Mission visit a ‘life-changing experience’

Brianna Coulston had never been overseas when she went on a recent mission trip to Indonesia with 12 fellow members of St Paul’s Box Hill in Victoria. The group, which ranged in age between 18 and 75, included five young adults, along with Pastor Neville Otto and St Paul’s chair Ben Gargett. The visit was a chance to meet and share fellowship, worship and faith-building with their overseas congregational partner GKPS Jalan Jenderal Suriman from Pematangsiantar in North Sumatra. For Brianna, the youngest of St Paul’s group, it was a life-changing experience.

It doesn’t seem enough to say our recent visit to meet members of our partner congregation in North Sumatra was amazing. Indonesia is full of life, colour and love. It seemed to me that every person in the GKPS Jalan Jenderal Suriman community in the city of Pematangsiantar lives and breathes their faith. And it isn’t something they just do on the weekend. It shone through in all their words and actions while we were there on a 10-day visit.

We were welcomed into their community with numerous handshakes, gifts and smiles, and plenty of food and drink. Two fellow team members, Sherley and Steph, became close friends with two local young adults, Feby and Hannah. Having first met them at home groups, they then took us out for shopping and ice cream. Sherley described how their friendship encouraged her to ‘openly display [her] faith’ and made them feel like old friends.

I had never been out of Australia before this trip and honestly didn’t know I could feel so at home and welcomed in a foreign place that is so different from where I’ve been all my life. I waited for the day I would feel out of place and homesick, but it never came.

There was so much to learn and take in from what we experienced and coming back from a ‘mountaintop’ experience was surreal. No matter how many times I try, I can’t find the words to accurately express the truly life-changing nature of this mission trip. Despite returning to Australia with fresh perspectives and feeling utterly transformed, I found that everything here had remained the same while we were away. The world around me now didn’t reflect the change I felt within.

Our love for Christ lifted any socially made barriers that I expected to hold us back in Indonesia, and we understood that we are all children of God. It didn’t matter that we spoke different languages or that I was accustomed to much stricter road rules – and far less chilli in my food! With Christ walking beside us and the Holy Spirit working within us, the power of Christ’s love became more apparent every day of the visit. It was Christ’s love that shattered social constructs in a way I didn’t know possible until this trip.

So no, it wasn’t just amazing – my whole world pivoted. The people I met in Indonesia changed the way I see society and the way I look at what God has blessed me with. The people of our partner congregation have formed lifelong relationships with us and transformed how I see my faith, calling and purpose. Every day I thank God for giving me this opportunity.

The 13 St Paul’s members were so blessed to see the power of Christ’s love at work in Pematangsiantar and I commend going on a mission trip like this one to everyone fortunate enough to have the opportunity.

If you would like to learn more about congregational partnerships with overseas partner churches, which are facilitated by LCA International Mission, please email lcaim@lca.org.au or visit the LCA International Mission website.