Family Photos :D

With Dad :)



With Mum :)




With Bobby :)



With Lil Alejandro :)




With Jojo  jr :)




With big Jojo :)



With Mija :)



With Them :)



 With Them mob :)




With Them :)

                          AMO A MI FAMILIA Y AMIGOS :)

First missionary family ( Damal me & Damal in) in Beoga, Papua

CHIEF DEN: CHOSEN BY GOD

. . . before the foundation of the world

By Alice Gibbons

Word traveled like wildfire across the Ilaga valley. On Sunday, May 26, 1957, Chief Den planned to lead his Damal followers in burning their sacred ancestral charms. For centuries the Damals and their neighbors who lived in the rugged mountains of Netherlands New Guinea (now Papua, Indonesia) trusted everything in life to these charms and the appeasement of the evil spirits.

Learning the Language

Eight months earlier, two missionary men, Don Gibbons and Gordon Larson, had hiked into the Ilaga Valley. For almost three years previously, the men had explored, been raided and were turned back time and again in their efforts to bring the gospel to the Damal and Dani tribesmen—people still living in the Stone Age who believed they were the only flesh and blood beings on earth.
Once there, Gordon built his cabin in the Dani part of the valley, and Don chose the Damal area. Local people began to help the men build an airstrip so their wives and children could fly into the valley to join them.
Two days after the men arrived in the Ilaga, a teenage Damal greeted Don in Indonesian, the trade language used by the government. “My father, Chief Den, invites you to come to his village,” he said. Don was startled! He understood Indonesian but couldn’t speak a word of the local Damal language. They set off together.
As they walked, Don learned the boy, later named Sam, had just returned home after attending a distant government school for two years. Chief Den invited Don to build his house at the edge of his village. In return for some land, Don gave the chief a steel axe, a precious gift to people who used stone tools.
Don hired Sam as his language helper and began to mimic, memorize and use the words of the complicated Damal language. The Damals had no word for God. Using the verb “to make,” ungkate, and changing it to a noun, “the person who makes,” a new word was formed: “Ungkangam Me,” the Creator. Now Don could begin to teach the people about God.
The Damals had no concept of weeks or months or even years. Using his fingers to count as the Damals do, Don explained that every seventh day, work would stop on the airstrip so people could gather in Den’s village to hear stories of the Creator and His Son, Jesus. During the week, Don and Sam worked together translating the chosen Bible story. On Sunday, Don spoke it line by line in Indonesian and Sam repeated it in Damal. The numbers attending on Sunday grew each week.

Chief Den Decides

On my first Sunday in Ilaga, I (Don’s wife), joined 500 Damals in church. Fascinated, I watched as two men stood and sang a Damal chant telling the gospel in 20 short lines while the crowd sang a response after each line. Also, I observed that the people seated on the edges couldn’t hear Sam’s voice, so I encouraged Don to begin preaching his sermon directly in Damal. During the week, Don worked with Sam, writing the story and application out in Damal. With Don speaking on Sunday mornings, everyone could hear.
“You must make a choice,” Don said one Sunday. “Which path will you follow? The path of Jesus leads to heaven and eternal life. The other path, the path of Satan and spirit appeasement, which you Damals have always followed, leads to death and hell. You cannot walk on both paths at the same time, for they go in opposite directions.”

The people understood the challenge. Chief Den and other leaders came to Don with questions.

“If we destroy our sacred objects and follow this new path, who will protect us in war if enemies attack us?” they asked. “The Creator will,” Don answered. “God is stronger than your charms and the evil spirits.”

“Who will help us in sickness? Who will cause our gardens to grow?” Don replied by telling them Bible stories to confirm that God would supply all their needs.

Chief Den made his decision. He announced that the next Sunday he would burn his ancestral charms, breaking with the spirits. That morning 700 Damals came dancing and singing as they poured into the village courtyard. Dani warriors came, too, standing at attention around the crowd of Damals. Each Dani carried a spear he used only in close combat with an enemy. They opposed the burning and feared what the spirits might do to all of them.

Den laid firewood in crisscross fashion and built a structure in the center of the yard. The bonfire was ready to light. When everyone was seated, Don spoke. He explained again the decision the people needed to make. Every person who had decided to walk the “Jesus path” should stand and move near to the stack of firewood.

