The Light 2013 Volume 27

True Knowledge | Faith in Christ | Godly Character

27th Edition/October/2013

contents Editorial Team PUBLISHER Yayasan Pendidikan Pelita Harapan ADVISOR Phillip Nash MANAGING EDITOR Hana Herawati EDITORS Maureen Cox, Elizabeth Santosa, Nancy Indriyati GRAPHIC DESIGNER Iwan Werlin PHOTOGRAPHERS Hariyanto, Simon, Clifford, Dody, Melissa

27th Edition/October/2013 3 True By Phillip Nash

4 True By Dan Fennell

5 The Ultimate Victory of Truth By Jonathan Schaeffer

7 Parents Seminar Reflection 8 Papua Mission Service Learning 10 Be Brave and Shave 11 Friendship Day By Hanna Park 14 Our Graduating Students 2013 18 New Parents Comments 20 Isabel Searson: New Appointment as Head of SPH International Lippo Cikarang 21 Summer Program 2013 By David and Anne Cameron

Address 2500 Bulevar Palem Raya, Lippo Village Tangerang 15811, Banten Phone: (021) 546 0233-34, Fax: (021) 546 9663 www.sph.edu

23 Trip to Lampung By Emma English 24 Independence Day By Aileen H. Riady 26 Celebrates Twenty Years of God's Blessings

COVER

: are you true?

LOCATION

: SPH International Lippo Village

20 Years Anniversary SPH International Teachers and Staffs (17 August 2013)

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There is a battle for truth today and as those who seek to live in the eternal truth of God, we are part of God’s army to defend the truth by our words and deeds.

Welcome to the first edition of The Light for 2013. As you read this edition, I trust you will get a clearer picture of how we at SPH International are seeking to live out an important part of our vision statement—True Knowledge. With the help of our Biblical Foundations Coordinator, Mr Dan Fennell and our theme guest speakers Rev. Jonathan and Mrs Mary Schaeffer, we have set about trying to understand something more of what true knowledge really is.

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AN reminds us that Biblical truth is firstly revealed to us, is reliable, requires a response and requires resisting falsehood. Our theme logo—TruE —calls us not only to knowledge of the truth but to a response to the truth. The hope of our schools is that through the Biblically-based and Christ centered education our students receive, they will come to know the truth in the person of Jesus Christ: the one who called himself Truth (John 14:6).

to know truth in the person of Jesus Christ demands a response of love and obedience.

Some may suggest that ‘demand’ is too strong a word to use, but how else can one respond to the King of Kings, the Creator of the universe, and the Saviour of our souls? The Christian faith is not about a set of beliefs alone but a relationship with the living truth.

Rev Jonathan gave us an overview of the movement away from truth by western civilization beginning in the 14th century and culminating in our own day when truth is believed by many to be purely relative and self-determined. Like Oswald Sanders, he calls us to be ‘holy optimists’ because the truth of God is eternal and not subject to change simply because humankind wills it. In fact it is only by clinging to this eternal, unchanging truth that we can be sure of anything and have a hope for the future.

Of course where there is truth there is also falsehood and in living for the truth we must be prepared to resist falsehood and stand up for the truth. The old hymn calls us to ‘Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross.’

There is a battle for truth today and as those who seek to live in the eternal truth of God, we are part of God’s army to defend the truth by our words and deeds. At the Independence Day celebrations in Lippo Village, Ibu Aileen Riady called students to take up the professions as an act of continuing the fight for the true independence of the Indonesia nation. I love the way she called for ‘law experts who defend the truth not people’.

Any consideration of truth requires a consideration of how we should live. Truth is not some intellectual idea to be discussed but a living reality that makes a significant difference to how we live our lives. Dan reminded us that ‘Biblical truth must be lived out’. Jesus said that if we love him then we will obey him. Coming

The mission of our school is to lead students to true knowledge through faith in Christ the Saviour so that they may truly develop Godly character and be people of influence in a world that denies the truth of God. In the pages of this magazine, I trust you can see examples of how our vision is being fulfilled in the lives of

students, teachers, staff and families who are being pointed towards true knowledge. The battle continues but the victory is the Lord’s!

Jude, the brother of James the Apostle, wrote a little letter warning the early church against the false teaching that was rising up in his day. This false teaching was taking people away from the truth revealed by the Old Testament Scriptures, embodied in Jesus Christ and testified to by the Apostles. He ends his short letter with these well-known words: To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord before all ages, now and forever more!(Jude 24–25) We are reminded by Jude that it is only by the grace of God that we can remain true and not fall into falsehood. In celebrating the SPH group’s twentieth anniversary this year, we acknowledge that through the love of God, our schools have been growing stronger in their understanding of truth and so we commit ourselves together to continue the path set out for us by the pioneers of our movement and honour them for their commitment to the truth.

Phillip Nash

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Every year SPH International schools are unified in life and learning by a theme that derives from our Vision and Mission statement. The theme directs our family of schools into the life of our Lord Jesus Christ and into Biblical learning in Christian community.

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UR 2013–2014 theme, ‘TRUE’, is based on SPH International’s Vision statement, ‘True Knowledge’.

‘I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you,’ because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.’ 1 John 2:8 Our theme verse comes from the Apostle John’s letter written to first century Christians living in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Just one generation after the church’s formation skeptics questioned the reality and relevance of Jesus. Some skeptics claimed Jesus wasn’t truly or fully God. Others claimed to know God, yet disobeyed his commands.

John answered these skeptics by calling Christian believers back to the beginning.

‘That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.’

(1 John 1:1). Whereas in his Gospel John begins by speaking of Jesus as Creator (‘In the beginning was the Word’ John 1:1) in his letter John speaks of Jesus’ incarnation—of his physical and historical life lived in the land of Israel. John is saying he has verbal, visible and tangible evidence for the reality of Jesus.

The Biblical claim is that truth can be known and has been shown to us in Jesus.

Biblical truth is revealed God must reveal Himself to us for us to know since humans are blind to spiritual truth.

