Time in life seems to fly by faster and faster as I get older. It is almost unfathomable that I left 2 ½ weeks ago and so much has already taken place.

After a brief visit to Xiamen, China (which was amazing), I boarded a plane for Indonesia and smoothly got to my destination. It took three flights and 36 hours, but I made it! We were the first plane in over a week to get clearance to land due to dense jungle fires across Papua that have blanketed the region in smoke. We were scheduled to fly the next day to our first crusade city, Bintuni, but the flight on the 8-passanger plane was cancelled. Instead, a six-hour drive through the jungle was at hand.

A group of over 20 people awaited us at the hotel and welcomed us with traditional dances, gifts, and song. It was the most humbling reception I have ever received. Why would they go to such extremes to welcome us? Because in the history of Bintuni there has never been a crusade, and the people were filled with anticipation of what God was going to do. One man told me that missionaries from another island have promised to come to Bintuni for years, but they never came. He then looked at me and said, “But you did.”

We held three nights of public services, and the entire town was invited. There was seating for 900 people inside Bintuni’s largest venue, and most evenings the seats were 80-90% full. While the turn-out was great, what was more amazing was the fact that more than 8 denominations were present and worked together to accomplish the 3 nights of worship, preaching, and prayer. The church in unity is beautiful. Our lead contact for Bintuni, a prominent pastor in the area, said, “We have never worked together with other churches, and we have already committed to continue to meet together moving forward.” In many ways, that may ultimately be the greatest victory of our time in Bintuni.

On the first night of the crusade, I make a salvation call for those who have never accepted Christ as their Savior – I am a stickler for qualifying who is to raise their hand that first night. And while I don’t have a count (as if that truly matters), hands were raised throughout the venue as people responded to the Gospel. At the end of the first night, a woman came up to me, shouting at me. My ministry partner screamed with joy as he relayed to me that while we prayed, her left ear, which had been deaf for several years, opened up and she could hear again. God is still in the miracle working business and is the same yesterday, today, and forever more!

And there is so much more to share, of which I obviously cannot include here.

We are on our way to Kaimana, the site of our second crusade. Our plans have already changed after a cancelled flight on Monday. Fortunately, we were rescheduled for Wednesday, and I am praying that conditions will allow it to depart as planned. If planes are not cleared, we have a back-up plan to take a boat, but that is a 30-hour trip that I prefer not to experience. Indonesian’s are very accustomed to schedule changes, so I am not concerned with the dates being adjusted. Like Bintuni, the expectations are high and I am so excited to see what He has instore for us.

Thank you for your prayer support over the past many weeks. Would you please continue? Continue to pray for our travels, that my body will not have issues with the food, and I will be strengthened in body. Please continue to pray for the presence of God to fall on Kaimana and that more people would commit their lives to Christ, that miracles would continue to be demonstrated when we pray for the sick, and that above all, He would be glorified and His Kingdom built.

More stories and victories to be shared soon… stay tuned. Thank you again for your support.

Humbly His, Paul