accepted George as a passenger only if he was accompanied, so Bernhard joined him.

George enjoyed the conventions and his time in W-Australia, refreshed and encouraged he and Bernhard came back to Batavia where they stayed in the pavilion of the Hartsink's. In 1934 George became very ill again and we were glad that Alec Pearce and Arie Blomerus came; Alec for a visit and Arie to join our staff. Alec found it better to take George back to S-Afrika, but before they left we had a Workers' meeting and it was decided that Gladys and Isobel were to labour in Central-Java, Arie and Bert in West-Java and also Gertie and Esther; Bernhard and myself in East-Java.

After having laboured for 7 years, I went for a home visit, because Arie was very ill and could not recover in Java he went with me to Transvaal. The next year I was back in Java 4A4 4a4 with Tom and Martha Kilpatrick who helped our staff for 6 month; stayed in Cibadak and visited amongst others the family Roumimper in Buitenzorg.

This family had 9 children and came to Cibadak in 1933. Mr. R. was pensioned because of the world depression and they shifted to Cibadak where living conditions were much lower than in Batavia and rented a house of fam. Schenkhuizen. Tante Tilly S. one day invited firs. R. to 101,1144,14v the gospel meeting in her house and she came and enjoyed that meeting and told to her husband and after he got the victory over his dislike they came together and he also enjoyed the meeting and not so long after that the children came with them.

It was the evening of 25 December 1934 the Roumimpers yielded their hearts to the Lord and after some time they had the meetings in their home. Because of the children finished the basic school they had to go to the high school and the technical school so they shifted to Buitenzorg and Tom paid a visit to them, and their son George made him a pair of shoes as his size was extra large, and he could not find a suitable pair in the shops, and he was very glad with the pair he got of George.

In Buitenzorg Bernhard and myself had a mission in Kedunghalang then in a Kindergarten and finally in the house of the family Buys and after some time, Mr. & Mrs. Buys and his sister and Mrs. Stam professed.

Hoping for a job fam. Roumimper shifted to Sukabumi and one day it happen that Reinderd Speyker paid them a visit; he heard the gospel in Holland and had offered for the great Harvest field but had to do his compulsory military service, could not make himself free and was engine-driver of the cruiser "De Ruyter" and had his motor-bike a Harley Davidson with him on the ship so that whenever he was free, he drove to the Workers or friends to be in the meeting or in fellowship.

Usually Reinderd was in Surabaya where his ship has the main port, then Reinderd drove to Lawang where Oom Herman Götz van der Vet and family lived; Oom Herman was chief engineer of Sumboro sugar plantation. He, tante Sara who could not read nor write but understood enough Dutch- to follow the meetings and their children, heard the gospel but could not comprehend. One day we visited them and spoke about the Way of Jesus.

Oom Herman said that he could not understand the meaning Of the ladder way which was shown to Jacob and of which Bernhard had spoken. Bernhard then explained:" Now here is the ladder way, you stand at the right-hand side your wife Sara at the left-hand side and your children at the background. You are waiting for your wife climbing it, she is waiting for you to make a move on it and your children are waiting for both of you and none of you are making a start".

"Oh is it that it, Oom Herman replied and he professed and his Wife and some of their children. Tante Sara was very anxious to read the Bible, started to learn to read and to write. With a big family and a very busy household it cost her very much to learn the alphabet and after many years she was able to read but did not succeed in writing only to write down her signature. Their home with a big yard was a real oase in E-Java.

In 1937 Bert and myself laboured in Central-Java: Jogya, Solo and Klaten while Gladys and Isobel laboured in Ambarawa and Salatiga and 2 Churches were formed in Salatiga the home of family Von Kriegenbergh who up till now are faithful; the other Church was in Klaten in the home of the family Kops, but they are no more there, maybe they died during wartime. Oom Herman Götz van der Vet passed away in internment camp in Cimahi and Bernhard, Willem Bosheff, Frans Ripassa and Frans Budde laid him to rest.

