Imagine what it would be like to leave the faith of your family and community, perhaps knowing that you would become estranged from them forever. And with the possibility of being persecuted, ex-communicated, and threatened with your life. It happens. It has been a joy to listen to Tamara’s stories since she joined the teacher training program (TfN). She became a believer at her school on a Mustard Seed 
campus. Shortly after entering TfN, her countenance began to reflect the joy in her heart. She knows how to hear from God and how to apply scripture to her life. She asked for prayer last spring for money to make the plane trip home to her Island for her university break. How could you not help a college student with a desire to see her family, especially since her light has
become so much brighter since she entered into the TfN program? She is in training to become a Christian teacher and a community leader in a rural village in Indonesia. The funds materialized, and Tamara went home to her village. Most of the people there hadn’t thought much of the program she had been getting ready to enter the previous fall. But after seeing how she had changed, they started asking what had happened to her. And she was ready for their questions. She had forgotten her Bible at school, but, having been inspired by her spiritual life leader, she had memorized Scriptures and was able to write passages on the walls of her room. When people would visit they’d be curious about the words on her walls, and Tamara would have a chance to explain them. Then she’d change the passages before her friends came back to visit again with more questions and her with more explanations. Isn’t that discipleship? Tamara also sang many of the songs she had learned during devotionals and at church in her university town. Her friends began picking up the songs and singing them. Tamara told stories about her young cousins and their young friends, who confided that they wanted to be more like her and learn what had changed her so dramatically. As Tamara was sharing, the picture of a farmer scattering seed came to mind. Only God knows what type of hearts the seeds were planted in, but the potential for God watering them and producing a harvest for His Kingdom was very evident. Now, imagine this girl teaching children day in and day out, and imagine the impact she will make for eternity.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to May for sharing Tamara’s story.
