AMBON, INDONESIA  (ANS) -- Iwi (not her real name) is 36 and single, and is originally from Java, not far from where YWAM carried out its first Discipleship Training School in that part of the world many years ago.

She has a masters degree from England and is about to earn her PhD in marine biology . She will graduate in about another month or so. 

But what she'd really like to do is go through a Bible school -- IF she can get a scholarship. 

"She's 36, single. Only has one brother. The whole family are very strong Christians," said a close family friend. 

"She was actually raised on Java - Malang - an hour or so from Surabaya. But they moved back to Ambon to help the people there, (and) teach in the university," the family friend said. 

"Her father was a university professor in Indonesia, teaching anthropology. He passed away some years ago. Their house was burned down totally twice, along with many others -- the result of Muslim persecution of the Christians. At one time her Mom fled to Manado (the major city of Sulawesi), which is primarily Christian while she was studying in University. But her mother's been back in Ambon for a couple of years living in a refugee camp. She could move out and into the city but chooses to stay there because of the opportunities to help the people there, leading Bible studies, etc." 

An article in Charisma magazine recounts how an Ambonese "Kings Kid" (part of the YWAM children's ministry) was told to denounce Christ or else. "He wouldn't, so they proceeded to cut off his limbs, one at a time, each time giving him the opportunity to recant -- until they eventually cut off his head. He was one of about 20 or so in this area (mostly from a Pentecostal church) that were slaughtered," the family friend said. 

"Iwi was one of the first to arrive at the scene after the event and ended up literally carrying that 12-year-old kid's body to his family, then went back and did the same for the others. She didn't tell us that she was putting her own life at risk to do so, but I don't see how it could have NOT been at risk to do this," the friend recalled. 

"A couple months earlier in the year we had another Ambonese YWAMer, Hermina, living with us. She's the one who puts out the 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim in the Indonesian language. (It) turns out she and a couple other YWAMers have known Iwi and family for years, led them into the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, etc. Hermina was a grad of the second Indonesian DTS in 1981." 

If you would like to help Iwi achieve her dream, please contact David Hall at: david@across2u.com.