When Arie came back, Bert and Bernhard went for a home visit, and Arie and myself had a mission in Garut and the owner of Hotel Ngamplang professed and some others in that area. In those days Garut was a holiday place like Cibadak with a number of good hotels and some Japanese weaving and spinning factories plus a silk worm culture. There was good response in Garut area and after Bernhard came back in 1939 with Willem Boshoff, Bernhard and Arie continued the mission in Garut and Willem and myself went to Bandung. Arie and Bernhard were earlier in Bandung and found a cheap house at Gempol Wetan which now has the number 115.

The gospel meetings were held in a hall of Evangelie West (Gospel West) at Jalan Pasirkaliki and was very well attended: some evenings there were more than 60 strangers; even the parson of the church which the hall belonged listened and ejoyed the meeting and in his church he encouraged his community to attend the gospel meetings but after some time he felt is coming to a point and it is not only remaining listening but they have to make a decision, so he stayed away and in his church he told the community not to attend the meetings but it was to late a number already yielded their hearts to the Lord viz.: Marcus Hendriks, his brother in the law Frans Mouthaan, Mr. and Mrs. Helling an elder of the church of that parson, Mr. and Mrs. Gijsbers, Mr. Lakatua and others.

As so many attended the meetings, we had to do quite a number of visiting; people having a job with the Government usually work till 2.00 p.m., and had siesta at 2 - 4 p.m., workers of private companies worked till 5 or 6 p.m. and people usually had their supper at 7 - 8 p.m. The gospel meetings started at 8 ow. and we visited after 8 p.m. and were not in bed before midnight; for 18 months we had that mission. The tropical climate was too Much for me and the last few years was a period of much doctoring and at the end of 1940 had to go back to S-Africa.

Bernhard Frommolt:

Together with Bert Olivier we arrived in February 1933 in Tanjung Priok [Indonesia] were met by George Absolom and James Bird and stayed in a room of the house of family Agerbeek and George and James in the pavillion.

We came in contact with Mr. & Mrs Sanders from Kemayoran and they brought us in connection with some more Indo Dutch people who all were kind but were more interested in hunting tigers, deer and boars than in their soul's welfare so we left them and went with George to Cibadak and some people professed.

In 1934 George became very ill and accompanied him to Australia for a change and it seemed George obtained some strength, but not so long after we were back from Australia George became very ill again and luckily, Alec Pearce and Arie Blomerus came. After some helpful time in Jav,a Alec took George back to S.-Africa and Arie joined our staff.

The Indonesian people were very kind, you are allowed to bargain but when you give them a reasonable price they usually accept it especially with transportation or in doing a certain job. On a certain occasion we shifted to another place and we went to a group of men squatting at the roadside and asked them who of them can transport our belongings and we showed them our new address and one man accepted the job and told us that it will take 3 days to come to the new batch.

He went with us to bur batch and he told us that we could leave the job to him and his son and meet him after 3 days at the new address and when we came after 3 days we saw the man and his son squatting aside his grobag and we opened the door and they put the goods at the place we wanted and we saw that nothing was damaged and not any cup or saucer was broken. We gave the man a just reasonable amount and he and his son went away.

In those days without telephone and post connection which took a very long time, while doing visiting we just visit; usually there was somebody at home and if not then there was a babu or a jongos or both of them who asked to come in and sit and wait while they serve you with a cool drink or something else as they know that visitors usually come from a long distance. The servants are usually well- trained in welcoming guests.

One day Arie and self stood on the railway-track of Gambir-station and asked the station-master pointing at one track where does that go? He answered: "That goes West to Anyer in Bantam then you can go over with the ferryboat to Palembang in South-Sumatra. The "other one goes East and the terminal is Banyuwangi where you arrived the next afternoon and by ferry-boat you can go to the Island of Bali".

We told him to give us 2 tickets for Banyuwangi (=scented water). In the outskirts of the town we rented an atap house -built of bambu with a thatch roof of palm leaves for 5 guilders which was quite an amount in those days. When we visited the people they told us of the Indo-Europeans who liver' as small farmers and told us just to visit the people in the town and not the farmers of the Brasan, the name of that settlement. But that was the push for us to go there.

We went by train and took our bikes with us; the station was still 12 km from the colony and we cycled there and met very kind people. We arranged gospel meetings in a school and a good number attended and some of them invited us to come and have diner with them and quite often we went back to B'wangi after 10 p.m. and had to cycle 40 km and came home at 2 a.m. and often it rained in the night and completely soaked we came home.