Before anyone moved, Den ran to his hut, got a fire brand and lit the bonfire. Men began to run shouting as they threw large bundles of charms into the blazing fire. Women tore charms from their arms and from around their necks, tossing them into the fire. Black smoke rose. The blazing fire turned to glowing coals and then to gray ashes. From these ashes God’s master plan arose.

The Torch Is Passed

Chief Den and the Ilaga Damals were at the epicenter of a people’s movement, a turning to God of tribal people that swept across the mountains of New Guinea. The Ilaga Damals trusted God and began to share their faith in other valleys to the north, south and west, first with other Damals, then with Ndugas and Monis. The Ilaga Danis watched God’s blessings shower on their Damal neighbors for 18 months before they made their decision to turn from spirit appeasement.
Dani believers then carried the torch to the east. The message was received by people of many tribes and languages, reaching distant areas where the C&MA and other mission groups were working. Although missionaries were in place building airstrips and learning languages, the people remained unresponsive until tribesmen from the Ilaga gave their testimonies. In the next 10 years, 100,000 people received the gospel.
My family continued to live with the Damals and learn their language. Soon a trained linguist joined us, and he developed the Damal alphabet and began translating the New Testament. Damals were taught to read. My husband and I established a four-year Bible school to train pastors for the churches that were springing up in villages everywhere.

The Way to Heaven

Why did Chief Den promote the missionary and his message? Don didn’t learn the answer until several years later. Den was born at the turn of the century—about 1900. His father was also a tribal chief, and both were keepers of spirit appeasement charms. These sacred objects were passed down from generation to generation.
Near the time of his death, Den’s father said to him, “Perhaps in your lifetime a being will come from the outside and give you the key to hai” (the Damal word for paradise). “This being will tell you the way to heaven.”
God in His eternal purpose had chosen Chief Den before Creation. God put the longing for heaven into the heart of Den’s father with the prophecy that someone would come to tell the Damals the way. It was also God who put Don in Den’s village with the support of all of you in The Christian and Missionary Alliance.
Adapted with permission from Where the Earth Ends by Alice Gibbons. To order, see the classified ads.

Alice Gibbons and her husband, Don, were Alliance international workers in Indonesia for more than 40 years. Alice has written two books, Where the Earth Ends and The People Time Forgot. Visit her Web site at: www.donandalicegibbons.com.

THESE ARE THE COVER OF THE BOOKS:

Then the gospel of God/ faith swept accross other valleys/ neighbours such as: The Ilaga Dani

(This is the book of spearing gospel in Ilaga Dani) 

Tembagapura

Tembagapura atau yang biasa anak anak gaul dong sebut Tempoer. Menurut sejarah (hahahaha) nama Tembagapura didefinisikan menjadi 2 kata yaitu (Tembaga & Pura) " Tembaga" yg berarti tempat penghasilan tembaga dan kata "Pura" yg diambil dr ibukota Jayapura. Tempat ini sudah yg dong biasa bilang sbagai lokasi pertambangan terbesar yg terkenal yaitu PT Freeport McMoran & menjadi salah satu perusahaan raksasa di dunia. Perusahaan ini menjadi asset terbesar bagi seluruh dunia terutama Indonesia, berbagai orang dari berbeda background & negara sperti Amerika, Australia, Afrika, India & lain2 juga baku sepak rame di sini. Itulah ajaibnya Tuhan karena adanya sumber daya alam ini maka orang2 dpt hidup dgan berkecukupan, orang2 yg belum pernah kita lihat/ kenal smua bisa menyalin keakraban.

Mungkin beberapa orang yg belum pernah ke sini berpikir kalu perusahaan ini pasti sebsar tempatnya. Kenyataan memang tdk, tapi tong yg sudah mengabdikan hidupnya d tempat ini su bisa menyamakan tau bahkan lebih mengandalkankota ni dripada ibukota Jayapura maupun Jakarta. Iyo, itu semua betul karna di kedua ibukota ini maupun d daerah2 lainnya d tempat lain belum tentu terdapat facilitas yg memadai sperti d sini. Semua facilitas ada sperti: bis2 utk keluarga& karyawan, Hospital utk khusus masyarakat asli setempat maupun bagi karyawan dan keluarga, sekolah dr Playgroup sampe SMP bahkan International school, tempat makan/Mas bagi karyawan2/ , Supermarket bagi masyarakat asli maupun bagi yg tinggal di bagian kota, Gereja & Mushola, perpustakaan, Tempat olahraga/ Sporthall, keamanaan d setiap post, restaurants dan masih banyk lagi. Jisss aneh skali, ini sa bukan mo deskripsi kota ini secara detail2 tapi cma mo curhat  sa pu perasaan rindu ttg tempat ini saja :(.

