Testimony of ex YASINDO - Ev. Masdan Barus

Tertimony of Ev. Masdan Barus
GEREJA PANTEKOSTA PUSAT SURABAYA Efata
Anik – Kalbar.

“What I never think or imagine, 

that is the thing that God gives me”

I came from north Sumatra and of a poor family. Though my family are Christian, but we missed the true meaning of Christianity. Our lives as Christians are limited to church, even though my mother was the only person who attended church. My father and us, the children, very seldom attended.

When I reach adulthood, my father empowered me up with spirits powers for protection and my source of ‘livelihood’. Since then, I felt stronger than others and never fear anything that comes my way. With those empowerments, I left my hometown and went to Medan. During my stay in Medan, I lived in ‘freedom’; I did anything I find pleasure in. I extort money for gambling that cause rife, fights and injuries. Because of that, I was scare that the police was after me, so I ran away to Jambi and lived there with my brother. When I told him my story, he became afraid too and he decided to provide me with some money so that I could run away to Jakarta. I was scare and confused. Then I was 17 years old at that time and the year was 1990.

When I reach Jakarta, I decided to earn a decent living by working as a bus conductor. My circle of friends grew from here and found many friends who have similar lifestyle. I went into the trap of ‘free living’ again, drugs, alcohol, theft and free sex was a part of my life. This continues for the next 3 years.

In 1993, the government conducted an operation “PETRUS”, which in English it means mysterious shooter to ‘clean’ up the city by killing the street tugs. A lot of my friends were killed. Again, I was thinking of running away. I was confused, not knowing where to go. I met a friend in a station. He told me he is now studying in a bible college in Solo. He offered me to study in a bible college in Surabaya and I immediately accepted the offer just to run away from being killed. During my time in the bible college, my heart rebelled. I fought often. When school ended, all the students have to go to practice what we learned in a ministry. I was placed in Dolopo Madiun region. My job was cleaning the church and washing the dishes. I was there for 1 year until I felt restless and I went back to Jakarta by giving them a reason that I was sick. In Jakarta, PETRUS operation has ended and this time I resume to do evil from Grogol to Daan Mogot.

Even though I did a lot of evil, but it was never my intention to enter into prison. There is a saying in Indonesia, no matter how clever a squirrel may jump, in the end it will fall. True enough, I was caught while trying to rescue a friend’s son, but because of uncontrolled emotion, what was meant to be a good intention ended up into fight that brought me to a prison cell from 1996-98.

During the years in prison, I felt lost. No one visited me. To make myself feel better, I decide to join the church activities. As the months progressed, I felt the Word has impacted my life. One day I was listening to a preacher reading from John 14:6-13, 16-18. In the midst of the sermon, I was crying! Never before in my life I cried. I tried to suppress my tears but yet it continued flowing down my cheek. I was confused. From then on, I made a commitment on that day: the day I was freed from prison, I will obey God.

In 1998, I was freed from prison. On the very same day, there was a riot in Jakarta. My friend tempted me to join in and at the end I broke my commitment. After the loot, I felt sick. Doctor pronounced me down with liver failure. The hefty medical bills wiped out all the money that I owned and yet I was still sick. Since then, I decide to put everything in the will of God and go back to Him.

I met with ibu Yono in Grogol station. She brought me to Yasindo and met with Bpk Toni Taniara. With the recommendation and financial support from Yasindo, I was sent to KBTC Semarang. I have never been to Semarang. Before I leave, I prayed and fasted for 1 week and on the last day of my prayer, I receive my miracle! I was healed from my liver failure. From then on, I became more enthusiastic for God and look forward to study in KBTC so that I can be equipped and empowered to minister everywhere and anywhere.

In 1999, after finishing my school in KBTC, I was sent to minister at West Kalimantan, precisely in a village called Anik. Where I ministered for a year at Evangelical Kalimantan Church (GKE) and I was blessed with a wife.

After we were married, I pastor a church under the covering of Bethel Church Indonesia (GBI) from 2001-2006. We were in lack. We have no place of worship and have to work to make ends meet. But praise be to God, with the help of Patmos organization and other churches collaboration, in the end we were able to build a church. GBI donated IDR200,000 every month for 1 year until the sponsorship was withdrawn. I was disappointed when the sponsorship was cancelled. With that, we went back to my hometown to open a business for 2 years.

God blesses us in our business and we never once fail to make ends meet. My passion to serve the Lord is always there. From the beginning of 2008 till now, we are pasturing a church again under the covering of Pentecost Church Surabaya.

I hope my testimony will bless you as He has promised. Amen.