Arie who suffered from gastric ulcer was often very sick, but did not like to stay in bed and we went together to held the gospel meetings in the Brasan and after some time some made the wise choice and amongst those who keep true until the end was An Melger, her younger brother Bert Delacroix made his choice in 1960 in Jakarta.

In the town of Banyuwangi we also had a mission and amongst those who yielded their hearts to Jesus were Mrs. Ceciel Meyer and her daughter Vera who is married to Johannes von Kriegenbergh and Mr.& Mrs. Leydelmeier who had their small farm at Meneng on the sea (=Serene). It really was a very quiet place and in 1938 we had a babtism there those who took the step were Mr.& Mrs Leydelmeier, Mrs. Meyer, An Melger Oom Herman Götz van der Vet and his wife Sara from Lawang.

Very sad to hear that in the revolution time the whole family Leydelmeier were killed except the baby a boy of 3 years fell underneath his mother survived.

In war-time the Japanese interned Gertie and Esther first in the Cihapit-camp and later on in Sompok-camp in Semarang and Amarawa-camp. Willem Boshoff and myself were put in Sukamiskin prison in Bandung for 22 months and 16 month in internment camp 15th Battallion in Cimahi where we met Mr. Van Der Stadt from Banyuwangi who although did not make the wise choice but was always kind to us.

After the Japanese surrender in August 1945, and when we were allowed to go out of the camp in Cimahi, we went to our batch at Jalan Kebon sirih with Mrs. Stalder; not so long after being there a group of Indonesian revolution youngsters summoned Mrs. Nance Stalder, Willem, myself and our neighbours to go with them to the river Cikapundung and they told us that all of us would beheaded and when we sat on the stones on the river the leader of those pemudas asked if we had a last wis,h and Willem said that we want to sing. The leader said: "Go ahead sing!" "Please, give us our hymn-books, you took of us," said Willem and that man threw the hymn-book to Willem which fell on the page: "The way though steep and thorny, My weary feet must tread." (Dutch translation).

While singing that hymn suddenly one by one the Indonesian pemudas disappeared and a British captain and some Ghurka plus some Dutch soldiers appeared and took us to the Cihapit-camp. We felt the eye of the Lord was on us and His Hand had rescued us and prevented that we were killed.

Three days before the above mentioned happened Gertie and Esther had to leave the Cihapit-camp and were taken to Singapore.

While in the Cihapit-camp we were urged by the Recovery of Allied Prisoners of War and Internees (RAPWI) to repatriate to S-Africa. On the 31st of December 1945 we went by a British plane a Dakota to Singapore and were very much surprised to see Gertie and Esther still in S'pore; after 6 weeks the 4 of us left by boat for Suez where the Red-Cross met us with much hospitality and provided us with clothes which we had to pay back when we were in S-Africa.

 There we were met by Fred Quick, one of the Workers, who came from Cairo to see us, and we went with him by train to Cairo for 5 days and went on by plane to S-Africa. Beginning 1948 we returned to Indonesia and settled in Bandung. Cobus Goossens was too weak to go into the Harvest field and Reindert Speyker went down with his ship Hms. De Ruyter who was sunk. Luckily Marcus Hendriks offered for the Work and together with Willem they laboured in Surabaya in the meantime we waited for the coming of Jozua van IJsseldijk who arrived in 1949.

After the Japanese surrender when life became rather normal again those who heard the Gospel in the camps and accepted it told:" Lain dulu, lain sekarang (=formerly it was different and now it is something else), now we can help ourselves!" But in the places we had gospel meetings there was great interest and in a school in Bandung a number of people of the Military Air force made their wise choice. Willem and Marcus laboured in Surabaya and when inviting people they came at a building and a man was sitting in front of the door it was the porter and servant and Willem asked: "Is the tuan in?"

He replied: "Yes Sir, I shall tell him that you want to see him". After a few minutes he was back and invited Willem to come in. When Willem came in he saw Kees van Krimpen at his bureau who looked at Willem perplexed and quite embarrassed, he was speechless.

Kees accepted the invitation and attended the gospel meetings and made a fresh start. Later on Kees told that he wanted to escape from God and it was His hand Who guided Willem to bring him back into the fold. Kees was director of the biggest insurance company in the former Neth.

