First of all, we are so grateful and thankful for God’s blessings, grace and love in our lives. We would like to thank you all for all your support in our lives since the beginning until today and then… Thank you so much for being with us in prayers and now all of us can give praise and glory to our God the Father in our Lord Jesus Christ. We have seen the great work of God’s hands in our lives and others here in Indonesia… We do praise GOD for that!

June 14th 2008 is the day when we stepped out on our new journey together. We got married on that day! The day which God united us as one family. It was the most big and wonderful day ever in our lives. Seeing families and friends came celebrating together with us was so encouraging and blessed us so much… We would like to say thank you so much for coming and rejoicing and celebrating the day with us… We are learning to live as a family and doing ministry together now… Status and some things have changed in our lives. We do need your support in prayers for us that God will strengthen us as husband and wife, enable us to understand each other and love each other. Pray that we become increasingly close to God and be open to what He wants us to do and where to go to spread the Good News. Also, pray that through the difficult times we focus on God and God help us by providing the way.

Now, we are doing a cultural and language orientation for 9 university students who came a couple weeks ago with SEA Discovery. The orientation lasts for 3 weeks here in Jakarta. After the orientation weeks, we are divided into 2 main groups and will go to 2 locations, KT and PP. We will spend 3 weeks in those locations directly engaging with the local workers. During in the locations we will spend time interacting with the local people so that way we can learn deeper about their culture and some of their language. The goals of these trips are directly involved with the language projects, with learning the life of the field worker, getting know ourselves and God’s calling in our lives. Please pray for the preparation (our hearts, accommodations, technical things, and equipment, transportation, weather, and paper work), communication between the team with the local workers, and also the interaction with the local people. We are praying that our coming will be accepted well by the local people and we can be the blessing of God into their life, we are given boldness to share God’s love and Good news. Please also pray for our health and God’s protection. After the village living phase, we are going to have a debriefing phase for a week. This week we will use to process all what the whole team members experience in the locations by sitting, sharing stories and praying together. Also, this week will be used as team preparation going home (US and CAN). Then the SEA Discovery 2008 will be over and that means we can take a rest for a while J …. But soon have to start the next year SEA Discovery! Please do pray for the whole program of SEA Discovery will go fruitfully, well and smooth! We appreciate so much all your support in prayers and financially so that we are able to do God’s work here in Indonesia.

During the orientation weeks, the participants also have home stay program with local family in Jakarta. They have been starting to live with their Indonesian families since June 19th. The home stay program lasts till July 3rd. The goal of this phase is that they are able to learn more about Indonesian and the culture together with the family and learning about Indonesian family ideals. Please pray for the participants will have fruitful days and become blessings to the host families.

We are so grateful to God for we are living under God’s grace and love… We truly know that we cannot do anything without Him and His power in our lives. He is so good to us. This week is a week we can see how great and wonderful our God is. Why? Because He is the unlimited and stoppable God! His promises are true and He will fulfill them in His timing. Last Tuesday, June 17th 2008, was my final step for getting my fiancé visa. It was my interview day. Dave and I went to the US Embassy at 1 p.m. and we had to wait for my turn having the interview. There was a couple who had a long interview before me. The consulate asked them many questions and that took about 30 minutes. Be honest, we were worried and afraid of not getting the visa. But we gave all our worries and fears to God and trusting Him for every thing that would happen that day. Then after them, the consulate called my name and asked to go to window one which was a small room, different from with the couple. We went together in to that room. First, the consulate asked me to swear that all that I told him were right and that I was not lying. Then he started with how we met and when, then about how we got in touch to each other, asking where we are going to leave, asking about one of our friends who had once sent me a sponsorship letter in 2006, and about Dave’s job. After that, he asked us about our communication record which we didn’t have then. In our mind we were a little bit worry that he won’t believe our answers because we weren’t able to give him our emails and chatting record since 2006. Then he took some pictures from an envelope that Dave sent to the Embassy together with the petition letter last year. He asked me some questions referred to the pictures he showed me. Then after that, he asked Dave a couple questions about his job and salary. Then he went to the back room .We didn’t know what he was doing there but we took the moment to pray. In a few minutes later he came back again and asked another question to Dave about the sponsorships because they have standard minimum salary of the person who sponsor the applicant. Praise GOD even though the his sponsorship was at the minimum standard, he consulate had confidence in Dave (we can see from his face) that Dave will be able to sponsor me because he knew that Dave is an employee of a propane company. After having about 15 minutes interview, finally, he decided to give me the visa!!!! WOW! PRAISE GOD!!!! We will return to the US Embassy in Jakarta to take my passport with the visa stamp on it. It is a great blessing for us. We are running out of words to praise and thank God for all what He has done and for all the blessings that He has given through every situations and people in our lives. GOD IS FAITHFUL GOD! He has started and He will continue the work in believer’s life.

Dear supporters, friends and families, we are so excited to see what’s next God will do in and through the SEA Discovery Participants’ lives and all people lives, including ours, here in Indonesia. We also would love to pray for you all if you have any specific prayer requests… We praise GOD for you all!!!

Well, that’s our update news so far and still on the journey with the Lord of lords and serving the King of kings ever…. We will keep in touch with you! Let’s praise the Lord of hosts, all the creations on the earth and in the heavens!!!

In God’s grace and love,

Helen Maria, for Dave