Baptizing in Paradise

I’m in Raja Ampat for the second time this year for Reaping meetings.   Raja Ampat has the best diving in the world according to several Dive magazines.    The location of our meetings is in the capital of the Raja Ampat regency and so its hard to be in a city and think that just 20 minutes away is the best diving.   So I jumped at an opportunity to go to Yarweser, a small village on the edge of one of the 4 Raja – or King islands.   This island of Batam is one of the 4 largest of the 600+ islands in this island paradise in West Papua, Indonesia.

The First thing I did when we arrived at this village is to go to the church.   When I turned around to I saw this view.   I thought out loud, “Wow! I’ll be Baptizing in Paradise.” Then I added,  “This must me like heaven.”

The View out the back door of the Adventist Church in Yaweser

We came to Yaweser to Baptize those who had requested baptism and preform 2 weddings.   First, West Papua Mission President Pastor Ted and the district Pastor, Son Rumbiak, made sure the baptismal candidates were ready doctrinally.

  

Then the church enthusiastically voted 13 new members into the church subject to their baptism in a few minutes latter.   See the hands of the members voting.

Then I was given the opportunity to baptize all 13 candidates.    And because the last two pairs were husband and wife I baptized them together a couple at a time.

 

Yes, it is wonderful to baptize in perfectly blue water as you watch exotic fish dart this way and that to miss the baptismal candidates bodies as they are laid down in the watery grave and then symbolically resurrected as a celebration of Jesus victory over sin for us.   “Thank you Jesus!  For your free offer of eternal life and may many more make a public expression of Christ’s Re-birth, Resurrection power.    And Thanks Jesus for letting me have the opportunity to work for You.   The only place more beautiful than this will be when we are in Paradise.   Thank you Jesus!”   I wonder if Jesus will baptize me in Paradise?

 

Pray for our new believers in this almost paradise place called Yarweser in Raja Ampat.   They are struggling to build a bigger church now with more termite proof boards built from Iron Wood.

The current Church is the one below but its way too small for the current population let alone the future.

Oh and here are the Wedding Couples (see below)

One more “OH”. . . to my pastor friends. . . have you ever baptized a kid in a Harley Davis shirt in such beautiful water as this?

Too Bad we had to leave Paradise.   Thanks to my friend Max Ammer, owner of Papua Diving,  for loaning his boat and driver for the day in Paradise to Yarwesar.

“Momma” Watopa’s "Restaurant"

The Beautiful hut from which we enjoyed our meals in Waropen each day while I was there for Evangelism Meetings.

October 1-12 I was in Waropen for Evangelism Meetings. . .There’s a beautiful “restaurant” in the Waropen Kabupatan.    No, its not really a restaurant but I was just as impressed as if it were.   “Momma” Watofa, pronounced Watopa to the English speaking ear, is the wife of our retired Education Director a few years back.   He and she still work as Principle and teacher in their retirement.   The food she produced, between teaching classes to elementary school kids, was spectacular for this westerner.   She accommodated my western vegetarian taste buds and found a way to blend Indonesian, Papuan and Western foods in a divine way.    Wow it tasted good.   Can we say Granola, Pizza, Quiche, Grilled Vegetables, something that tasted like Special K loaf.

Gradola, Papaya, Peanuts that a church member dug and “Momma” Watofa roasted.
On Top of the spectacular food the Watofa family land is beach front and they have little modern huts called Pondoks for enjoying the sea view.   Each day we would watch boats coming in an out and birds catching their prey and children and fishermen at play.   It was such a delightful experience that it made me wish there was a place this refreshing in Doyo Baru.  

The Watofa Home faces the ocean but they’ve also started a church in this former government home that was built on their family land.   It actually use to be rented by prostitutes for their business.   When the Watofa learned of this they bought it back from the government and dedicated it to the Lord instead of to Satan’s benefits.   They hope to one day afford the rest of their land to buy is back from the government who has an abandoned tourist facility on it.  
I told “Momma” Watofa, as everyone affectionately calls her, that she should seriously consider opening a Restaurant.

“Momma” Watofa (in red top) in her kitchen

With her “staff” of volunteers who cooked for me and the team while we preached, taught and visited during the reaping meetings in Waropen.