East Indies and 3 years after he left Surabaya a Chinese in Medan told that Kees hada great influence on the employees of his company and because it was Kees who requested that Chinese was willing to give the Workers a place to stay which was the opening of the Uork in Medan.

It was Alec Mitchell from Singapore who visited Mrs. Mariev, a Russian refugee from the Russian revolution of 1918, who heard the gospel in Batavia, and although she understood only a few words Dutch and a very little bit of Bahasa Malayu, it was Mrs. Bogayievsky who explained her what was spoken in the meetings, and after some time she yielded her heart to Jesus and came to the fellowship meetings and took part in broken English.

She was with her son and daughter in Medan and son her son, Boris was a well known violinist and used to play for the radio but was usually drunk and when he was half-drunk then he was the best man to discuss with. In the beginning the Workers stayed in the house of Mrs. Mariev but could not stand the situation there and were very glad that the Chinese had a gudang store-room) at the back of their big house and there was a water-tap and well with a wall round about it so that there was privacy.

There was good interest for the Gospel in Medan and Willem laboured there and had or Marcus or Jozua or Willy with him. Some people professed but it was their best time of life and the Lord took them to their homes which He had prepared for them and amongst them was Zuster (=nurse) Manupassa, a Demang (police-officer and ruler) who was formerly Moslem, the husband of Sitie Simanjuntak and Rob Siahaan. Sitie is now the only shining light outside Medan; In the internment-camp of Gertie and Esther quite a number professed but the only one who is still faithfully continuing is Hilly Ritcher; she professed in the Cihapit-camp when she offered her room to Gertie and Esther to stay and who held there gospel meetings. Hilly is in Amsterdam now and faithful.

The wife and daughter of Kees van Krimpen were disappointed that their pride became such a humble man and made it very difficult for him to go to the meetings but Kees kept true and when the friends or Workers visited him he told his wife and daughter: "This is Mr. De Bie but for me he is Bared".

When Kees passed away his wife and relatives were very astonished that so many people attended the funeral service, the hall was too small for the meeting and Barend had the funeral service and laid Kees to rest at the cemetery in Gorsel, an east province of Netherland.
Gertie and Esther laboured in Bojonegoro, a town surrounded by teak- woods and found Oma Willems who was faithful to the end and was laid to rest in a cemetery in Rotterdam.

With Arie and by turn with Bert and with James we had a mission in Pasuruan and found Mr. Ponto and with his help Oom Pan Panggaila. Oom Panggaila did not understand so much Dutch but was very anxious to listen to the gospel and used to write the verses of which was spoken capital of N-Sumatra on the inside of his white coat and afterwards he asked Mr. Ponto to tell him in Malayu what was spoken in the meeting and after some time he professed very much to the disappointment of his wife and 2 daughters.

They saw that their lion had become a very meek and humble sheep and so they became lions to Oom, but he endured for 14 years; he never showed any anger to his wife and daughters and behaved himself very well and a stranger never could notice any disharmony in his home. Only in 1949 Mrs P came to the gospel meetings together with her husband and accepted the message and after sometime she professed.

In 1950 the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army was abolished and Oom got his pension and decided to go back to his kampong in Wakan, the very north of the Island Sulawsi and he and his wife requested not to visit them because they thought that the people might be very against white people, if the people did not harm the visiting workers they might become very angry against him and his wife; so they said: "Please, leave us alone, we will keep true!"

On Sundays they use to close the door of their house and pasted a piece of paper at the outside of the door on which was written: "Jangan menggangu, kami sembayang" (Do not disturb, we are praying). They ended faithfully and were laid to rest at the hillside of the road overlooking their kampong and as a result of their faithfulness some of their relatives professed and there is a Church now in Kampong Wakan. Oom and Tante sang from the Dutch hymn-book as that was the only hymn-book available, only after 1950 a number of hymns were translated into bahasa Indonesia, and Mas Marlam Wiryosudarmo had a great part in that translation work. Only in 1969 when Jozua van IJsseldijk visited them and gave them an Indonesian hymn-book they sang the hymns in their mother tongue and were very delighted. It was because of the faithfulness of Oom Panggaila that the Workers went to Manado and preach the Gospel in the Minahasa.

