remembering okta

April 2, 2017/Paul Windsor/
With my peripatetic lifestyle, there is a singular joy attached to landing in Auckland. I am home again. Children (and grandchildren) are not far away. Earlier this morning there was the added anticipation that a quick ‘de-planing’ and passage through immigration created the possibility of seeing my daughter (Lys) and her daughter (Lucia) before they flew south to Palmerston North.

It was not to be. We missed them by a few minutes. But that anticipated joy had already been eclipsed by sadness. As we taxi-ed on the runway I received a message that Okta, my friend and Langham colleague in Indonesia, had died suddenly in Lampung (Sumatra).

Okta at Taman Safari
As soon as I unpacked I was trawling my computer for photos. Two memories of Okta came into focus. One was the trip to the Taman Safari, further up the hill from Bogor in Indonesia. What a fun day it was. A little snake-whispering – and then a photo of the two of us that I will now cherish for forever.
By 2015 Okta had become a key member of our Indonesian team. At our first global forum in Turkey we had a representative from Indonesia on the list, but a special request came to add Okta as well. We agreed – and how good a decision did that prove to be?! Okta lit up the occasion with his warmth, his enthusiasm and his personality – as these photos demonstrate. What memories he created for all of us.
Okta conquers Turkey

Okta conquers us

Okta loved having us all display the ‘L for Langham’
Okta’s commitment to the Langham Preaching ministry was remarkable. Over the years, he scaled down his work as a veterinarian and began working with Langham full-time as a volunteer. In fact just last week he finished up in the office in order to dedicate his time to training and encouraging ‘preaching clubs’. Okta was a single man – but with parents and siblings still alive and so please keep them in your prayers.
I love how Dr Dwi Handayani (another member of the team in Indonesia) expresses it: “The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us hope that we will meet you again Pak Okta Rumpak.”
not-so-nice chatting this time
Paul

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About Me

paul06.16

the art of unpacking

After a childhood in India, a theological training in the USA and a pastoral ministry in Southland (New Zealand), I spent twenty years in theological education in New Zealand — first at Laidlaw College and then at Carey Baptist College, where I served as principal. In 2009 I began working with Langham Partnership and since 2013 I have been the Programme Director (Langham Preaching). Through it all I've cherished the experience of the 'gracious hand of God upon me' and I've relished the opportunity to 'unpack', or exegete, all that I encounter in my walk through life with Jesus.

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6 Comments

  1. Heather on April 2, 2017 at 6:11 pm

    So sorry for your (and Langham's) loss. He looks so full of life. It is good to know you will see each other again.

    Reply
  2. Quaerentia on April 2, 2017 at 7:52 pm

    So sad as well as shocking.

    Reply
  3. Unknown on April 3, 2017 at 9:18 am

    Someone said that okta was langham' misionary. We agree with that. He introduce Langham to many churches.

    Reply
  4. Fred on April 3, 2017 at 11:38 am

    "peripatetic" – now that made me pull the Webster's off the shelf 🙂 Welcome home.

    Reply
  5. Unknown on April 3, 2017 at 4:58 pm

    I know about Langham because "Kak" Okta. So sad and miss him already.

    Reply
  6. Unknown on April 3, 2017 at 4:59 pm

    I know about Langham because "Kak" Okta. So sad and miss him already.

    Reply

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