Around 10 years ago, Navigator College at Port Lincoln in South Australia sought to explore a partnership with a school in another country. After consultation with LCA International Mission, and a lot of prayerful consideration, a partnership between Navigator and SMA GKPS 1 Pamatang Raya, Indonesia, was born. Through God’s provision and blessing, this partnership […]

Around 10 years ago, Navigator College at Port Lincoln in South Australia sought to explore a partnership with a school in another country. After consultation with LCA International Mission, and a lot of prayerful consideration, a partnership between Navigator and SMA GKPS 1 Pamatang Raya, Indonesia, was born.

Through God’s provision and blessing, this partnership continues today, and during this time, SMA GKPS has grown from serving around 130 students to more than 700.

While COVID-19 prevented reciprocal visits between 2020 and 2022, in other years students and staff from SMA GKPS have visited Port Lincoln to experience Australian culture and learn about which teaching, learning and administration practices might be used in an Indonesian school context. And each year in Term 3, a group of Year 11 Navigator students has embarked on a Service Learning trip to Indonesia as part of their Christian Studies course. Through these visits, Navigator students have been able to experience Indonesian culture and learn about what faithful service in a Christian context looks like. They have gained an understanding of Christian service not only through serving others but also by being served by students and staff of SMA GKPS – a powerful example of God’s gifts being used for his glory. Over time there has been more emphasis during these visits on how we as part of the global church can spread the love of Jesus.

However, school improvement is still very much a part of the partnership. In the most recent trip in 2019, Navigator College Principal Stephen Jude led SMA GKPS staff through professional development, which in future will allow school Improvement to be directed by school staff.

Students and staff who return from a trip to SMA GKPS talk about how the partnership has affected them. Experiencing life in a different culture has a significant impact. They also gain a deeper understanding of the global Lutheran church through visits to the GKPS office and attending a local church service. Knowing that we are all a part of something larger is important to everyone but is particularly significant due to Port Lincoln being a small, remote community.

While COVID disrupted any 10th-anniversary partnership celebrations, we are confident that in 2023 the two schools will reconnect and celebrate. We thank God for blessing this partnership and pray that learning and connection continue long into the future.

This story was also published in the November 2022 edition of Border Crossings, the magazine of LCA International Mission.

If your school would like to know more about how they can connect to the mission of God through a LCA International Mission service-learning and ministry partnership, you are invited to phone Erin on (08) 8267 7300 or email erin.kerber@lca.org.au. For more information, go to www.lcamission.org.au/join-gods-mission/service-learning/

Read more stories about school partnerships and school service-learning at www.lcamission.org.au/category/stories/local-partners/schools/