Willy Roumimper:

In December 1934, my 2 older brothers and self came home from the Roman Catholic monastery for a vacation but at home Mum and Dad told us that it was no more necessary to go back to the monastery in Batavia as they had found the Way of Jesus and took us, children, to the Gospel meetings at the Schenkhuizen's, and Xmas eve we yielded our hearts to Jesus; the meeting was conducted by James Bird and Arie Blomerus.

Dad was a very social man and people liked him so that quite often there were visitors at home and also the 4 Brothers and 4 Sisters quite often came and stayed with us which added more sweetness to our fellowship.

At meeting days Dad told the visitors who did not profess that if they like they may sit and just listen; at birthdays when it is meeting time and there were visitors Dad made his apologies as we had to go to the Gospel meeting and said:" You can stay and help yourselves there is something to eat and to drink and there is the servant to help you".

In 1938 James Bird, Arie Blomerus and Bernhard Frommolt had a period of baptism: Mum and Dad and Reinderd Speyker were baptised in a swimming pool in Cisaat, a village near Sukabumi on the way to Cibadak; in Rawa-Pening near Salatiga were baptised Oom Johannes von Kriegenbergh and his wife Tante Sophie, Mr. & Mrs. Kops, his brother and his wife and some others in their Church; in Meneng were baptised Oom Herman Götz van der Vet and Tante Sara, Tante Ciel Meyer, Mr. and Mrs. Leydelmeier, An Melger and some others.

In 1939 Oom Panggaila visited us in Sukabumi and told Dad that the Government is mobilizing the country and he although over 50 years of age still was accepted in his old military rank as a Sergeant. Dad went to Bandung and got work at the military air force as a civilian and so we shifted to Cimahi and became neighbours of Oom and Tante Panggaila.

The fellowship meeting was in our home and Oom gathered with us but once in a month there was a combined meeting and then we gathered with Mr. & Mrs. Helling or with Tante Nance Stalder. Bernhard and Willem had a mission in the villa of Mr. Hoogland at Dago Road and he and the lady who took care of his villa -Mrs. Ten Cate- and some others professed. Mr. Hoogland was director and owner of DENIS -De Eerste Nederlands-Indische Spaarkas- and owner of a hotel in Pengalengan; when in internment-camp he did his best to help the workers with food.

Mum was a very simple, humble and praying person, even as a little boy when I came in her room unexpectedly at day-time or night-time she was on her knees as she felt that she need wisdom to bring up nine children in the fear of the Lord, she needed His help and guidance, so often she experienced misunderstanding that when visiting someone they thought that Mum came to borrow some money and sometimes when she gave somebody while she was visiting a bunch of flowers it was refused with the words:" You better give it to your children who need it much more!" She easily was filled of fear for just something little viz. the noise of an owl or the shriek in the street.

During war-time the Japanese Kempei-Tai (=Gestapo) killed Dad and hunted after George, my brother and myself. They sent a message to Mum about the death of Dad and execution of George and Willy so Mum became very ill and was admitted in a hospital in Bandung and later on an old couple took care for Mum in their home and one day I managed to come into that home to visit Mum but the woman of the house saw me and said to leave their home as they feared the cruel reprisals of the Kempei-Tai. Before leaving her Mom read for me Psalm 91 and since then that Psalm has become a part of my own life naturally as well as spiritually.

When the Kempei-Tai arrested George and me they put us in Sukamiskin prison east of Bandung on the road to Garut. After 2 weeks in a cell we got 3 minutes time for a shower and when entering the bathroom Bernhard and Willem came in from another door and while standing under the water ray we shook hands and exchange our experiences. Imprisoned and locked in a cell, not allowed to sleep at day-time only to sit, stand and walk in a room of 2 x 3 m there was no idea of time.

When the day came that a Japanese officer told us by an interpreter that we were free and allowed to go home it seemed incredible to us nobody dared to move as we all thought it was a Japanese trick like so many times we experienced before. But this time it was true it is not possible to tell what thoughts and feelings came into one's heart. The joy of the end of the world-war was none, the only difference was the streetlights was on but the Indonesian revolution broke out and the shopping-centre and the buildings round the aloon-aloon and some blocks of the rich Europeans north of Gempol Wetan and Gedung Sate were set to fire and with hand-grenades the revolutionists tried to blow up those villas and very many people were killed.

