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00:00:08 It had been 18 years 00:00:10 since my last visit to Indonesia. 00:00:14 How had Indonesia changed 00:00:16 in the past two decades since the ban was lifted in 2001? 00:00:20 Let’s find out. 00:00:22 Our trip started with the world’s longest flight 00:00:26 —19 hours nonstop from New York to Singapore, 00:00:31 then one more flight from Singapore to Jakarta. 00:00:36 Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, 00:00:38 is a bustling metropolis 00:00:41 with a population of over 10 million people. 00:00:47 Once hidden away, 00:00:50 our branch office now occupies 00:00:52 the 31st floor in one of the most 00:00:55 modern office buildings in Jakarta. 00:00:58 We had the opportunity to spend a week 00:01:01 with nearly 100 members of the Indonesian Bethel family. 00:01:08 We enjoyed association, 00:01:10 worship, and delicious meals together each day. 00:01:15 Well, first of all I would like to convey to you 00:01:18 the love and greetings from the Governing Body. 00:01:20 There were also upbuilding meetings held 00:01:23 with each of the various departments. 00:01:26 On Saturday, January 12, 2019, 00:01:29 a special meeting was held. 00:01:33 Over 31,000 people throughout the country 00:01:36 were able to benefit from the program. 00:01:40 An update on our activities within Indonesia 00:01:43 was shared with the brothers and sisters. 00:01:45 This included a presentation 00:01:48 about a special preaching campaign. 00:01:51 From August 18 to September 2, 2018, 00:01:55 the Asian Games, 00:01:56 a large multi-sport event, was held in Indonesia. 00:02:01 Jehovah’s Witnesses made a special effort 00:02:04 to share the good news with people from various cultures. 00:02:09 This included many from countries where our activity is limited. 00:02:15 Hundreds of publishers participated in public witnessing 00:02:18 at over 30 locations, using literature 00:02:21 in 21 languages. 00:02:24 A great witness was given to people from various countries, 00:02:28 tribes, and languages. 00:02:35 Additionally, an update was shared 00:02:38 on the tragic events of September 28, 2018, 00:02:42 when a 7.7 magnitude earthquake 00:02:45 and tsunami struck Indonesia. 00:02:50 The brothers at the branch sprang into action. 00:02:53 They took care of both the physical 00:02:56 and the spiritual needs 00:02:58 of the brothers and sisters affected by this disaster. 00:03:03 I am very grateful to Jehovah, the brothers from the branch office, 00:03:07 and others whose prayers, examples, 00:03:10 and presence really helped us to endure 00:03:12 and to keep relying on Jehovah —no matter what. 00:03:18 We never felt alone. 00:03:20 I was so joyful to feel the evidence of Jehovah’s love. 00:03:23 This experience has helped me to see 00:03:26 that Jehovah is a real God. 00:03:29 I felt as David did when he said at Psalm 103:2: 00:03:33 “Let me praise Jehovah; may I never forget all that he has done.” 00:03:38 These reports were very faith-strengthening. 00:03:44 It was encouraging to see how Jehovah has blessed the work in Indonesia. 00:03:49 Since the ban was lifted in 2001, 00:03:52 the preaching work has accelerated 00:03:55 and the hard work of the brothers is clearly evident. 00:04:01 By the end of the week, we embraced old friends 00:04:04 and made many new ones. 00:04:06 As the visit ended, it was hard to say goodbye. 00:04:11 But as we boarded the plane home, 00:04:13 we took with us encouragement 00:04:15 and experiences that we will cherish 00:04:18 for years to come.