Mirror’s columnist, Prof Derrick Mashau visited Jakarta in Indonesia for ten days earlier this month. In this report, he shares a few of his impressions with our readers.

My visit to Jakarta was threefold, namely: Attending the JH Bavinck Consultation with a number of international missiologists, who are writing a book, An Introduction to Reformed Mission and Missiology, to appear sometime this year. I also did networking with international individuals and institutions with the similar interest of advancing the Kingdom of God on earth, and I visited Indonesian Christian Universities with an eye to learning from them in order to consolidate the vision that I have regarding the establishment of the Tree of Life University for Christian Studies in Africa (TUCSA).

It was the latter which I found very interesting. I visited two universities which were founded by church leaders who embrace the Reformational world and life view as propagated by Abraham Kuyper, whose profound belief was that the Lordship of Christ must be acclaimed in all spheres of life. There is therefore no square inch in life that Christ does not claim and, consequently, there is no neutrality when approaching education.

The first university that I visited is called Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH). It was founded by Dr Johannes Oentoro and Dr James Riady. James Riady is 42-year-old top businessman in Jakarta, whose Christian beliefs have prompted him to pump millions of dollars into erecting and sustaining the operations of UPH. I was greatly privileged to have had time to rub shoulders with this accomplished man of God.

I also visited the John Calvin University, which was founded by Stephen Tong, a 78-year-old preacher, who is still very active in organizing mega-churches in Indonesia. The three men believe in the Chinese philosophy of life as well, viz.‘work hard!’

The good thing about my visit is that the leaders of these institutions are waiting eagerly for the birth of TUCSA in our midst. I am more resolute that 2010 is the year in which the vision of TUCSA must be realized.

I can be contacted for further information regarding this project at 082 971 2725 or [email protected].