Today marked the end of the May 2008 rēp Consultation in Jakarta and yet the beginning of the journey for our clients. As each client presented a summary of what God had done in their personal lives and in their businesses, we were humbled to hear how God had brought about both an understanding of Kingdom Purpose for their business and the courage to act on this understanding.

As clients testified to the miracles that God had done in their businesses, our faith increased to trust God for those miracles still needed by other clients.

For instance, one client group realized that they would not have full freedom in implementing the strategies they had created during the rēp Consultation because they did not have sole ownership of their real estate business. Their hands were effectively “tied.” Amazingly, and without any prompting by our clients, the other two shareholders communicated mid-way into the Consultation that they would like to be bought out by our clients, giving them the freedom to implement all that they had planned during the Consultation.

Marriages were also touched. We were blessed to have several of the clients include their wives throughout the Consultation. For some, strategies around business Partnership included a renewed commitment to restore marriage partnerships. For this reason it was particularly impactful to have our US consultants, Tim and Annie Dang, as part of the rēp team. Their demonstration of ministering alongside one another in a business context and their eagerness to learn how to implement biblical principles in their own businesses back in California spoke volumes.

Clients also committed to address some of the societal ills, or “Giants,” of Indonesia. One client group, an Internet provider, made a specific commitment to tackle the giants of pornography and poor infrastructure in Indonesia. Another client in the micro-lending industry committed to not only address poverty, but also the lack of education among the poor, including character development. Other clients made a commitment to systematically rid their businesses of corrupt practices. This included the humble repentance by one client of stealing from company funds. For each client we recognized that fulfilling these commitments would require a consistent and deliberate process.

Personally, as I reflect on what God has done in the past two weeks, it was evident that we are currently benefiting from much sacrifice and faithfulness of past rēp teams as well as from the faithful, consistent work by our local rēp team over the past several years. This was the sixth rēp Venture to Jakarta and there is a real sense that momentum for Marketplace ministry is growing; while Jakarta does not experience the season of spring per se, it seems to be experiencing a spring of a different sort—an awakening as such. As we look forward, we anticipate accelerated growth in partnering with our local rēp leaders and with the church—God’s people—in the Marketplace of Jakarta.

Rebecca Muir.