‘The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.’ (2 Corinthians 4:4). God’s truth is not something we work up to or work out but something we welcome as a gift revealed by our heavenly Father (Mathew 16:17). God reveals the truth about himself verbally in the Bible and most visibly in Jesus who is ‘the truth’ (John 14:6).

Biblical truth is reliable In his letter John validates the truth of Jesus’ historical existence while in the book of Revelation Jesus reminds John that his words are ‘trustworthy and true’ (Revelation 21:5).

God is ‘just and true’ (Revelation 15:3) and Jesus is ‘Faithful and True’ (Revelation 19:11).

In the pages of Scripture and in the person of Jesus we find God’s true and trustworthy promises. D. L. Moody said, ‘God never made a promise that was too good to be true.’

Biblical truth requires a response Biblical truth must be lived out. Christian faith is a belief that behaves and obedience opens the door to discovering further truth.

Jesus said, ‘Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God.’ (John 7:17).

True knowing requires submitting to and living by the truth. Eugene Peterson suggests ‘the kinds of lives we lead, who we are, not just what we do, are huge factors influencing our access to truth, any truth, but especially the

By Dan Fennell

Biblical Foundations Coordinator SPH International Lippo Village

Truth that is God.’ So believers in the true God not only receive eternal life (John 17:3) but respond as doers of the truth.

Biblical truth requires resisting falsehood There were enemies of Christian truth in John’s day as there are today. We live in a world where truth is being dissolved in the reality denying acids of atheism, naturalism and postmodernism. Objective universal truth is denied or deconstructed in order to be re-constructed into ‘truth’ claims that, no matter how contradictory and inconsistent with what actually is, we are told must be tolerated and promoted as equally true.

The Apostle Paul warned Timothy that he (and we also like him) must guard the Gospel.

‘What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.’ (2 Timothy 1:13–14). By rejecting what is false and receiving Biblical truth, God, by His Spirit, will lead us out into His world to live and learn and love truly. We hope you will join us in the worship of Jesus as a community; • • • •

Humbled by God’s grace and hungering for God’s truth Found in Christ and focused on being God’s true people Motivated by and ministering God’s true love to others Carefully defending and courageously declaring God’s truth

‘Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation.’

Psalm 25:5

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Theme Launch

The Ultimate Victory of Truth

By Jonathan Schaeffer

SPH International’s theme this year is timely and personal: Are you true? Jesus—the living Word—is the Truth, as is his written Word—the Bible. His heart for us all is expressed through the Apostle John that we ‘walk in the truth’ (3 John 2).

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ESUS calls us to follow him by obeying His Word. If we fail in that, we fail completely. If we succeed, we will receive praise from our Father in heaven. When it comes to the truth, there’s good news, and there’s bad news.

The bad news can be expressed in this actual conversation: Co-worker : I don’t think there’s any life beyond this. This is it.

Friend : Of course, there are those who would disagree with you.

Co-worker : Oh, that’s okay. It’s whatever you believe.

Friend : So, those others who don’t believe as you do might be right?

Co-worker : No, I don’t think they’re right.

Friend : But they might be, and you’d be wrong.

Co-worker : Oh, I’m not wrong.

Friend : But you might be.

Co-worker : No. Friend : Then they’re wrong.

Co-worker : No, I didn’t say that.

Friend : But if you’re right, then they’re wrong.

Co-worker : It’s only what you believe.

Friend : Oh, so if you believe it, it’s true.

Co-worker : You can believe whatever you want.

Friend : So if you don’t believe it, you won’t have an afterlife, but I believe it, so I will?

Co-worker : No, it’s whatever you believe.

The co-worker’s confusion is reminiscent of what took place during a period in Israel’s history when they tried to put God on a shelf and paid dearly for it.

‘Our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us ... rebellion and treachery against the LORD, turning our backs on our God, fomenting oppression and revolt, uttering lies our hearts have conceived. So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found.’ Isaiah 59:12–15 Contemporary words, aren’t they? They sound like they could have been penned in 2013.

How did we arrive where we are today? A quick tour of the history of truth gives us an understanding of our times. Here’s what has happened in many parts of our world.

1300’s Renaissance: A resurgence of learning began in Italy, serving as a bridge out of the Middle Ages. Unfortunately, there was also a sense in which man was elevated about a quarter of the way to God and God was similarly brought down.

1700’s Enlightenment: This was the age of reason. ‘With our minds,’ people thought, ‘we can understand life and solve all of our problems by controlling everything.’ In the words of historian Mark Noll: “An increasing number of European intellectuals used new ideas about the natural world, society and the nature of things to attack the established churches, as well as to question traditional views of divine revelation.” Along came the Industrial Revolution, brought on by new ideas and technology. The sense of confidence in human ability only grew, and the perceived need for God diminished even further.

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1800’s Darwinism: Charles Darwin’s theory gave people the sense that they could remove God from the equation altogether.

People are simply a random mass of particles, a product of mere chance. In Western thought, God fell off the screen, and man was elevated to the position of the Creator.

Writers like the German Friedrich Nietschze declared that God is dead.

1800’s Naturalism: A love affair with science ensued, where science became god. The perception was that everything could be explained in terms of natural causes.

1900’s Pluralism: In an age of religious diversity and increasing global communication, pluralism holds that no religion has the right to pronounce itself right or true. You hear the effects of pluralism when you hear a friend say, ‘How can anyone say that one religion is better than another? That one belief is right and everyone else is wrong? That’s so narrowminded.’

1900’s Relativism: This is the notion that there is no transcendent source of truth, and all morals become a matter of personal preference. The Apostle Paul in Romans 1 calls it exchanging the truth of God for a lie, which ultimately leads to degradation and despair.

2000’s Post-modernism: This was a partial corrective to the arrogance of Enlightenment thinking. Education and knowledge are not the answer to everything. However, postmodernism goes too far in that it rejects the notion of objective truth. It maintains that nothing can be fully known. Those caught in this kind of thinking say there is no absolute truth—just lots of competing and equal truths. Or, you can choose no truth at all. In other words, truth is what you want it to be.

