Mission work in Indonesia

By ARIEL ARCH, Intern

Thousands of miles separate the United States from Indonesia, but the desire for education shortens those miles.
When Alicia Slaubaugh of International Falls attended the Rosedale Bible College in Ohio during the spring of 2008 she had no idea it would lead to a journey of a lifetime.
Through the school, Slaubaugh got involved in REACH, a non-profit group that organizes mission work all over the world. The program is affiliated with Rosedale Mennonite Missions.
As a result, Slaubaugh is preparing to work for six months in Indonesia. “Indonesia was my first choice for the program I was interested in,” she said. She will return to the U.S. in May.
Mission workers will also be involved in programs in Madagascar, Thailand, South Africa, Israel, Nepal, Spain, and Uganda.
“We’ll mostly be working as volunteers at a library, teaching English with college students and children,” adds Slaubaugh. “It’s going to be very informal. It’s everyday conversations.”
REACH is for young adults age 18 and over, and consists of three months of Discipleship Training School in Columbus, Ohio, followed by an outreach component that lasts six or nine months. A new training session begins every year at the end of August.
Next month, Slaubaugh will join 20-25 students attending the training program. The training will last about three months and will end in the beginning of December.
“I’m looking forward to training and getting to know other people,” says Slaubaugh, “That’s what this mission trip is all about, building new relationships.”
Discipleship Training School is designed to build strong spiritual foundations in the lives of all participants, according to its Web site. The teaching and practical experiences of the DTS are centered around the eight essential components of discipleship training as outlined by the Global Discipleship Training Alliance. These components are: communion/intimacy with God, Holy Spirit empowerment, Christ-like relationships, biblical truth, the body of Christ, evangelism and compassion, dying to self/living for Christ, and world missions.
During training, Slaubaugh will be learning how to speak Indonesian. “The language barrier is going to be pretty challenging,” she said. “I’m very excited but I’m very nervous to learn a different language.”
The cost for the mission trip is just less than $8,000 and Slaubaugh is responsible for $700 of the cost. The rest may donated. Donations may be sent to RMN 9920 Rosedale Milford Center Road, Irwin Ohio, 43029.
Meanwhile, Saubaugh noted that Rosedale Mennonite Missions of Ohio is involved with her school. “My family has been involved with the program before,” she noted.
People interested in getting involved or donating to the cause may also contact Mennonite Missions at www.rosedalemennonitemissions.org.