Caring for Foster Children in Indonesia
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me” in Matthew 19:14. It’s a verse that Haggai leader Larasati* doesn’t take lightly. In fact, she’s made it her life’s work to ensure every child within her sphere of influence — and one day, beyond that — is given the chance to know Jesus. And through her foster home and local school, she’s doing it.
Founder of a school for young children in Indonesia, she leads a team to develop programming to support the children in need in her community. She also fosters children in her sister’s home, equipping them with the Gospel so that they may share that Good News with the other students at the school.
“After my Haggai Leader Experience, I felt called to go deeper with what we were accomplishing at the school, and by fostering these children, I am able to model Christ for the children in the home,” Larasati said. “We provide a schedule for each day, starting early the morning when they wake up and begin praising God through worship and devotion. They go to school where they share with other children what’s happening at our house. Then, once they’re back home, we pray together, worship, and study the Bible.”
Larasati said she is working to prepare her foster children to be the next leaders in the Kingdom of God, teaching them how to be honest, ensuring they are healthy, and showing them the meaning of joy — in other words, she is taking a holistic approach.
Although she is surrounded by differing majority religions that inform her community’s culture, Larasati measures the success of her goals through the building of teams she’s been able to do within the home. She’s recruited student leaders and equipped them all to be leaders among their peers and in the community. Those students lead smaller groups that meet every week to practice spiritual discipline and learn the vision and mission of the home, which is to save children’s lives and teach them how to be followers of Jesus.
“I prepare these student leaders because I know I can’t do it alone — I need a full team to reach as many foster children as we can, and do so with care and love,” she said. “When I can’t be there, or when I am busy elsewhere growing our community from afar, these students are led by God and equipped through our program to continue my work there.”
She’s seen the fruits of her labor — their labor. In every group where they’ve begun to study the Bible, share the love of Jesus, and worship together, a new energy emerges and transformation takes place. Children are thriving in health and feeling loved for the first time. They are choosing to memorize Bible verses. They sing the songs of praise out loud at the top of their lungs. And, they’re telling their peers at other schools how their lives are changing. Three new children have already professed their faith since Larasati began this important ministry.
Starting small, Larasati continues to share her vision with the greater Indonesian community through outreach, fundraising, and online testimonials. The school’s location is currently located on her sister’s land, and this year they are making strides to buying their own land to build a facility and bigger dormitory. She hopes that she can connect with partners to support and work with the home, knowing they’ll need more people to grow in their services, commit to being a part of her team, and support their programming, and more places willing to provide a home, school, and space for a children’s community.
“Ending Gospel poverty is not only His command but also our privilege as stewards of God,” she said. “I just give my life, my capacity, and my money to do more to reach people and tell them about Jesus through my life and my learning. My hope is that others will join me in answering that call.”
*Name changed for security.
Written by Jennifer Colosimo
Caring for Foster Children in Indonesia
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me” in Matthew 19:14. It’s a verse that Haggai leader Larasati* doesn’t take lightly. In fact, she’s made it her life’s work to ensure every child within her sphere of influence — and one day, beyond that — is given the chance to know Jesus. And through her foster home and local school, she’s doing it.
Founder of a school for young children in Indonesia, she leads a team to develop programming to support the children in need in her community. She also fosters children in her sister’s home, equipping them with the Gospel so that they may share that Good News with the other students at the school.
“After my Haggai Leader Experience, I felt called to go deeper with what we were accomplishing at the school, and by fostering these children, I am able to model Christ for the children in the home,” Larasati said. “We provide a schedule for each day, starting early the morning when they wake up and begin praising God through worship and devotion. They go to school where they share with other children what’s happening at our house. Then, once they’re back home, we pray together, worship, and study the Bible.”
Larasati said she is working to prepare her foster children to be the next leaders in the Kingdom of God, teaching them how to be honest, ensuring they are healthy, and showing them the meaning of joy — in other words, she is taking a holistic approach.
Although she is surrounded by differing majority religions that inform her community’s culture, Larasati measures the success of her goals through the building of teams she’s been able to do within the home. She’s recruited student leaders and equipped them all to be leaders among their peers and in the community. Those students lead smaller groups that meet every week to practice spiritual discipline and learn the vision and mission of the home, which is to save children’s lives and teach them how to be followers of Jesus.
