SBC Life Articles by Evelyn Adamson

SOUTHEAST ASIA (BP) -- The sun appears to be in no hurry as it rises above the mountains, dispelling the morning mist. Tangled forests towering with teakwood trees and twisted vines frame a bustling town on one Southeast Asian isle. Outside Budi Perkasa's* clinic, benches are crowded with patients waiting for an appointment with him. Perkasa's reputation as a healer precedes him in these parts, and many who seek him are searching for an answer modern medicine cannot offer. "On average, the people that come to my clinic are people who have given up hope," Perkasa said. "They have gone from hospital to hospital, some even internationally, but they have not found healing." "When they come to our clinic, by God's mercy, often He grants miracles and they find healing," said Perkasa, who for two years has served and faithfully prayed for his ill, unbelieving patients. "Eighty-five percent have a crisis of faith within themselves. I shoot straight with them, saying I cannot heal you, but the power of Jesus can." Perkasa's patients have been miraculously healed of cataracts, tumors have disappeared overnight from their bodies, and damaged organs have been restored. "I pray for them, but I do not have the power to heal them," Perkasa said. "That is God's job. Only He can do that." Perkasa recounts the story of a young boy whose family brought him to the clinic as a last resort. Born with a hole in his heart, the boy spent much of his younger years in a hospital bed, not responding to treatments. After Perkasa shared the Gospel and prayed for the young boy, the hole in his heart sealed and disappeared. Born into a strict Islamic family, Perkasa's journey of faith began two years ago when in town on business, he encountered Christian workers Curtis and JoAnn Brinks.* A distinct breed of goats first drew Perkasa to the Brinks. The goats were imported as a breeding project and were hailed the best in the region. The Brinks took Perkasa to see the famous goats. He heard the Gospel presentation during the visit, and an inner wrestling began in his heart. He decided to follow Christ and renounced his Islamic faith. His family, learning of his conversion, called him to dinner and a fight ensued. Perkasa was beaten and struck in the head with a pistol. To this day, he insists God protected him, as he "did not feel any pain." Perkasa began visiting the Brinks daily, studying the Scriptures in their home.

SOUTHEAST ASIA (BP) –- Hunting for wild boars, the four men placed barbed wire traps along the small, dank path lined with palm oil trees in the Southeast Asian jungle. Dian Wulandari* used the quiet moments to share the Gospel with his hunting buddies.

SOUTHEAST ASIA (BP) –- Summer Cole* steps out of a wooden long-tail boat and walks along a narrow path at a lakeside village in Southeast Asia. Straw lays scattered across damp soil while an unmistakable scent wafts through the morning haze. The scent, akin to a barnyard, rises from the large quantities of pottery produced at the village, often sold in tourist markets on the opposite end of the lake. Behind Cole, Mo Kham* jumps out of the boat and runs to catch up. Cole, an IMB worker, and Kham, a national believer, step carefully through a maze of broken clay pots, scurrying chickens and bleating goats, en route to the home of potter Thant Lin in the village populated by the region's Tai people group. Lin serves a cup of tea to Cole and Kham and then places tiny figures on a low-lying table in the center of the dwelling. The fragile clay pieces, when assembled in a cluster, depict Christ's birth. The tiny figures have brought Cole, who is raising four boys with her husband, in contact with Lin and his family. She visits Lin's home a couple of times a year and helps to develop his business while sharing the Gospel. First visit Cole, setting down her tea, recounts the excitement of discovering nativity sets in one of the local markets 10 years ago. "I was amazed that in a staunchly Buddhist country, there was this little nativity set and I wanted to find out more. So I went and found what village they come from." During a subsequent trip to a nearby town, Cole ventured to the village to find the Lin family, who invited her in for a visit. She learned that the potter had started making the nativity figures on the recommendation of a French resort owner's wife who had taken note of how many tourists stopped to look at the nativity her husband had received from a priest in France. "I realized they did not know much about the figures they were making," Cole said, "so I made a plan to come back." Cole's return to Lin's village required a one-hour plane ride, one-hour taxi ride and two-hour boat ride. She brought a children's Bible so the family could look at the pictures as she shared the Christmas story. Though they listened carefully, Lin and his family did not fully understand the heart of the message, having never heard the Gospel before. "This is something that they'll probably have to hear many times to begin to catch the significance of it and understand why I would be so interested in these [nativity sets]," Cole said. Crafting and learning Ten years later in the village, Cole and Kham ask Lin how his family is doing. Before responding, he picks up a wise man and coats the hardened clay with a hand-mixed deep maroon. Lightly brushing details into the crown of the wise man, Lin finally tells them everyone is healthy, his eyes never leaving the terra cotta figure. "After I heard the story, I want to bring honor to it. It gives me great honor to be a part of telling this story," Lin says. He gingerly sets the piece on a tray and goes outside to prepare a new ball of clay for the next set of figures. Finishing the new ball, he walks back into the house and retrieves several molds he carved by hand. Cole and Kham ask if he remembers what each piece signifies and he nods. "I believe this story is true," Lin says. He quickly selects a portion of clay and presses the mold together, creating a replica of Mary. While doing so, Kham leans forward, talking once more about the significance of Mary in the Christmas story. While believing the story is true, Lin and his family have yet to accept Christ. Molding complete, Lin slowly carries the tray of pieces to a corner of the living room, leaving them to dry. Once dry, the pieces are fired in a kiln and painted to match the other figures. Cole says this is the first time she has seen the process from start to finish. Observing Lin as he places the pieces into firing pots, Cole notes how involved he is in every step. Looking upward she notes how God is involved in every step of bringing this village to Himself. "I see God's hand at work [here]. I can only point to God's divine planning," she says. Cole visits the family two to three times a year, sharing Bible stories when she comes, confident God is working His redemptive plan in this village.

MALAYSIA (BP) -- As they wind their way through several cities in Malaysia, five leaders from the Philippine Woman's Missionary Union let prayers slip from their lips, asking God to spark a revival. These women have been developing a heart for missions for the past 10 years. But this journey marks their inaugural step in sharing the Gospel among the nations.

RANONG, Thailand (BP) -- Wobbly wooden floors and plywood walls were the first backdrop for worship by migrant workers from the local fish factories.

THAILAND (BP) -- Rays of sunlight spray over the mountains, ushering in a new day for May Messang* in Thailand. Air thick with heat and humidity surrounds her as she stands on the pavement.

PRETORIA, South Africa (BP)–On a bright, clear day at a park in Pretoria, children dash with exuberant energy from the bounce houses to the swings to the mechanical bull, happily oblivious to the world around them. On the opposite side of Burgers Park is a sign stands with an intriguing message: “Bury the myths, not […]

PRETORIA, South Africa (BP)–Finally the beatings stop. In the corner of the dirty, unfurnished apartment, Joy tends to her wounds before the men come back to rape her. Her journey here seems unreal, since one of the men had told her he loved her and that she was special. Now the man tells her that […]

DURBAN, South Africa (BP)--When people think of a mistake, it's usually a regrettable decision or action. Few people, however, think of a child as a mistake.

DURBAN, South Africa (BP)--Thick mud clings to the shoes of pastor Xolani (Ko-lan-ee) Klaas and his church members as they walk through an informal settlement far from the World Cup venues in South Africa.