Hi guys!
Thanks for exploring my page. I hope my writings have been added some input on your adventure. Just a little bit about myself and what I'm doing right now.
My name is Yohana, and I'm originally from Indonesia and have been living in Australia for a while now. I love to admit the random fact based on history that my ancestor is a mixture of Fijian, Polynesian and Portuguese.
I came to Australia in 2014 to begin a faith journey with God. When the first time I came to Australia, to be honest, I have soo little in my hand. All I got was just a desire to pursue His calling in my life. I enrolled at Hillsong College in 2013 and turns out in 2014 was the year where my journey began. How significant is the delay so I've got to tell you this? Well, here it is.
It is almost impossible at anyways to follow my dream
Coming from a missionary family in a poor village, life has taught me all about having soo little. I used to be fear to dream of a big dream. We had enough on our plate already to deal with our struggles and obstacles. But my father used to teach me that dream big is not a matter of the socio-status of being rich and poor. He said, "You can still dream big even we only have little. Having money and possessions does not guarantee you to achieve your dream, your perseverance and hard work do."
After I graduated from University in Indonesia, I decided to start my adventure. I want to prove that what my father has taught me isn't a cliche philosophical telling. So there was one time I had a very unusual prayer night, I asked God a big question of my life. If I have to dream a big dream, then what is supposed to be? What is the purpose of my life that will drive me to dream big? I cried out loud in all my frustration and desperation. And suddenly I heard God's words:
I will bring you to the place where you have never been there before. And I myself will train you to be ready to do the work. I am your God.
The first impression, I felt so confused. Where would that be as there are many places that I have never been visited?
Another night I had a dream, in my dream, I was hearing the name "Frank Houston." I was like trying to figure out what it means?
I did some search for Frank Houston. I learned that he was a pastor and his son Brian Houston is the founder of Hillsong Church which also has College in Sydney Australia. That moment, I start to realise that God has given me instruction. I hand in my online application to Hillsong College in March 2013 and receive a response within a week. However, my journey to get there was such a big fight not only for me but for my family. First, we don't have enough financial resource to support my visa approval. It took us a year to figure this out. Although we had to give up that semester as we haven't seen any way out.
Early in 2014, I thought of still continue this fight to pursue God's calling whatever it costs. One step at a time! It took me a while to speak to several people to help me provide all the paperwork we need for the enrollment. The hardest part was when I have to prove the financial capability of living and studying in Australia. My dad who was unwell at that time still performed his best to see any possibility. That time he was sacrificing all he had to make this happens. Another challenge is that I had to go through a verified English test to prove my ability to study in this country which uses English as their first language. Every step has brought me tears, intensity to face the worst that may come ahead, and courage. I remember on the night when I just submitted my visa application, I had a great stomach ache. I felt distressed and anxious fearing of what would happen if my visa gets rejected, after all this hard work. We pay an expensive price that worth almost everything we had. But God is faithful. If I thought about that, I can't be thankful enough for having a father like my father. He believed in what I'm doing more than I do. His spirit to see me succeed in life has enabled me to relate with the love of God as my ultimate Father.
I arrived in Sydney Australia on 14th July 2014 only with 1 luggage and $1000 from my father not knowing what will happen in the next 6 months. But I survived till today in Australia from 6 months plan to become 6 years now when I'm writing this. And during those times I have never seen once God is leaving me behind. I also learned that Hillsong College city campus was the place where Frank Houston used to minister before Brian Houston, his son. I was astounded to see how these prophecies align together at the end. And by the grace of God, today I had not only been graduated from Hillsong College for my Diploma of Ministry but also from Alphacrucis College for my Bachelor of Ministry. Despite I went through all pain, hard work and tears to finish the fight, I still satisfy with all I got now.
Hence today if I flashback to my childhood memory on seeing the dream, I have broken all my limitations to pursue my dream. Like what my father has said, just because I am poor, doesn't mean I couldn't dream big. I want this story to become an inspiration for many young people out there to keep believing in themselves and trusting God's calling in their lives.
I have spent about 4 years involved with Hillsong Church intensively during my college time. Now I feel more burdened after young generation Indonesian who struggle with their identity. Just right when I thought about it, an Indonesian Church in Australia was inviting me to be part of their ministry. Today I am ministering Kids and Youth Ministry at House of Sacrifice Church which resides in Sydney Australia.
Since the very first time God called me to do this work, He always leads my path on doing a project with different ethnicity and young generation. It is beautiful to see how people helping each other without seeing the differences. I pictured this like a magnificent painting full of bright colour as a representation of braveness and diversity. There is a difference in contrast but when we pull them together, it creates amazing artwork.
Recently, I also create a campaign for the ministry that I have. The desire that God put on my heart to study in one particular field that will specifically be designed for the ministry in Indonesia. We regularly run the mission trip program which approaches Children and Young people in Indonesia from different ethnicity. This program has welcomed and involved volunteers from any different background to experience going to the remote and rural places in Indonesia.
Besides that, I currently run a foundation that works in Social Justice and empowering Young Generation by providing workshops that help young people find their self-image. I also want to open up this opportunity for you. If you guys would like to be part of it, to touch remote areas in Indonesia and are curious about how our ministry runs, please send your contact detail to my email: tirzayoha@yahoo.com. And I will send you the highlights of the programs that we are currently doing.
Here is our latest trip to Indonesia in 2018.
Hillsong College 2014 Intake
Blessing, Yohana Novianti
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