“I prepare these student leaders because I know I can’t do it alone — I need a full team to reach as many foster children as we can, and do so with care and love,” she said. “When I can’t be there, or when I am busy elsewhere growing our community from afar, these students are led by God and equipped through our program to continue my work there.”
She’s seen the fruits of her labor — their labor. In every group where they’ve begun to study the Bible, share the love of Jesus, and worship together, a new energy emerges and transformation takes place. Children are thriving in health and feeling loved for the first time. They are choosing to memorize Bible verses. They sing the songs of praise out loud at the top of their lungs. And, they’re telling their peers at other schools how their lives are changing. Three new children have already professed their faith since Larasati began this important ministry.
Starting small, Larasati continues to share her vision with the greater Indonesian community through outreach, fundraising, and online testimonials. The school’s location is currently located on her sister’s land, and this year they are making strides to buying their own land to build a facility and bigger dormitory. She hopes that she can connect with partners to support and work with the home, knowing they’ll need more people to grow in their services, commit to being a part of her team, and support their programming, and more places willing to provide a home, school, and space for a children’s community.
“Ending Gospel poverty is not only His command but also our privilege as stewards of God,” she said. “I just give my life, my capacity, and my money to do more to reach people and tell them about Jesus through my life and my learning. My hope is that others will join me in answering that call.”
*Name changed for security.
Written by Jennifer Colosimo
Caring for Foster Children in Indonesia
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me” in Matthew 19:14. It’s a verse that Haggai leader Larasati* doesn’t take lightly. In fact, she’s made it her life’s work to ensure every child within her sphere of influence — and one day, beyond that — is given the chance to know Jesus. And through her foster home and local school, she’s doing it.
Founder of a school for young children in Indonesia, she leads a team to develop programming to support the children in need in her community. She also fosters children in her sister’s home, equipping them with the Gospel so that they may share that Good News with the other students at the school.
“After my Haggai Leader Experience, I felt called to go deeper with what we were accomplishing at the school, and by fostering these children, I am able to model Christ for the children in the home,” Larasati said. “We provide a schedule for each day, starting early the morning when they wake up and begin praising God through worship and devotion. They go to school where they share with other children what’s happening at our house. Then, once they’re back home, we pray together, worship, and study the Bible.”
Larasati said she is working to prepare her foster children to be the next leaders in the Kingdom of God, teaching them how to be honest, ensuring they are healthy, and showing them the meaning of joy — in other words, she is taking a holistic approach.
Although she is surrounded by differing majority religions that inform her community’s culture, Larasati measures the success of her goals through the building of teams she’s been able to do within the home. She’s recruited student leaders and equipped them all to be leaders among their peers and in the community. Those students lead smaller groups that meet every week to practice spiritual discipline and learn the vision and mission of the home, which is to save children’s lives and teach them how to be followers of Jesus.
“I prepare these student leaders because I know I can’t do it alone — I need a full team to reach as many foster children as we can, and do so with care and love,” she said. “When I can’t be there, or when I am busy elsewhere growing our community from afar, these students are led by God and equipped through our program to continue my work there.”
She’s seen the fruits of her labor — their labor. In every group where they’ve begun to study the Bible, share the love of Jesus, and worship together, a new energy emerges and transformation takes place. Children are thriving in health and feeling loved for the first time. They are choosing to memorize Bible verses. They sing the songs of praise out loud at the top of their lungs. And, they’re telling their peers at other schools how their lives are changing. Three new children have already professed their faith since Larasati began this important ministry.
Starting small, Larasati continues to share her vision with the greater Indonesian community through outreach, fundraising, and online testimonials. The school’s location is currently located on her sister’s land, and this year they are making strides to buying their own land to build a facility and bigger dormitory. She hopes that she can connect with partners to support and work with the home, knowing they’ll need more people to grow in their services, commit to being a part of her team, and support their programming, and more places willing to provide a home, school, and space for a children’s community.
“Ending Gospel poverty is not only His command but also our privilege as stewards of God,” she said. “I just give my life, my capacity, and my money to do more to reach people and tell them about Jesus through my life and my learning. My hope is that others will join me in answering that call.”
*Name changed for security.
Written by Jennifer Colosimo