It’s like the conversation at the start of this article.

The world is paying a heavy price for this confusion. History shows that a false liberation brings devastation in our own lives, breakdowns in relationships, and a steep moral decline in a nation.

Why Christians can be holy optimists If Jesus Christ is God and if he really came back from the dead and lives today ... then we have all the hope in the world! As the Scriptures declare, he is the way, the truth, and the life—for all people, and in all places, forever. In the words of author Oswald Sanders, we can be holy optimists!

History is moving toward the day when the truthfulness of Jesus’ claims will be evident to every person. Paul says in Philippians 2:9–11,

Jonathan Schaeffer 2013 Theme Launch Speaker

At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow ... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.’

How do we live in the meantime?

We must seek to know the Truth, and live accordingly. We must model for our children what it means to follow Jesus in a postmodern world. In conversation with those who disagree that truth can be known, we are to live a contagious Christian life—sharing the hope that we have ‘with gentleness and respect’ (1 Peter 3:15). Voltaire, the famous French philosopher and atheist, having written a number of tracts deriding the Bible declared: “One hundred years from today the Bible will be a forgotten book.” The irony is that after Voltaire’s death, his homestead was used by the French Bible Society for nearly 100 years to sell Bibles! We’re reminded of Jesus’ words—“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

(Matthew 24:35) God’s truth is eternal. Let us live confidently in the truth and help those entrusted to us live for the Truth as well!

Are you true?

Parents Seminar Reflection A

Mary seminar I am FTER listening to the Jonathan and my children; talk challenged to spend more time with ing together play and listening more to them or even ortant imp t mos The such as cycling or washing the car. d of God wor the ch sear to thing is actually to have wisdom acters. char ical Bibl to g rdin together and guide them acco istent. pers and nt siste con be to In this I am still struggling ing harg e was like re-c Listening to Jonathan and Mary shar our of d hea the bility as me again to remember my responsi care. take to have I ch whi family and my kids are the lambs of and y Mar and than Jona to I feel very blessed to have listened ily. fam r thei and may Our Lord Jesus bless them

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felt so blessed by attendin g the TRUE seminar.

Jonathan and Mary, plu s the parents who shared, opened my eyes and my heart as a parent in educating and nurturing children in the truth of the Lord Jes us. The seminar was very practical and had a stron g Biblical foundation.

Hopefully a second sem inar like this will be held in SPH International. Th ank you and God bless.

Fenty Effendy Parent of Nathalie (Grade 3), Nich olas (Grade 6)

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Ruslan Krisno Bennett (Grade 9) Parent of Benedicto (Grade 6), Benita (Grade 8),

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listen to Jonathan T was a blessing for me to be able to We may have hs.

Trut g ntin and Mary's talk on 10 Pare the truths, of e som ly app to heard, learnt and tried of Christian hs trut core the of r inde but it was a great rem parenting.

Some points that stood out for me: recipe for Rebellion • Rules without Relationship is a RODUCE what we REP we w, • We teach what we kno model of expected a g bein of nce ARE—the importa behavior the righteousness that • "Human anger does not produce God desires" (James 1:20) marathon, not a sprint • Think long term. Parenting is a Lise Parapak Parent of Rania (Grade 2), Talya (Grade 5)

S parents, educating children is a resp onsibility that needs to be an important prio rity. We have limited time and our role as parents is needed at every stage of our children’s lives . However, the most important thing is to guide the child to know God and live in truth. As written in the scriptures, there is no greater joy, when we live in truth (3 John 1:4). All achievements in our careers, wealth are worthless if we fail as parents.

The Seminar helped to equip us as parents to have the right principles and practices. Althoug h we may often fail, when we have the will and hear t to learn and practice what is learned, we can alwa ys have hope.

Budhi and Yanti Parents of Gaby (Grade 2), Esther (Grade 9), Gideo n (Grad

e 12)

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E, as a couple, always ma ke a big effort to come together to the Parents Seminar held by SPH International. The rea son for this is quite simple: The unity in our way of thinking should taking actions with our com e first before children.

During the event, we we re refreshed with new kno wledge and understand of certain Biblical princi ing ples and after the event, we were encouraged to one or two new DNAs (De make cisions and Actions). By growing together durin seminar, we actually sav g the e a lot of time because we can gain practical ins from other couples’ mista ight kes or successes. It is ou r strong belief that Home where His-story begins is that has led us to invest our time for our children.

Thank you SPH Internatio nal ... Well done!

Henky S. Chahyadi an d Duvinse Parents of Gracesenia (Grade 9)

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special report

Papua MSL (Papua Mission Service Learning)

When God Speaks I was born and raised in a humble Christian family of five. I spent a considerable amount of my formal education in a Christian school. Needless to say, I have been exposed continuously by numerous teachers to the Bible, Jesus Christ, and everything related to Christianity. Also I have always attended church.

However, like many of us, I have not felt God working in my life, or any sort of divine intervention until this year. I decided to write this because I want to share what God revealed to me during this trip to Papua.

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E were playing around, taking pictures and just having a good time relaxing when a group of Papuan kids came around and played soccer with a plastic ball about ten meters away from us. My friend and I joined them. It was an intense game.

The game ended when the sun started to set.

As we were walking back to our host-family I realized that I had left one of my sandals on the beach. So I walked back to get it. As I was wandering around the beach looking for my sandal, a group of kids were still there and asked me what I was looking for. I told them that I had lost my sandal. Then one of the boys found it. I went to that boy, rubbed his head, thanked him and told them to go back to their house to get ready for dinner.

I stayed by the beach. From the place where I sat, I could hear people chatting, however it was the sound of the waves that captivated my attention the most. It felt as if the massive sound of every wave was God telling me how insignificant I was, but how precious I am to Him. It was absolutely surreal.

In Papua, God showed me the reality of what we learn in geography class—disparity in Indonesia, large poor families, traditional living, lack of education, as well as lack of sanitation— all of which I witnessed first-hand in this trip.

