Children Are Our, Church’s and Indonesia’s Future

Ini adalah essay yang saya buat ketika saya hendak melamar ke Compassion Indonesia sebagai freelance translator. Pada akhirnya, lamaran saya ditolak, hiks.. 😦 Essay ini saya buat dalam bahasa Inggris. Maafkan jika ada grammar yang salah, he3.. 😀

Selamat membaca!

The reason I want to join Compassion Indonesia

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. (Psalms 127:4 ESV)

Indonesia is a great country. Not only rich with great amount of natural resources but her people also have many wonderful cultures. Indonesia has about 400 volcanoes, of which about 130 are active and 70 have erupted in historical times. With 40,000 species of flowering plants, including 3,000 trees and 5,000 orchids, Indonesia has a greater variety of flora than the tropical regions of Africa or the Americas. Due to the large number of islands, Indonesia has about 54,716 km (about 33,999 mi) of coastline, much more than most countries.

Indonesian culture mixes the traditions of many civilizations and religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Southeast Asian, Polynesian, Chinese, Arabic, and Dutch. Indonesia has a long and grand architectural tradition. Indian influence is evident in the large and greatest Buddhist monument of Borobudur and the Hindu temple of Prambanan, both in central Java. Indonesia is home to many traditional dance styles, and the classical dance traditions of Java and Bali have attracted worldwide attention.

In fact, all richness that Indonesia has does not make Indonesian live in abundance. Before economic crisis in 1997, Indonesia has 22.5 millions people live below destitution line. New-order regime couldn’t cope with the crisis so this number increased to 78.9 millions and now becomes 108 millions. Total of unemployment people now is 10.85 millions and if it is added with number of disguised unemployment, it becomes 40 millions.

Majority of Indonesian do not have proper education for their own wealth. For detail : 8.5 % of Indonesian do not or never go to school, 21.87 % do not complete their elementary school, 33.42 % complete their elementary school, 16.65 % complete their junior high school, 16.17 % complete their senior high school, and 3.39 % graduate from university. United Nations Development Program reports that Human Development Index (HDI) of Indonesian is at 108^th position from 177 countries.

The bible says ‘my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge’. Foolish thought and fearless of the LORD will lead people to destruction. If we want the better Indonesia at future, we must concern to provide this country a better generation. Education is the only way to fight poverty. We must provide a better and proper education for all of children in this country. We can prevent Indonesia from destruction by doing this.

Education I meant is a godly education. Education based-on the bible. Not only provide the children with the knowledge according to their intelligence type, but also teach them to love the LORD and do his words so in the future they will lead and run this country based-on Kingdom of GOD rules.

If children we have today were taught well about GOD’s words, they will have good influence not only at market place, but also for enlarging the Kingdom of GOD on earth. The bible says ‘It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone’. Pastor/author Rick Warren begins his best-selling book The Purpose-Driven Life with these penetrating words: ‘The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by His purpose and for His purpose’. Everyone has their own purpose of life that is unique and comes from their creator, Almighty GOD. We can help the children to find their purpose of life so they will have their best life which is not only best for them, but also for everyone else.

In response to the Great Commission, Compassion International exists as an advocate for children, to release them from their spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults. I really want to join Compassion Indonesia so I may participate in preparing a better generation to lead this country in GOD’s way.

One of the Compassion commitments that is also one of my life principles is ‘We commit to honor Jesus Christ in all that we do. The Great Commission is at the heart of our mission statement, and discipleship is at the core of our program’. I believe that every purpose of life is based-on the great commission. John Piper wrote ‘Mission is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Mission exists because worship doesn’t’. I think mission makes GOD receive the ultimate worship from human being – as it is written the bible ‘I looked again. I saw a huge crowd, too huge to count. Everyone was there–all nations and tribes, all races and languages. And they were standing, dressed in white robes and waving palm branches, standing before the Throne and the Lamb’. I believe also that discipleship is the way – and the most effective way – that given by Jesus to prepare people of GOD to be the church that he would desire, his beloved bride. Christianity exists till now because 2000 years ago there were Disciples of Christ who preached the gospel to the world. It all started from discipleship Christ did to his twelve apostles.

I really want to join Compassion Indonesia for these reasons. I hope I can get the chance this time. Thank you.