*Ini sudah kota Tembgapura, tempat saya menghabiskan masa kanak2 sampe remaja, 15 tahun sudah sa menjaga sa pu tempat ini dr lahir sampe yg ada ini. Tempat dimana sa mulai mengenal yg dunia pendidikan, tempat sa pu keluarga berada, tempat sa pertama membentuk sebuah persahabatan.

 Mungkin orang lain banggakan tempat ini sebagai kota emas tapi bagi sa tu semua tra penting. Yg sa paling banggakan dr tempat ini adalah perkumpulan sodara/i dr berbagai tempat/keakraban yg terjalin antara satu sama lain dan  ini sudah yg pantas dsebut sebagai " SURGA DUNIA". tra peduli ko dr mana, ko siapa, ko hitam, putih, keriting, lurus atau apalah itu y penting tong semua bersaudara atau Pak Bupati bilang: EME NEME YAWARE". Sa sempat terharu juga pass baca2 beberap teman2 pu blog yg su tra d Tempoer lgi, dong ungkapkan dong pu kerinduan sampe cerita2 dong pu pengalaman2 waktu masih d sini.  Sioo,,,sedih aaaa tapi itu sudah !!!siapa pun yg pernah injak tempat ini pasti terhipnotis sama tuan tanah Nemangkawi :) kwkwk.

Tembagapura memang kota kecil tapi bukan berarti kita merasa bosan karena tra bisa buat apa2 & tra bisa keman2 terutama bagi anak2 muda. Malh justru kita memanfaatkan keadaan ni utk menghabiskan tong pu masa2 kanak2 & remaja  utk melakukan hal2 Luar tidak biasa yg biasa dilakukan oleh anak2 muda lainnya d daerah2 lain.