Shortly before Japan invaded the former Strait-Settlements and the Netherlands East Indies the workers of these countries agreed that they have given their lives for the Work of God so they want to share all good and bad things with God's people and stay in the country whatever may happen but those who think better to go back to their home-country are free to go. There were two workers who went back to Australia but not long after leaving Singapore their ship was torpedoed and sunk. After the cruelty of war-time and the chaos of the revolution one feels glad and thankful having survived that period. Many friends had left for Holland and the workers went back to S.-Africa.

The friends who arrived in Holland were misunderstood: a worker asked Oma Hartsink: "How is it possible that you had the Sunday morning meeting in your home for years and you just gave it up?!." Oma Hartsink was speechless.

In that time of chaos, I lost all the contacts with workers and friends but got a job with the Shell Company and after a short time had to go to Jakarta and then to Tanjung Priok. After the world-war before 1950 the newspapers consisted only of 2 leaves = 4 pages and there was one column filled with queer advertisements which I was fond of as it was so funny.

But one day when I had sung some hymns amongst others: "Quiet and tender Lord Jesus is calling, calling for thee and for me". I took up the news-paper and read in the column I use to read, and to my great surprise I read an advertisement of gospel meetings and the well-known names: Bernhard Frommolt and Marcus Hendriks.

---

c/o Pant and Annette Chasten,
15 Fromont Close,
Fulbourn, Cambridge
CB1 511S, England, UK_
Nov. 97 _
Dear friends and fellow workers:

Simeon Sarmiento who labours in Indonesia is visiting us here, so I can take this opportunity to write you a few lines and then he can post this for me. By the way, thanks again for your letters and thoughts. After our special mtgs. in H.K. in July, I had the privilege of attending the special meetings in the Philippines (Aug. & Sept). It was a very interesting trip. It was wonderful also to see that this country is very fruitful for the Gospel. The enthusiasm of the friends and workers in this country encouraged me wry much.

After the trip, I returned to Hong Kong to get my visa for this country. It was good to see the friends in again. There is a young Chinese lady showing a good interest. Her English name is Dora. Both of her parents and herself work in an indoor market selling dried sea products. Tess our sister worker here met her last year. Tess went shopping one day and happened to be in her shop. Since Dora can speak some English so they had a little conversation. That Dora asked Tess what is she doing in Hong Kong, and so that how it all began. At that time Judy was still with us (She is back in Canada now.)

So on and off they had some meetings right in front of their shop (more like a stall.) They would sit together and read some verses from the bible and talked about it. This year Dora began to show a deeper interest. It was good that Grace came back to Hong Kong this year as she is a Hong Kong Chinese, so she can talk to Dora in Chinese. Before I went to the Philippines I already had some meetings with her. Since I came back, I notice there's a little change in her spirit. She is more ready to accept what it said in the Bible, and many a times she said she needs to pray and wants God to help her. She also said she saw many things in her life now which are not good and so on.

Her mother on the other hand has been watching us for a long time. She is very friendly and not mind us sharing things, from the Bible with her too. She said she belongs to one of the local churches but now she has no time to go there. Poor folks, they work from early morning to 7 in the evening, 7 days a week, no day off! The father is not interacted about us, anyway he's only there in the morning. I had only met him once. Since I carne back to this country, I heard they continue to most each week, so hopefully some day they will see the true treasures of Heaven.

Toward the end of September, Jim, our overseer, and I travelled together to the southern part of this country. There we met the two native brother workers, and they took us to visit many of our fiends. Of course, each visit is a meeting!! It was so good to see our friends there again. Then we went to see Irene and her companion. They are in a small city way up in the mountains about 6 or 7 hours by bus. In this city there is a small group of friends, most of them are quite young but they have a great love of the Truth.

Then we went back to the big city and there we met the 2 brothers again. There was a couple have just arrived from France and will be here for about 5 weeks. The husband is an elder brother of John (one of the 2 native brother workers here). The 2 brothers haven't met each other for over 40 years (I think 43 years but not sure). Both the husband and wife are not professing. But John took them to see our friends and meetings, they seem to be quite happy with that.