I was appalled by how simple the life is there, yet how easy it was to put up a smile on others’ faces. I came to a realization that the people there do not need sympathy, because they have enough. It seemed to me that from the little kids running around the neighborhood to the old men carrying wood they were satisfied and—perhaps more importantly—content.

So I pondered. What is it that makes us happy?

What does it really take to make us feel good?

Whatever it was it wasn't about money.

I came to the realization that it is the feeling of being valued, or recognized. Appreciating or recognizing someone’s effort is more than just loving them. It’s voluntarily allowing them to feel like they can do something for you, making them feel needed and significant.

None of these thoughts would have entered my mind had I ignored this mission trip. I learned something from this trip that only experience could teach. The exposure to a different culture, new language and the opportunity to humble myself and see the world differently from my life back at home were just what I needed.

If you want to learn and build awareness of the poor and those who are trapped in poverty consider studying geography. If you want to experience a different life, join a mission trip.

It will definitely change your perspectives and view of the world.

By Yoseph Student Council President SPH International Lippo Village

Clear Eyes Open Hearts We were not confident about the trip and didn’t expect it to be fun.

We didn't expect to learn much from the trip. But it turned out to be one of the best decisions we have ever made.

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E arrived in Biak at the crack of dawn and after only a few hours of rest we walked to a church and were told to clean! Everyone worked hard, scrubbing, mopping, and wiping up bird poo. By the end of the afternoon, we were utterly exhausted.

But it proved to be a good start to the week ahead of us.

That evening, we packed up to go to the village in which we were going to stay overnight. The whole two hours we were in the back of the truck the rain came down hard. We arrived at the village wet, tired, and sleepy.

Despite that, everyone’s spirit lightened upon our arrival in Desa Amoy. On one side there was a beautiful beach with clear water and on the other a line of simply built houses. Even though we were there for only less than a day, it was one of the most meaningful parts of the trip. Seeing the villagers live with limited access to the rest of the world but still thanking the Lord and going to church every Sunday was a wake up call.

Apart from the village, we also visited a local

orphanage. The kids there were again very thankful for what they have. They appreciated the little things that didn’t even matter to us such as the goody bags we gave them and the games we prepared for them. The little time we spent with them are moments that we will surely cherish.

testimonies by our seniors.

Aside from having the chance to grow spiritually and widen our experiences, we also were able to enjoy ourselves. We spent afternoons at waterfalls and had several beaches all to ourselves. Highlights were cooking fish on an open fire, swimming in the rain, and getting to know the Papuan culture.

The way people live in Papua is so far from what we imagined. Even though they were traditional, they still had access to Wi-Fi, just like us. No one roamed around shirtless and there were plenty of cars and grocery stores that we would always go to at least once a day.

By Samantha and Tiffany Grade 10 – SPH International Lippo Village

But most of all, we were astonished to build relationships with the locals and our group.

Those seven days meant a lot to each one of us as we were able to put ourselves in new environments with new people. Other highlights include late night grocery shopping and walking down the street to get martabak.

The countless times we spent together as a group through bonding and reflection periods definitely made us grow as individuals. We were able to see the world from a different perspective, from getting a warm welcome from the local villagers to hearing the

Papua has taught us to be more open about our minds and hearts. To accept others and appreciate what we have. To see the world through different lenses and to experience what love really is.

BE BRAVE And SHAVE All of us know about the devastating impact of cancer, some with the very personal and painful experience of losing loved ones. However, not many of us actually do something to help those suffering with this disease. That can’t be said of the spirited students and teachers who took part in an event called “Be Brave and Shave” on June 13th right at the end of last school year in Lippo Village.

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OTIVATED by the plight of her four year old niece, Abigail, who has a malignant tumor on one of her kidneys, Zoe Donnan and a group of her then Grade 9 friends decided to take action. In sympathy and solidarity for Abigail and the countless other chemotherapy patients who lose their hair, they decided to also shave their heads. But they didn’t stop there, they also invited others who would like to do something tangible for this cause to join them. This is part of the message they put out to the community: “For us, the benefits of shaving our heads go beyond a physical action. It is spiritual. The hope is that we will focus less on our own hair, our vanity, and instead be able to bless others who are faced with the hardship of cancer.” In the end there were 21 students, teachers and even one parent who sat on the stage in Gym 1 while a team of hairdressers from May May Salon shaved their heads.

This action had incredibly powerful repercussions. The gym was packed with students, teachers and parents alike, many of whom were deeply touched by the sacrificial act of those on the stage.

This event surely did a lot within our community to model the type of compassion we are trying to live out in our Christian walk. Further, each of those on the stage had sought sponsorship for the event and together they raised $4,500 and are following up with a local child suffering with cancer to help support her medical costs. Finally, any of the hair that was long enough was carefully transported to Australia where it was donated to an organization that makes wigs to give to cancer patients who could otherwise not afford them.

Four months on, and for those who participated, the hair is growing back and life is back to normal. But may the experience and the lesson of taking action to make a positive difference in the lives of others remain fresh in our minds.

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Friendship Day

By Hanna Park

Summer vacation had started. Most people would have wanted to stay up longer and wake up a little late. But on the first day of the break, some students and teachers came to school early for the third annual Friendship Day to serve and make new friends with students fromYayasan Rawinala. This year’s Friendship Day was very successful, and everyone had an amazing time.

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NE or two students were paired up with a buddy from Rawinala. We had various activities such as the bouncing castle and the art corner. Looking at my buddy Luky not being able to see but smiling and filled with joy, deeply touched my heart. His companion informed us in advance that it might take some time for him to adjust to the new environment and that he usually screams if he feels unsafe.

However, all of us were surprised. When we were in the canteen, he was singing an Indonesian gospel song, “Lord, please pour out your blessing upon me so that miracle can happen in this place”. Truly, a miracle happened.

My eyes filled with tears. I felt God’s spirit inside Luky, protecting him.

After all the activities were finished we gathered at Gym 1 to watch some of the Rawinala’s students performing on the stage. Their musical talents amazed every one of us. One significant verse is Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.”

