Three women from the Elma Church of God are attempting to raise money for a trip to Indonesia, where a tutoring center in the city of Tangerang has been named after the church because of past financial contributions.
The church donated $600 dollars to what is now called, “The Elma House,” a tutoring center that provides low-cost education to children in surrounding villages. The center is 15 miles west of Jakarta, the country’s capital and largest city.
Now, Pastor LouAnn Houle, Marilyn Benedict and Charlotte Emerson are trying to raise the funds to visit the country in August to attend the center’s dedication.
Pastor Lowell Lux of the Vancouver Church of God visited Elma’s congregation four years ago telling church members of his plan to be a full-time missionary in Indonesia, helping children receive a good education as well as providing village members with basic necessities, such as food, water and shelter.
Shortly thereafter, Lux went to Indonesia and found a building in Tangerang that he thought could serve as a tutoring center for children. Women of Worth, a missionary group made up of Houle, Benedict and Emerson, donated $600 to help Lux buy the building and began turning it into a safe haven for kids.
The money Lux received was the first financial contribution to the center, and it was decided the building should be named after the Elma Church of God because of it.
The center, open 24 hours a day, offers food, school supplies and an education to children living in poverty.
“These kids are washed, they’re fed, they’re taken care of. That’s a very coveted thing. These kids can go off the island and go anywhere they want if they’re educated. That’s really cool,” said Houle.
Raising funds
Currently, the the group has raised $400 dollars for the trip, but each member will need at least $3,000 for airfare and lodging expenses. They are asking for donations from the public and will soon begin putting donations jars in local businesses.
An account has also been set up at Anchor Bank for the trip and anyone who wants to donate can do so at any one of the bank’s locations.
If the money is raised, the women will leave for Jakarta on July 31 and return on Aug. 13. The tutoring center’s dedication ceremony will take place on Aug. 2 and a crowd of around 500 people is expected, said Houle.
“We have a long way to go,” says Benedict referring to the funds that need to be raised for the trip. “But we have time and we have faith.”
School supplies, blankets, and children’s books can also be donated to the church as these items are needed at the tutoring center and orphanages in the country. The women will be visiting orphanages in the area as well.
“When I was a teenager, my dream was to to go overseas and work in an orphanage. Now that I”m in my 60s, that dream is back,” said Emerson.
Houle said that the trip isn’t only for church members, saying that anyone can get involved.
“We really want to go around our community and say it’s not just a church function. This is to be proud of the entire town of Elma that we actually have something named after this town (in Indonesia).”
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