BOOM!!! What do you think when you hear that sound? Maybe most of you would think that a bomb had exploded, or something frightening has happened. Amidst the glow of terrorist action and exploding bombs in Indonesia, NYI Indonesia has created a “BOOM” no less startling than bombs going off various parts of Indonesia. But this BOOM was the theme of the Java-Bali NYI retreat. “BOOM” is an acronym for “Bangkit Orang-orang Muda!” (Rise Up Young People!) taken from Isaiah 60:1.Why “BOOM”? Because we want all Nazarene youth to become a fuse, making a positive difference wherever they are. BOOM means that young people have to become positive influences, to rise up and become light.

This retreat was held at Panderman view Villa in Batu Malang, East Java on 24-26 of July, 2007. It was a great sight when participants from various local churches from the islands of Java and Bali gathered together for this event. They came with different educational backgrounds, from different tribes, ready to rise up, go forward and become light together. There were several activities held together during the three days of this program.

Praying and Worshiping Together

Beautiful moments were created when throughout the retreat there were special times for lifting our payers to the Lord. These opportunities afforded participants the opportunity to interact with young people from other places, to share burdens and struggles, and pray together. Trough these times we felt a unity and oneness in the Lord.

Praising and lifting the Lord always does something special to those who believe. These where time when our young people met with the Lord and enjoyed His awesomeness through every song that we lifted to Him. Each praise and worship session was led by different worship team. Each separate area on Java-Bali district took part in leading all participants in worship the Lord. The enthusiasm of each participant in praising the lord expressed that there is oneness of heart in every opportunity we have to worship the Lord.

Learning Together

In this retreat we provided three workshops. The first was a music workshop which provided them with condensed training in instrument ministry. This workshop was led by Rosa McCroskey and a team of assistants giving training in keyboard, bass guitar, electric guitar and drums. The second workshop was led by Rev. Karel Siahaya talked about becoming an effective worship leader, as well as tips for singers on the worship team. The third workshop acquainted participants with multi-media and the equipment involved, including internet and the operation of “easy worship” soft ware for use in church services. This workshop was led by Mr. Mahuraja Pasaribu.

Besides learning together in these workshops there was also much that we learned from material delivered to us by speakers in each session. In the first session, our district superintendent, Rev. Peter Sunardi, spoke on the Chosen Generation. Missionary Steve Fairbanks also motivated the participants in our second-day session. Rev. Eddy Vost, a speaker from a well known talk show “My Heart”, spoke to us on “A Life Partner in the Lord” which led us into an excellent discussion. On the evening of the 25th, Rev. Hadi Sutjipto, our Nazarene coordinator for East Java, brought us an evangelistic message using the theme `BOOM’. On the last day, before our young people left to go back to their various areas, they were challenged to continue to be `BOOMERS’ by Rev. Johannis Siahaya, President of Indonesian Nazarene Theological College.

Fellowshipping Together

The participants were divided into 5 groups in which they could get to know each other better, accept others from different backgrounds, and work together as one team in the tasks given to each group. In the midst of these activities also was a time of unity and relaxation around the bonfire. We all enjoyed this program because the temperature was very cold, and we could warm ourselves around the fire. During this program every small group brought a talent presentation of their own original ideas. The director of Java-Bali NYI, Bakhoh Jatmiko, motivated the youth to make a difference wherever the Lord placed them by rising to each occasion and not giving in to situations. We finished off this evening with the enjoyment of roasting and eating together cobs of corn.

Playing Together

Our oneness was also strongly felt in every game that we played together. Many of our games required team coordination in order to win, so we had to work together and support those on our team. We began with strategic games that required competition between the groups from games that made us hot, and required hard work, such as one player being lifted by the other to grab the point that was stuck up high on the wall; and later games in which we got wet, colliding with each other in pursuit of marbles on the bottom of the swimming pool; to games in which we were willing to get dirty, playing ball in the sand with our feet tied together. In the end, we had a tie score between the winning teams of Benjamin and Judah.

Committing Together

Before we separated from each other and went home, our retreat ended with a closing service. This was held by students of the Indonesian Nazarene Bible College, including the President, Rev. Johannis Siahaya, as our speaker. The Word of the Lord at that time challenged each listener to make promises, to make a change in their lives, and to do something from the viewpoint of Jesus – in His compassion and in His way. This brought about a great event when the Lord worked beyond our expectations. At the end of the session several young people made a new commitment in their ministries. And even greater than that, was when 9 young persons made a commitment to become full¬time ministers for God. Praise God! This is not the end, but just the start in rising up and becoming light for our Lord. Let’s Rise Up. “Arise, Shine, for the light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you (Isaiah 60:1)”