Tong pu tempat2 juga tra kalah mo dgan kamu dong pu mall,2 bisoskop2 atau tempat2 hiburan lainnya!!!Malah menurut kita tong su terbiasa jadi asik2 saja dgan yg biasa kita lakukana sperti:  jln2 k air Terjun / yg biasa tong sebut " SIPUR", cari ilep, kalep, buah berries, ke kebun labu siam baru curi sayur, main basket d Sporthall, jln2 ke Utikini ketemu sodara2 dong dulang d kali kabur, nongkrong d Batu Besar, jln PanoramaTribun/ shopping centre. See, asikk toh tong pu activitas2 d sni :). Tapi g pling tra bisa lupa tu masa2 sekolah dlu, sepulang sekolah pigi nongkrong d tribun, batu besar tau pertandingan bola Volley antara mace2 versus pace2 kah nie atau tong biasa rame2 nongkrong di shopping centre baru baku traktir rame makan kentang. Kalu acara2 besar jga tra kalah seru mo seperti: Hallloween,Natalan, tahun baru, paskah, lebaran, 17 Agustus biasanya kegiatan2 juga tra kalah rame. Pass Halooween tu semua paling lincah sdh, baku cakar rame cri kostum, hujan2 pun tra jadi msalah (hujan: hahaha no problema, su menjadi teman setiap hari mo) apalgi smua  mati dpt permen kah nieeee bahkan kadang tong dpt kasih uang jga dr orang2 bule klu tra da perman (tu betul krna sa pernah jadi korban jdi:D). Kalau natalan tu, paling jago skali parkir dluan d tmpat2 natal ( natal manado, Biak, gereja2, Batak etc) bukan krna mo ikt ibadah sje tp tujuan pertama tu cma mo pigi rakus2 makanan saja hahahaha adohhh kaco2 (skarang su bertobat). Trusss kalau paskah juga sering jambore paskah d skolah bru nti dr gereja masing bawa obor jln k tempat penyaliban Tuhan Yesus,,aisss seru demi. :).  Kalu natal 17 Augustus tu tong biasa ada paskibra ( pasukan 45 bleh ), marching band sama performance2 lainnya juga, trusss biasanya acara2 disi oleh artis2 dr ibu kotat  termasuk utk tahun baru juga biasa bgitu.  Pling aneh tu  kalau su mo dkat lebarn sdh, bukan sa & teman2 Kristiani lain yg rayakan tp tong yg paling semangat skali sampe bisa parkir d teman2  muslim pu rmh utk sikat makanan.  Demi tu sdh yg terjadi klu su gabung dgan sa pu teman2 tu!! tong semua gila betul, semua dgan karakter, sifat2 masing & tiap2 yg berbeda jadi macam saling melngkapi bgitu. Satu hal yg tra bisa sa lupa tu tong pu nma group yg tong bkin dulu krna wktu tu pass lgi musim juga jadi. Nama groupx tu (M-I-N-E-S) singkatan dr M=Madona, I=Ingrid, N= Novina, E=Elfira & S=Selfina yg dibentuk & disahkan di bawah kolam renang Hotel Kuta, Bali pass lagi Studi Tour dr skolah. Tong berlima ni paling kompak sdh, kemana mana tu slalu baku bawa truss heheh. Tapi pass lama2 kita kedatangan teman2 lainnya jga yg tra kalah seru & gila: Chindy, Maria, Erinda, Feiby, Helena, Erfina & yg paling ganteng tu Maiselman Buntulobo yg sampe skarang baikut truss dgan sa. Karena bertambahx anggota2 baru maka nama group pun diubah menjadi ( DAJZZENT= sa su lupa cara spellx bagaiman tp kira2 namax bgitu sdh). Dengan bertambahx anggota2 baru bertambah pula juga tong pu kekuatan utk membasmi tong pu musuh2  kecuping2 (khusus ade2 klass) hahaha paling jago skali ganggu ade2 dong. Masih ingat cerita pass tong baku sempat conflict sma ade klass satu gara2 dia trlalau balawan banyak jadi hehehe. Tapi demi saa pu teman SD yg paling kaco tu Helena sam Selfina sdh, tong tu kpala jln k Sporthall truss pergi beli2 d barack stu, baku lawan sepak bola anatar keluarga Kayame versus Magay pokokx mace 2 ni paling andaln sdh, otak sama lgi jadi tong tu paling gila skali. Pergi main sembunyi2 d perumahan2 trus main ketok2 orang pu rmh bru baku taruh lari kuda!!hehe turss kpala baku marah dgan om2 karyawan heheheheh akaiiiiii namola kmu 2 sehhh. Aissss jadi sedih ale!!!!demi sa kangeeeen kamu semua oooooo. kapan tong jln2 k Tribun, batu besar, jln Panorama, air terjun. Kapan tong baku marahan lagi sampe hampir baku bunuh ( hahah bercanda). Sa mo ketemu kam smua lagi spaya tong bisa tertawa sama2 ( Ingat Madona pu tertawa bokar yg sexy tu ale :) truss main basket rame2, makan d shopping. Tra sanggup ale,,sa rindu masa2 tu skali!!!!coba  klu klu tong bisa putar waktu2 tu kembali lagi. Biar sdh tong smua tpisah jauh tapi tong smua SISTERS forever. Suatu saat pasti tong baku dpt lgi baru crita kembali tong pu kenangan2 dulu. I MISS YOU ALL <3

 cerita ini jadi bkin sa tambah  KANGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN sa pu tempat tercinta skali:(  mo cpat2 kembli ale. Di tempat ini tersimpan kenagan2 yg indah & tra akan dilupakan!!dan akan slalau dikenang sampe kapan pun. Biarpun sa su pigi jauh sampe di kota besar ini pun tetap sa pu surga kecil ini slalu dlm sa pu benak & hati. Biarpun sa mo pigi jauh d benua mana, samudra mana, negri mana, planet mana, pulau mana tapi kota kecil ini su curi sa pu cinta utk tetap Cinta & sayang dya :P.  Tembagapura,, terima kasih su menjadi tempat paling andalan utk membesarkan sa menjadi seorang gadis, mengarjarkan sa arti Persahaabtan/ persaudaraan & mengenalkan sa dunia pendidikan. 

 I love My Hometown :)