On Wednesday 11th May,  DA Hebeisen and DA Andersen will be at Terminal 3 and waiting for the Chief Apostle to land together with DA. Storck. That will be the beginning of a 10 days tour of 3 Divine Services and various meetings with Apostles and District Rectors. Island of Negros in the Philippines, Lampung in Sumatra and Depok Church near Jakarta in Indonesia. 

 

Upon arrival the Chief Apostle and his party will re-board a plane to Bacolod City, where finally they can rest from the long trip. Bacolod City is often referred to as the “City of Smiles” but smiles are actually a trade mark of all Filipinos. Bacolod, the Capital of Negros Occidental, well known for its sugar industry. (see article Apostle Diagbel “faith in the mountains of Negros”). 

 

Next day stop is Kabankalan where the Chief Apostle will meet and greet the Apostles and Bishops from the Philippines and their spouses. Also the Apostles Edy Isnugroho, Samuel Hadiwidagdo and Fred Wolf will be there.

 

And the work begins. Apostle Domingo Diagbel will enter into retirement. A true pioneer of the old missionary league we might say. 36 years in the ministry of which 31 years as an Apostle. He build his assigned working area from zero to today the biggest NAC District in the Philippines. A humble man with a deep spiritual understanding and an undying zeal for God’s work. We truly will miss him but we know him well enough. His retirement will not be idle time. Domingo is a very industrious farmer and his successor whose mentor he was since youth, the District Elder Joan Beliot, will have a great support in him. 

 

A music and choir program at Tilling Central Church, the largest in terms of seating capacity in the Philippines will commemorate Ap. Diagbel’s retirement and tune all in for the divine service on Sunday, 14th May. 

 

In the evening the Chief Apostle will be back to Manila and visit the home of DA and Sr. Hebeisen before his travel to Jakarta transiting to Bandar Lampung the capital of Lampung at the southern tip of  Sumatra. Chief Apostle Leber was here in 2009 but this time the Chief Apostle visit will have some historical dimensions because District Elder Rumantiyo (that is his full name, no first name) will be ordained into the Apostles ministry. For the first time this huge working area will have also a resident Apostle, a great relief for the two Apostles in Indonesia. 

 

The Chief Apostle will strengthen and encourage the Rectors in the Evangelists ministry in an informal meeting but the highlight is planned for Thursday, 18th May, the Divine Service, and then…. off to Jakarta, the Capital of Indonesia.

 

A motivational hour for the “District Rectors Assembly of Indonesia”, a legal body of the GKBI (NAC Indonesia)together with the Rectors of greater Jakarta is on the agenda of the Chief Apostle. 

 

All Apostles of the South East Asia region, including the newly ordained ones will meet the Chief Apostle on Saturday. As widely publicised, the Apostle Edy Isnugroho will receive the commission as District Apostle Helper on Sunday, truly another first in history of South East Asia. 

 

Indonesia has many gifted musicians and singers. Who would not have heard of the Anklung instrument, a hand operated organ with bamboo pipes. One of the great attractions at ICC in Munich. Meanwhile also Violins were introduced to the new apostolic music scene  and together with the skilled youth choirs a performance of great excitement is to be expected at Depok Church on Saturday (20/5) afternoon. To mark our oneness in mutual efforts to give Glory to God our Father young players from Myanmar, Korea and the Philippines will be among the performers. 

 

Depok Church is the largest church in Indonesia. A project initiated and accomplished by the vision of the lateDistrict Apostle Alfons Tansahtikno. The location is in an area designated for Christian Churches by the government. The divine service will be transmitted by Satellite throughout Indonesia. 

 

What will probably not be celebrate on  great scale is another historical event. Bishop Samuel Tansahtikno who served for many years the Jakarta District  and his wife will henceforth be permanently  assigned to the Philippines. They have been in the process of moving to Manila already since January. The Bishop will be worked in to take over administrative and legal responsibility of NAC Philippines after the retirement of DA Urs Hebeisen in 2018. As Bishop he will have pastoral responsibility of Luzon besides his supporting function of Ap. Fred Wolf inThailand, Myanmar, Malaysia and Singapore. 

 

0010 am on Monday, Mission accomplished. The Chief Apostle will fly out of Jakarta. Probably tired but happy, leaving behind many thankful and rejoicing souls.