Clearly, everyone was serving our guests with all their heart, eating lunch with them and playing in the bouncing castle, among other things. When the day was over, students from

SPH International gave a fond farewell at the bus stop. It was hard to say goodbye for all of us.

We wished them the best until we would meet again.

After we sent them home, we gathered and shared our experiences. We realized how we were able to build deep relationships with the students from Yayasan Rawinala in such a short period of time.

Friendship Day also helped us realize how we take things for granted and how we should be thankful to God for everything—the ability to see, to hear, to walk, and to do things independently. We were challenged by the truth that how we act towards others is important.

This refers not only to how we act to students from Rawinala, but also to anyone around us.

As it is written in the Scripture, “as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many," we ought to serve others as we serve God for He has entrusted us with much and He expects us to bless others as we have been blessed. Thus our mission should be to bless others with the good news of Jesus Christ and share our knowledge and resources with those who have less than we do.

We are blessed to be a blessing.

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special report

New Parents W

Comments

E are from Pensacola, Florida, in the US, and came to Indonesia after Craig visited areas of the country that were hit by the 2004 tsunami in North Sumatra. Craig responded to God’s call and brought the family to Indonesia seven years ago. He is currently working in Jakarta with a foundation that supports Indonesian young people and youth workers through education and mentoring.

Our family has lived in Jakarta for almost four years. While there are obvious challenges living in a mega city, we have found the experience to be positive, and feel very satisfied in making the adjustment from living in the US and other parts of Indonesia, to living in Jakarta.

Mr Dave (Head of School at SPH International Kemang Village) had the opportunity to meet with Mr Craig and Mrs Charlotte Bonelli, parents of a new family who have joined us this year. They have three children registered in the school, Jonathan (Grade 10), Adrianna (Grade 9) and Jabin (K3). The following is the response from Mr Craig and Mrs Charlotte regarding their impressions of attending a new school.

We heard about SPH International Kemang Village from a few other families whose children attend. We wanted our children to attend a Christian faith-based school that provided learning experiences through a Biblical Christian worldview. We believe the quality of education provided at SPH International has provided our children with the opportunity to be better prepared for university and life outside of school. We also feel that the curriculum and approach to learning best fits our educational philosophy for our children. It has taken a while for us to find a school that we felt was the right school, so our children were home-schooled for the past seven years.

Our children have adapted really well and have made a great transition from home-schooling to attending SPH International. They have been challenged academically through their learning experiences, and have adapted so well because of the teachers. They are involved in extra-

curricular activities and the teachers have gone well beyond what we expected. The teachers truly love and care for our children.

While our children appreciate the academic challenges, they love making new friends. Other students in the school have reached out to help our children, and as new students, our children feel accepted by the others. They are involved in the sports program, and we all agree the facilities are amazing.

We identify closely with this year’s theme which is taken from 1John 2:8: “I am writing you a new command ... it’s truth is seen in him and in you.”

We attended the Theme Launch assembly and really enjoyed the guest speaker, Reverend Jonathan Schaefer, who was able to clearly communicate to the children. We also attended the parent seminar that followed the assembly and appreciated the information that was shared with us. It is our prayer that God’s truth is seen in our children, and that they show the light of God’s love and truth to everyone they meet.

We believe that teachers and staff make the school a second home, and our children feel welcomed and cared for at SPH International Kemang Village. After a long day at school and basketball practice, our son was so excited to stay and participate in a Bible study led by one of the teachers. Who wouldn’t want their children to attend a school like this? It makes us happy to know our children love going to school.

Craig and Charlotte Bonelli Parents of Jonathan (Grade 10), Adrianna (Grade 9), Jabin (K3)

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l for Sophie, our daughter, E decided to choose SPH Internationa their positive experience after our relatives and friends shared ol year has begun, we are about the school. Now that the scho that se SPH International for her. We find confident and thankful that we cho dly frien and , teachers, supportive staff the school is blessed with dedicated re whe ing tand academic approach is outs open minded parents. The school’s s find er ght in life. We hope that our dau it seeks a balance of various aspects c journey at SPH International. emi her pathway for success in her acad ono Herman Harjono and Meiskye Unt Parents of Sophia M. Harjono (K1)

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New Parents

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Our son, Daniel, joined SPH International Cikarang in January 2012 to start Grade 1. He came from a public school close to Valencia, Spain and he speaks Spanish and Valenciano—the dialect used in Valencia, a province in Spain.

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T the beginning we were surprised.

He started to communicate in English in less than three months and participated in the Spelling Bee competition.

It was also very interesting to see how he could integrate with his new classmates and the new school life.

During his new academic experience we saw how Daniel was developing skills through the daily exercises in home reading, math and environmental knowledge. Also we liked his integration with other students and the extracurricular activities such as music, mandarin and sports.

Ibu Lisawaty is secretary to the Leadership Team at Sentul City.

This year, her son Jeremy joined us in Grade 3. She has this to say about her experience of being a staff member and now parent of the school.

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IME flies so fast! I have been working in SPH International Sentul City for over six years. To me it is such a blessing from God that I can work in this Christian environment and through the experiences that I have gained, it is not only knowledge that I have received but also my faith and understanding in Christianity has grown stronger.

I realize that a child needs to have a strong Christian foundation from an early age, not only from the home but also from the school, with educators who have a strong faith and understanding of Christianity. I can see all of that in SPH International.

Besides his academic activities, we believe that the holistic approach given in SPH International to the Christian character development of students through Biblical studies is very important. We know that the school is his second home and we also need to support all this formation at home.

We can say that Daniel is happy with the PYP program and with teachers and classmates.

We are living close to SPH International, so we have the opportunity to enjoy activities at the weekend, doing sports such as swimming, soccer, basketball in the school facilities. This is a secure and safety environment for good mental and physical development of Daniel and for us to spend time as a family.

We really appreciate all the effort at SPH International to nurture students and support parents.

Thanks, Mario Mendez and Victoria Lopez

SPH International has a good vision and mission, True Knowledge – Faith in Christ – Godly Character. If our children understand True Knowledge, it will bring them to Faith in Christ. If they have accepted True Knowledge and Faith in Christ from an early age then I believe they will show Godly Character when they graduate from school.

