The Beginning
At the old shack. Lody with Laura & Wim Heyman
First students at the old military outpost were mostly orphans
The City of Praise started in the jungles of Kalimantan in 1996 on the premises of an old military army base outpost with two buildings. A security outpost and a small military dormitory in a jungle area called Tikalong. The old building is still there.
The Indonesian local government gave us their permission to use the old abandoned military facility to start our educational mission program. The Elementary and middle school started first in this abandon outpost. The children at first were mostly orphans.
"The City of Praise Tiberias World Outreach has been working amongst the poorest of the poor since 1996"
Classes were held at the old military outpost in the jungles of Kalimantan
LILlY AND PARMAN THE ORIGINAL FOUNDERS
From left to right: Parman, Pastor Lody and Lily
The original founder of the City of Praise in the Jungle of Kalimantan was a lady by the name of Lilly Hoa who was adopted by our family in Indonesia. She had a vision to go and administer in the Kalimantan jungles. She also had a friend named Parman Paulina very much known and admired by our family in Jakarta Indonesia. He has an electrical and building certification and license. In about a year in 1993, Parman had told Pastor Lody DeRidder that he would help out and work for the jungle organization for 6 months “free of charge” As he would have donated his time to Lord. This was about 16 years ago. Parman is still there but now married to our step daughter Lilly. Today they are Mr. and Mrs. Parman and Lilly Paulina. Pastor Lody and Peggy were present at their wedding ceremony held in the Capital of Pontianak, West Kalimantan a few years ago.
Early photo of our project in the jungles of Kalimantan, Indonesia with our first 8 faculty teachers.
Above: The original military outpost and dormitory still stands. This is where it all started.