(2010-02-22) The South-South Volunteer program of the United Evangelical mission is thriving. In the year 2008, Ms Elvira Makuba GKI-Tanah Papua served as UEM South-South Volunteer in Msasani Lutheran Nursery School, Daressalam, Tansania, where she taught in a Kindergarten and took part in many congregational activities where she worked with young people. In 2007-2008 Mr. Leojo Mateo (UCCP) is serving in a GKJW school in Tempursari, Java, Indonesia, while Arin Pujiastuti (GKJW) is serving the UCCP in Cebu.
In 2009 another South-South Youth Volunteer, Ms. Beatrice Warren Kirihoof from Tansania, travelled to Indonesia, to serve in the Diaconess School of HKBP in Balige, North Tapanuli, North Sumatra, where she was able to do the following significant activities: Taking care of Baby orphans in hospital, teaching at Kindergarten, teaching English at Teacher Preacher School/Academy, assist in HKBP HIV-AIDS Committee, Community Service in the villages, and Exposure in Riau Province together with the Diaconess School students.
The Director of the HKBP Diaconess School in Balige, Ms. Serepina Sitanggang is so impressed that she spoke of the following: „After a year, all the people in Balige know her very well not because only she has curly hair, but because of her smile and warm heart to all people in this city. Before she left, she went to the market to bid farewell to the people there. It is incredible.“
Beatrice herself spoke of the following just before she left Balige: „My one year experience in Balige I cannot buy even if I have a lot of money. It has motivated me to serve my Lord the more. I am now ready to return to my people whom I miss a lot. Your language and culture I will not forget.“
In the beginning of this year, Ms. Sonthi, travelled to Daressalam to serve as a volunteer, focusing on HIV and AIDS and teaching Sunday School. When she left Medan, she was not so sure of how she would cope with the new situations. But upon her arrival, Mr. Polisi Kivava was there to welcome her, and assist her to learn the language before very soon she will serve in the work on HIV and AIDS and teach Sunday school.
All these good works described above show the superb cooperation between UEM offices in Daressalam and Medan, and in Wuppertal. Thanks goes to Ms. Karolina Rumbiak, UEM Program Officer in Asia and Ms. Polisi Kivava, and Ms. Emmanuela Mtatifikolo, UEM Program Officer in Daressalam.
Given the importance of this South-South Exchange, Mr. Polisi Kivava, UEM Deputy Executive Secretary for Africa based in Daressalam visited Papua, where he was welcomed by GKI-TP warmly and was introduced to some of the life situations of the people there and to situations of their witness. He met Elvira who still showed to him her mastery of the Kiswahili language. Last October 2010 Ms. Elvira was elected by Asia Regional Assembly in Colombo Sri Lanka to be UEM Regional Asia Board member representing the youth from the region.