After 2 weeks in the south, Jim and I came to the north. This is where D. and I have been for the last two and half years. It was good to gee everyone again. Hard to believe that I have been zany for 3 months!! (By the way John and his brother and wife also came to the north with us.) After we were here for a few days it was time for D. to go to South Korea for the special meetings there. So Jim and D. went to H.K. together. After they left, one of our friends from Kangaroo Island, Australia came to visit us and bought our mail with him. Before he came here, be visited China and Mongolia. (Yes there 2 brother workers in Mongolia, Jim C. and Dennis W. They are learning the language there.) Then, it was arranged that we would have a 3 day tour to the northern mountains here. There are some friends and contacts living near there also. John and his brother and wife and most our friends went with us. Each evening we bad someone to help us to share something form the Bible and also their testimonies. It was like a mini convention.

After the trip, one lady in her late 30's made her choice, She is an older sister of one of our young professing ladies here. Both sisters come to all the meetings. It's so good to see the joy beaming out from their hearts. The younger sister professed in 1940, she was the only one in her family serving God. The 2 sisters live together with their father. Her mother died about 30 years ago. Her father belongs to the local Protestant church but can't see any difference, he said all the different toads lead to the mine place, of course that's what the church told them. She has 3 brothers, one of than is a preacher in the Protestant church. As for her older sister who has just professed, she was very much involved with the Protestant church also. She was a treasurer of the church, the leader of the young people's group in her church, a "Sunday school" like teacher and sometimes they let her to preach a little too.

But it was the faithfulness of her younger sister helped her to see the true light. The younger sister told us she never preach to her but rather living as a light When we met ha older sister about 2 years ago, vine found her just a very friendly person and reads her Bible often. At that time she was also thinking like her fates., "all the different roads lead to the same place." Then more than a year ago, John came up here to visit us. He stayed with than and had some meetings in their house.

Since then, she began to have no peace in her heart. Something was troubling her. She came scenes a verse in the book of Proverbs, 14:12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." There was a question in her mind, "am I walking in the right way?' She began to see the falseness in her church, she was not happy! The more she saw the joy and peace from her younger sister the more she realized she doesn't have the same joy end peace in her heart different ones have been to her theme and she could feel that we have a very different spirit to the people from her church.

She struggled and fought but no peace until she surrendered to God. She is so thankful now that she has found the true way, and a fellowship that is so sweet. Like I said one time in my letter. "Actions speak louder than -words." Oh how true! This helps me to realized 1 am just a servant and a messenger, God does the -inner work. The light" that 1 am slowing to others is very important. A sobering thought!!

Serene, the young man who professed early this year is doing very well. Joy (Serene's sister) and her husband also continue to come to listen. Saran's youngest sister is listening very well. She is 14 years old. During the trip to the mountain, we went and visited Serene's parents. They were waiting for us because their children phoned them that we were coming. They prepared a meal for all of us. Which was a big surprise to us all. After the meal, they told us their children have been telling them about our meetings in the city, and they thank us fat being so kind to their children.

Then the father told us a very interesting story. When he was just a little boy he didn't have good health, so his parents gave him to the Catholic church in the hope that he will become strong. He did become strong under the care of the church. But as he grew up he saw many things in the church that were not right but couldn't understand why. There was a doubt in his mind about the church's religion. But be believes if any person lives according to the teaching of the Bible, then that would be a right thing. So now, his children, especially Serene, told him how we worship God, and follow everything in the Bible, the father is so happy and thankful that they have found the Truth. So that evening he wanted us to tell him things from the Bible, both he and his wife listened.

When finished, he asked us to come back the early next morning before we leave. When we had our breakfast the next morning, Straight away he talked about the way of God. So we told them a little bit more before we continued on with our journey. John remarked that he never met anyone like that in the North and said he has to come here more often. It's a pity that they live so far away from us. But we know God will help.

Velvet, the girl who works in the bank continues to come but not so often now, she has battles to fight and we pray she'll have victory. Others are fine. Well I notice this is the end of the paper so I'll say bye for now. Greetings to all.

Love in Him,

Simon