The unreached people groups in the Borneo jungle are the Dayaks, with 200 ethnic groups. God, through Ronny Heyboer, twenty years ago, started a small home for those who needed Him. Since then, many children and young people, mainly from the Dayak tribe, have been saved and now live in Living Waters Village (LWV). In recent years, LWV also sent out ‘church-planters’ to reach those deep in the jungle.
What keeps Ronny going as he leads in LWV is the love of God and his intimate walk with God.
Recently, I helped in ushering at the Eagles Leadership Conference 2023. For the learning journey, we visited Parkroyal Collection in Marina Bay. What we saw on the tour of the hotel – the back-to-nature beauty, view from the highest floor, farm garden, solar panels, filtered water in the room – was a poignant reminder of God’s creation.
Then, CEO Mr Choe shared that during the pandemic, the biggest challenge was how to keep all his staff (6000 in three countries). He said, “It was tough. It was the hand of God that held us up.” His staff took a pay cut with no questions asked.
Asked what his secret was, Choe said, “Every morning before starting work, I would have my breakfast in Beach Road from 7.00 to 8.15am, and I would read God’s Word, pray, and listen to God.”
What he said reminded me of what I had learnt at BGST ECPL module on Pastoral Leadership last year. Because of his encounters with God, Moses learned to seek God and was not an impulsive leader.
Both men’s defining pursuit is putting God in the centre of their lives and ensuring that they are leading in the way God called them to.
May we also be compelled by the love of God and see the hand of God at work!
Dr Vivien Ler
