The Immanuel Lutheran school and church communities, Buderim, Queensland, have further strengthened their bonds with their sister school and church in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Three delegates from the Immanuel communities visited the Gereja Kristan Protestan Indonesia (GKPI) church and school. Naree Wittwer, head of Immanuel Lutheran College (ILC) Middle School, visited the GKPI school, […]

The Immanuel Lutheran school and church communities, Buderim, Queensland, have further strengthened their bonds with their sister school and church in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia.

Three delegates from the Immanuel communities visited the Gereja Kristan Protestan Indonesia (GKPI) church and school. Naree Wittwer, head of Immanuel Lutheran College (ILC) Middle School, visited the GKPI school, which has 460 students in ten classes across years 7-12. It has 18 teachers and three support staff. The school has limited facilities and is looking for ways that the sister-school relationship may help to improve the quality of the school in order to provide a better education for the students.

ILC students have been raising funds to support their GKPI sister school, and students in ILC Indonesian classes wrote letters, which Naree delivered to the GKPI students through the principal Mr D J Silalahi and English teacher Ms Melva Barus.

Members of Immanuel Lutheran congregation’s ‘Soularise’ youth team, Jess Menzel and David Wallis, met with GKPI bishop Dr Mangisi Simorangkir and parish pastor Rev Simson Tarigan.

Reporting back to her home congregation, Naree spoke about the spiritual depth of the people they met and of the packed churches at Sunday services. ‘It was amazing to be in a totally different place in the world, but among Christians’, says Jess.

David spoke about the shared nightly Bible studies and encouraged the Immanuel community with the words from 2 Corinthians 6:1: ‘In our work together with God, then, we beg you who have received God’s grace not to let it be wasted’.

A delegation from Medan now plans to visit Immanuel to investigate further opportunities for the two communities to continue to walk hand in hand. Jess, Naree and David say, ‘Terima Kasih Teman Teman’ – ‘Thank you, friends’.

If your school would like to know more about how they can connect to the mission of God through a LCA International Mission service-learning and ministry partnership, you are invited to phone Erin on (08) 8267 7300 or email erin.kerber@lca.org.au. For more information, go to www.lcamission.org.au/join-gods-mission/service-learning/

Read more stories about school partnerships and school service-learning at www.lcamission.org.au/category/stories/local-partners/schools/