For me as a parent, academics are important but their spiritual life and Godly character is actually the most important part for our children’s future. When we, as a parent, cannot accompany and guide them anymore then we can pray that our child will continue to be guided by Biblical truth. Hopefully they will surrender their life to Jesus Christ and be empowered by the Holy Spirit to live out a Godly life. I have been very blessed by the Lord that I can be here and enroll my child in this Christian School.

Jeremy says he likes being at SPH International Sentul City and is making lots of progress. His language skills are improving and he is even memorizing many Bible verses.

Lisawaty Parent of Jeremy (Grade 3)

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special report

Isabel Searson

New Appointment as Head of SPH International Lippo Cikarang

I have always had a passion for developing excellence in learning, instruction and curriculum in schools. Over many years it has been my privilege to be a leader in four Christian schools in Asia that offer academic excellence while also developing and deepening students’ relationship with the Lord.

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S a leader, I have served at Faith Academy in the Philippines (seconded by OMF mission group), Seoul Foreign School in Korea (noted as one of the premier schools in Asia with around 1400 students) Taejon Christian School and Gyeonggi Suwon. With this considerable international leadership experience, I want students at SPH International Cikarang to experience an

exemplary learning community that is fuelled by love and grace and grounded in Biblical understanding.

Titled “Journeys In Communities of Practice,” I was invited to contribute a chapter—on exemplary practices that I had instituted.

During my working life, God has opened many doors for me. Consulting and leading professional development workshops, I have had the opportunity to influence many Christian and secular schools in Asia, while also serving as the representative for international schools in Asia on the WASC Accreditation Commission in California. As Principal and Assistant Head of School for Learning I saw the average students’ scores for IB Diploma increase from 4.7 to 5.5. (out of 7.0). This improvement made TCIS, the international school with the highest Diploma Programme scores on the Korean peninsula for that time period.

At the same time, as a leader it gives me great pleasure to be able to nurture and encourage students’ strengths, often through student-initiated projects that help others. I’ve seen many projects from celebrating one student who raised sufficient money to build a school in rural China, to another group of boys busy organizing toys for orphanages in Mongolia and the Philippines.

In 2012 the International Baccalaureate Organization to invited me to develop a PLC workshop for use by DP, MYP and PYP programmes worldwide. While in August 2013, International Baccalaureate Organization published a book with contributions from educators’ world-wide.

With excellent teachers in place, I want students at SPH International Cikarang to benefit from exemplary Christian education that equips them with the necessary knowledge in critical subjects such as math, science and English with skills in mother tongues, music, drama, art, PE, mission and service. Whilst in attitude, may our students be faithful and obedient to God, as they serve and build God’s kingdom not only now but for the rest of their lives.

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Over the past six years the Summer School Program at SPH International Lippo Village has been developing and expanding the courses offered. In 2013 over 300 students attended over the two week period choosing from a wide variety of classes.

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O assist in this program 8 students undergoing teacher training at a number of Christian Universities in the USA came on a month long cultural visit to Indonesia and acted as instructors in the various programs.

Mrs Maureen Cox, recently retired SPH International teacher, was an English language instructor for Grades 7–9. The team was completed by the addition of 14 Indonesian students from UPH Teacher Training College.

We were delighted to be part of this program as mentor/supervisors.

Why run a Summer School Program? Who benefits from such a program? Everyone!

Benefits to Students: As well as the educational value of the courses, students had fun being with friends, learning in a slightly less formal environment through courses with many practical activities and a loving Christian ethos.

Benefits to Parents: During part of the long holiday break children were usefully occupied while developing some educational skills in a positive Christian environment.

Benefits to our Visiting Instructors: Visits to Jakarta, Jogyakarta and Lampung let them experience a Lentera school in action and gave them a cultural taste of Indonesia. They taught their own classes for two weeks, in a completely different cultural environment, with more freedom to teach from a Christian perspective than they may have in their own country. These experiences helped them broaden their Christian World View as well as increasing their teaching experience.

Benefits to Indonesian Teacher Training Students: The Teacher College students shared responsibility for student learning and were also involved in planning and delivery of lessons. They worked closely with the visiting instructors which helped broaden and develop their own teaching experience and teaching skills. Out visiting instructors found their help invaluable and also enjoyed the cultural interaction and Christian fellowship.

Benefits to SPH International: With almost half of the students coming from other schools, these parents had the chance to see the SPH International School Community in action which may influence their decision on where to educate their children. We hope that some of the American Instructors return in the future to teach in our SPH International schools and share their experiences with other Christian teachers who may also come and join us. We would like to thank the administrative and support staff who were always willing to assist in any way and facilitated greatly the smooth running of the Summer Program.

Having been away from the SPH International community for the past four years we found the experience of being involved in the Summer Program both stimulating and spiritually uplifting as we saw God’s work continuing to progress through the work of SPH International Lippo Village. We pray that God will continue to bless this work and will continue to touch the hearts of all those who were involved in the Summer Program.

David and Anne Cameron Summer Program 2013 Supervisors

Reflection by Katie Glass

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HE summer program at SPH International was one of the most enriching, humbling and challenging months of my life. I am so grateful that I was able to experience the Pelita Harapan schools.

As an education major, my passion lies not only within the classroom, but outside it as well. One of my greatest desires is to start a Christian school in America. Many that exist are less than quality.

Right: Katie Glass

When I arrived at SPH International, I was very impressed at the work that is being done. I thought to myself that this is what a Christian school that reflects that heart of the

at SPH International Sentul City The 2013–2014 Summer Program ran for two weeks from June 19th to July 2nd, 2013. The program was designed to facilitate the introduction of the IB Curriculum to the participants, who were a mix of new and current students. The program also gave the opportunity for them to know other students, some of the teachers and staff, also the school neighborhood and environment. The participants were students from Grade 7 to Grade 11.

