MISSION TO INDONESIA
Batam church of Christ - Winston Bolt, Missionary
PO Box 514 - Batam, Indonesia
wlbolt@indosat.net.id
January 2005

Sponsoring Church - Morgantown Church of Christ
361 Scott Avenue, Morgantown, WV 26507

Dear Brethren,

Regarding the earthquake and tidal waves that hit North Sumatra, Malaysia, and Thailand, here in Batam, we did not experience any damage. Singapore only experienced some mild shaking in the high rise buildings. We are in a quite benign area and have never experienced any of these types of events in this particular area. Please pray for our brethren on the islands of Penang and other locations in Thailand and Malaysia.

The year 2004 has been a significant year in the history of the Batam church of Christ and Mission Indonesia. However none of what has taken place could have happened without you as partners in this work of the Lord. Your prayers, your faithfulness, your significant contribution to the work here are vital to the expansion of the church to all of Indonesia.

I want to thank all of you who opened your hearts and homes to me as I raised funds for the work. Your hospitality, kindness, and encouragement gave me the strength and conviction to continue week after week to seek others who would share in our vision. To all the individuals and churches in America, Malaysia, and Singapore who have given so much for the construction of church building in Batam, Batam Bible College and it's operation, the support for Brother Pasaribu, and the mission teams that are working in Sumatra and Java we give our deepest thanks and appreciation.

• The construction of the Batam Bible College facility
• The sending out of local mission teams to Solo, Java and Duri, Sumatra
• The appointing of local instructors to the staff of Batam Bible College
• The expansion of the church in Batam by planting of a congregation in Batu Aji
• The further expansion of the church by the planting of five congregations throughout Indonesia by alumni of Batam Bible College

After visiting the mission points in Solo and Sulawesi I was greatly encouraged by the work in these places. In Solo the brethren are busy purchasing land in the center of the city on which they want to build a church building. The surrounding churches there are growing with additional outreach. I was blessed to preach in the Prowojewo congregation and three men responded to the invitation and were baptized The three men represented three generations as their age were 55, 36, and 15 which gives us hope for generations to come.

The churches in Sulawesi have rejected slander, division, and condemnation from a few issue oriented brethren and decided to love one another and work together. This has resulted in two congregations being opened in areas beyond their borders. Students from Batam have been reaching into Central Sulawesi which is a Christian area even though at this time there is some difficulty there. I was blessed to help a congregation there with the purchase of a plot of land, as they had agreed to build their own building from the materials in the area. With a little help these village congregations can have an effect on surrounding areas that is amazing.

2005 will bring many challenges but for now I wish to praise the Lord for all that He has done and will do. Thank you for making this journey with us and God bless.

Your servant in Christ
Winston Bolt

*Please note that the Madigan Avenue Church of Christ has changed its name and address to the: Morgantown Church of Christ; 361 Scott Ave.; Morgantown, WV 26507