In an area of Indonesia where Islam is the dominant religion, Santi raised her daughter Indah to know Jesus. They were happy together but had few people to talk to and fewer still to share their faith with. And life can certainly be lonely when you feel disconnected from both your neighbors and the culture at large. Santi also struggled to comprehend the dialect used in her church. But she still trusted Jesus, even as the Scriptures remained obscure.
Photography by David Hogsholt
Indah grew up, got married, and had three babies, but several years later her husband abandoned the family. Still, she remained faithful to God’s calling. As her mother had done when she was little, Indah pointed her children to Christ, and God comforted her. Others in similar circumstances were encouraged by her godly example, and through her many challenges and losses, she has become someone who comforts others well (2 Cor. 1:3-5).
A few years ago, Santi received a Messenger audio Bible and discovered the Scripture was in her heart language. Suddenly she understood God’s hope and love in a deeper way, and now, as she listens to God’s Word daily, He comforts and shapes her. She and Indah have moved to a new part of the city, where they feel more connected and welcomed. Their neighbors notice how they live and see the peace they enjoy. And like her daughter, Santi is now honored as a wise woman whom people approach with requests for prayer.
Read more stories from Southeast Asia at intouch.org/global.