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LASSES were held in the mornings followed by various activities at the SPH International Apartments in the evenings, especially for those who opted to use the SPH International accommodation. The programs covered academic, social and physical development.

The Summer Program focused on The Environment as the theme to allow different subjects to synchronize and to allow the students to look at our world from different perspectives in support of holistic teaching. We discussed how to respect, protect and preserve our environment that covers personal space and the physical and natural environment.

Our subjects covered Mathematics, English, Science, Technology, to an Area of Interaction for Grade 7 to 10 students, while for Grade 11 students we provided guidance on how to write

their Extended Essay (EE). They also had regular reading sessions in the library. In order to enhance their understanding and point of view, we had a seminar with “Personal Space” as the topic also a field trip to Taman Buah Mekarsari where each subject group had to complete their own set of tasks.

They collected numerical data or data sampling and composed a short oral presentation. For example, in English, they applied the grammar topics they had learned with a presentation about their trip to Taman Buah Mekarsari, while in Mathematics they were required to present a numerical chart/data graph. During the program they learnt how to communicate, cooperate and relate positively to other students.

At the end of the week, all subject groups were required to present their task in front of their parents. The final results were gallery walks, presentations and short dramas. Parents were able to see the different results of their children’s work. Clearly, the summer program is another fun way to spend a holiday for all students.

Hendra Senjaya SPH International Sentul City Teacher

gospel should look like. The schools provide a quality education without compromising Christian standards. The schools also cherish the importance of community and its role in school and in shepherding the hearts of children toward their Savior. It would be a privilege for me to work alongside SPH International in the future, but wherever the Lord leads, I will never forget these schools and the light they are shining in the midst of a country and world that is broken and in desperate need of the Only True Savior.

Katie Glass Summer Program Instructor from Covenant College

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Trip to Lampung As we climbed into the bus headed for the Lentera School in Lampung, my heart beat with excitement and anticipation. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was always ready for the adventure. I had a general idea about the place where we would be spending the next couple of days, but some of the details were unclear.

The SPH International staff at Lippo Village had told us that the school would be poorer than SPH International and that it was in a much more rural area.

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URAL was definitely an adequate name for it. With the bad roads added into the equation, the school was a few hours’ drive from Jakarta and a good distance from any big city. But as always, I enjoyed the bus ride with the group of eight other students who were teaching in the summer program. I also got to meet some new Indonesian friends who came with us and I enjoyed chatting with them and asking dozens of questions about their language and culture.

Even so, the bus ride seemed extra long because of all the potholes in the dirt road that seemed stretched on forever. When we arrived we were all quite happy to finally get out of the rocking bus. The group unpacked the miscellaneous sports equipment that we had brought from SPH International for the couple days we were to stay and went in to begin introductions and a tour of the school.

Working in the Lentera school I felt right at home. It was all a new experience, of course, and I was not sure what it would be like to teach high school students, since anything other than elementary was out of my comfort level. Yet, I surprised myself by the fun and ease with which I interacted with the students. I am still not entirely sure what it is, but there is something about going out into the rural towns of a developing country and interacting with the people that grips my heart.

There is something to be said of the smiles in the students faces, their hesitancy to ask us questions in broken English, but their unabashed, “Miss, photo please?” I was also struck by the joy that the teachers had and how well they interacted with each other. They all seemed to be like family and even worked together, with desks crammed into one room.

The fact that they were able to work together in one room was quite impressive; a task that I would never see happen in my hometown in America.

I had so much fun teaching the kids English and playing games with them. Their eagerness to be involved and to work together was refreshing. Once of my favorite memories was teaching them to play ultimate Frisbee. It was the first time I had been placed in charge of a “team” and it was exhilarating to encourage the students and guide them in working together to win the game. We were totally soaked in sweat by the time we had finished playing, but it was so worth it. Though I couldn’t understand Bahasa Indonesia when they talked amongst each other their expressions and laughter communicated more than words could have.

Besides the doing the workshops at the Lentera School, staying at the orphanage was probably one of the best experiences I had during my month-long stay in Indonesia. It amazed me that they had anticipated us coming for two weeks and were so excited for us to be there.

I saw how much our visit meant to them and because I love adventures when we got invited to spend the night at the orphans’ home, I jumped at the opportunity.

I couldn’t speak their language but I could show love by spending time with them. I mentally thanked God that I had brought some bracelet making accessories. I spent time teaching them how to make hemp bracelets, practicing words in Indonesian, laughing at my own mistakes and helping them with their English. I assured the

boys that the bracelets were for them too and some of them cautiously attempted to learn.

The next morning I got up early and joined the students at the table for some worship. It amazed me that they had the motivation to get up before school to have devotions on their own without an adult. The oldest boy led on his guitar and all of the other kids joined in singing with their whole hearts. Looking around the table I saw my brothers and sisters in Christ.

They were young, yet full of love for Jesus and so full of His joy. As I sang the words to the simple songs I reveled in the peace that I felt from being able to worship my king with the students.

As I rode back on the little motorcycle, I thanked God that he had chosen me, of all people, to have such a wonderful experience with the beautiful Indonesian people who lived in simplicity, and yet were somehow richer than most people in America. I hope they realize that truth.

I do not think I will ever forget my trip to Indonesia, and especially to Lampung. It is my hope and prayer that many other people from different cultures and countries will be able to experience and learn from that beautiful group of people.

By Emma English Summer Program Instructor from Covenant College

Independence Day

By Aileen H. Riady

On this important and historical day, I would like us all to spend some time pondering on a deeper meaning of freedom so that each time we stand and commemorate the Independence Day not only do we simply fulfill our obligation as citizens of Indonesia but truly appreciate God's grace for this freedom.

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Independence Day Flag Raising Ceremony at SPH International Lippo Village

believe a true understanding will provide meaning and transform our lives including the understanding of freedom. I will start with a question that relates with daily matters. As Indonesians, most of us love Indonesian food. When we see rice and other foods before us, have we ever thought how they could make their way to our tables?

