Writing as a Disciple of Christ!

A Letter from Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta, serving in Indonesia

Fall 2022

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Dear family, friends, and colleagues,

We, global scholars, were welcomed with these words to Overseas Ministries Study Center @Princeton Theological Seminary (OMSC@PTS): “Brothers and sisters, you are now part of the Princeton Theological Seminary family.” The president of Princeton Theological Seminary gave a speech in the chapel to welcome postgraduate program students and visiting global scholars who are currently at Princeton Theological Seminary. Together with nine colleagues from various countries, I became part of the Overseas Ministries Study Center global partner program. This year OMSC celebrates 100 years of its founding. Founded by Christian women with an original vision to give missionaries serving around the world time to rest and reflect when returning to the United States.

“You have all been chosen to be at Princeton Theological Seminary, so you will not hesitate to interact with the values ​​that make up Princeton Theological Seminary. The spirit of the Presbyterian church that appeared in planning for the future starting from the past will inspire you while you are here,” said Dr. Barnes, president of Princeton Theological Seminary. His words echoed in my mind. The Presbyterian church has been an important part of society in the United States. Through the PC(USA), my husband, Bernard Adeney-Risakotta, and I were called to serve in Indonesia for many years. One of the ways salvation in Christ is shown is through the ministry of empowering people to be ready to pass on God’s blessings to others.

Being able to have the time to do research and to write about sustainable development, and Islamic sharia economics is especially important for my ongoing ministry in Indonesia. This is especially true because of the way each of our global partners has experienced Christianity in light of the history of colonialization.

Missionaries from the Reformed Church in the Netherlands brought the news of salvation to Indonesia while imparting new knowledge about growing cocoa and coffee whose seeds were brought from Africa. At that time, the Netherlands became the center of the trade in raw crops that were to be processed into exotic products and sold all over the world.

Recently, we ate a delicious dish that shows this interconnection. Sister Everlyn cooked chicken, which is the favorite recipe of her 98-year-old mother who lives in Kalimanjero, mixed with a banana from Indonesia. Colonialization has made Christianity a world religion.

Our challenge now is to ascertain whether Christianity, which has spread around the world, provides a sense of security, justice and peace to all brothers and sisters who live in the same country regardless of their religion. The joint work between Muslim and Christian communities in Yogyakarta shows us the way of life in Christ that opens itself to God’s grace to fellow human beings.

The experience of serving the Lord Jesus in Indonesia must be written as a testimony of faith and as a way of appreciation between religious communities in understanding the Creator, the experience of human suffering, poverty, forgiveness and love. The Bible says: “He is the disciple, who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true” (John 21:24). In order to write about Christianity, I had to become a disciple so that I could ask about the truths that I feel I am demonstrating in the ministry of serving Christ in Indonesia. During my time at OMSC, I will receive a wealth of nourishment from reading and discussions with other people. I also hope to get a lot of inspiration from visits to churches physically or through Zoom’s connectivity across the United States to explain about God’s ministry through the PC(USA) in Indonesia.

The day after I flew from Yogyakarta International Airport in Yogyakarta (YIA), the Co-op of House of Authentic Senses (HAS) also participated in celebrating Indonesia’s 77th Independence Day by participating in a fashion show at YIA. Thanks be to God HAS Co-op products of handmade fashion and art-crafts are now able to be sold at YIA. All HAS Co-op products sold at YIA help feed women, children and their families in rural areas. Cooperation has occurred not only among members of the HAS Co-op but also with the wider community of those who visit Yogyakarta. In buying these products, they bring home gifts that tell the stories of caring people who were friendly and loved each other.

I wish that all of us may be filled with God’s goodness and love in our lives. I would like to thank the church members, individuals and communities who have financially supported my ministry in Indonesia. I will be at OMSC at Princeton Theological Seminary from now until May 2023.

I hope to be able to visit with congregations through Zoom and visit churches in person to share how God is working for peace and justice on this earth in Indonesia. Lord Jesus’ love and inclusion completes our mutual hope. God’s love helps us serve each other. Writing is a way of understanding the realignment of Christ’s ministry. I am grateful for every interaction I have and look forward to visiting congregations to share the story of God’s work in Indonesia and the United States.

Salam (peace)

Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta

Please read the following letter from Rev. Mienda Uriarte, acting director of World Mission:

Dear Partners in God’s Mission,

What an amazing journey we’re on together! Our call to be a Matthew 25 denomination has challenged us in so many ways to lean into new ways of reaching out. As we take on the responsibilities of dismantling systemic racism, eradicating the root causes of poverty and engaging in congregational vitality, we find that the Spirit of God is indeed moving throughout World Mission. Of course, the past two years have also been hard for so many as we’ve ventured through another year of the pandemic, been confronted with racism, wars and the heart wrenching toll of natural disasters. And yet, rather than succumb to the darkness, we are called to shine the light of Christ by doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with God.

We are so grateful that you are on this journey as well. Your commitment enables mission co-workers around the world to accompany partners and share in so many expressions of the transformative work being done in Christ’s name. Thank you for your partnership, prayers and contributions to their ministries.

We hope you will continue to support World Mission in all the ways you are able:

Give – Consider making a year-end financial contribution for the sending and support of our mission personnel (E132192). This unified fund supports the work of all our mission co-workers as they accompany global partners in their life-giving work. Gifts can also be made “in honor of” a specific mission co-worker – just include their name on the memo line.

Pray – Include PC(USA) mission personnel and global partners in your daily prayers. If you would like to order prayer cards as a visual reminder of those for whom you are praying, please contact Cindy Rubin (cynthia.rubin@pcusa.org; 800-728-7228, ext. 5065).

Act – Invite a mission co-worker to visit your congregation either virtually or in person. Contact mission.live@pcusa.org to make a request or email the mission co-worker directly. Email addresses are listed on Mission Connections profile pages. Visit pcusa.org/missionconnections to search by last name.

Thank you for your consideration! We appreciate your faithfulness to God’s mission through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Prayerfully,

Rev. Mienda Uriarte, Acting Director
World Mission
Presbyterian Mission Agency
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

To give, please visit https://bit.ly/22MC-YE.

For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6