If we are made to realize this far-fromsimple process, we should more greatly appreciate the rice when it makes its way to our mouth. Even more so, if we realize that in each of these processes there is God's grace through a good eco-systemand His protection from all kinds of natural disasters, we would definitely eat with more gratitude.

Do we realize that for one piece of rice to become the rice that we eat requires a whole series of processes? It starts with planting, then caring for the plants, harvesting the padi and processing. Then it includes delivery from the factory to the distribution centers to the supermarkets, homes, kitchens and finally to the tables.

This is not to mention how it involves so much human labor with various expertise from farmers, truck drivers, experts in agriculture and water systems and business people.

If we want to be honest, those moments when we receive blessings and celebrate the days that we consider important in our lives, we hardly think about the process behind it and its real meaning. Hence, often celebrations are nothing more than vague routines and end up not with no meaning that could and should transform our lives.

It is the same with birthdays. Have we ever taken the time during those days to reflect on the magnitude of God's grace, given through the sacrifice of our parents?

examples obtain even much more results, so much so that each domain was snatched one by one and forced to submit both in the structure and policies to the Dutch government. Even the leadership was taken over by the Dutch.

The Indonesian people are not ones who simply accept its fate! All the regional youth raised up. They were willing to sacrifice their possessions, tears, families and lives for the sake of reclaiming our land from the invaders. I cannot imagine how many people had to lose their children, husbands, relatives, brothers or sisters during that period; and not to mention the grief they had to experience.

Aileen H. Riady Associate Head of School

I am sure that reflecting on these matters on a birthday will bring about a grateful heart and compel us to have a more meaningful life rather than another celebration with no clear purpose.

Although towards the end of the 350-year invasion all of the land of Indonesia was still under the Dutch control, nevertheless the Indonesian youth never stopped fighting back. The struggle continued until God allowed a new era for the people of Indonesia on 17 August 1945. We can conclude that "the independence of Indonesia was not a gift from any other nations!" We have been graced with the fruit of the heroes' struggles for 68 years. In enjoying the freedom, let us continue fighting.

Now back to the Independence Day celebration. How deeply do we actually understand about the history of our heroes' struggles for the independence so that it will provide a deep meaning in our living as citizens? We just witnessed the historical facts of the independence proclamation, carried out by the first president Bapak Ir. Soekarno and Bung Hatta.

Never think that a free nation needs not to fight anymore. This fighting will never end from generation to generation, all the way.

Indonesians were allowed by God to be invaded. However, behind all this we also inherited the fighting spirit that is different from the other nations. Let us grab hold of that inheritance and train ourselves to have the fighting spirit as early as possible because to be able to struggle is God's grace.

Is that the meaning of freedom? No ...

Independence carries a long history on its tail.

Indonesia is a country that was once invaded by the Dutch for 350 years and Japanese for 3.5 years. Imagine. If it takes a minimum of 25 years to deliver one generation, then 350 years equals to fourteen generations. The first European nation to come was by the Portuguese sailors in the fifteenth century, followed by the Spanish, Dutch and finally the Japanese.

We now have two choices: Live enjoying the freedom whilst carried away by the unclear flow of this age or take up the fighting spirit of the fight, immersing ourselves into the battle field that must be fought for, for the progress of Indonesia in this era. Study as high as you can but historical facts prove that knowledge, power and money never bring true transformation unless all that belongs to those who are willing to fight are within the Lord's plan.

These European countries were interested in what was produced by the fertile soil of Indonesia like pepper, cloves, nutmeg, sugar and oil. After gaining all the profit from the sales of these products in Europe, they realized that they had to expand their territories to

Therefore, although we must be grateful for the freedom given us, we need to pray that God opens our eyes to see this polluted world; the corrupted politics, the health care that is far below the standard, arts that simply express the wild, sinful human's inspiration,

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education that corrupts the morality of man, turned-around law, and all other aspects of life that are broken due to human's sinful nature.

Indonesia is waiting for medical experts who possess the expertise as well as the burden towards the sick; artists who are able to express God's message and feelings to the world; educators who truly have the hearts to bring people to know the Lord Jesus and build up those ready to be used by God. We are waiting for law experts who defend the truth not people; politicians who think about the improvements for the nation instead of prospering themselves and a lot more workers who want to glorify God through their work.

May the Lord, who has delivered us from the bondage of invasion, also use us as His instruments to deliver so many others in bondage who still live in our land -Indonesia.

Happy Independence Day of Indonesia!

Independence Day Flag Raising Ceremony at SPH International Kemang Village

Independence Day Celebration at SPH International Kemang Village

Independence Day Celebration at SPH International Lippo Cikarang

20th Anniversary SPH International Lippo Village

Celebrates Twenty Years of God’s Blessings Saturday, 17 August 2013 was a special day for SPH International Lippo Village as they commemorated the 20th anniversary of the school. Founded by the late Johannes Oentoro and James T. Riady, the school has now approximately 1100 students and hundreds of alumni, who have graduated since 1996. The alumni are spread all over the world, many having finished their studies abroad (mostly in the USA), and some of them have now returned to Indonesia to work in the private and government sectors. Among these include Michael Sianipar who is working with the vice governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama.

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HE twenty years anniversary party also included an All-Years Alumni Reunion which was attended by more than 200 alumni and 100 teachers and staff. The program for the day included: a Stone Painting & Gallery Walk, Student Music Performances, Prayer & Opening Speeches, Alumni Sharing, a Video spanning 20 years Serving Christ in Education, a Time Capsule Opening, Cutting of the Cake and Prayer.

Furthermore, the Alumni Network was launched and a special dinner was served while Alumni Photos were taken by the years of individual’s graduating classes.

were doing, where they were living, when they graduated from post-secondary schools, career achievements, marriages and the births of children.

Initiatives of this celebration came from the alumni, Lukas Limanjaya (2007), Andrew Darmawan(2010) and Sofia Layanto(2012) who became the initiators of the SPH Alumni Network. They encouraged all alumni to share articles about how they

The objective of this event is to strengthen the connections between the school and the alumni. The school needs to know how their past students are doing, in order to celebrate life with them and provide opportunities to meet other alumni.