Bon Voyage

The Departure of Rev. HELENA BERHITOE 
(Senior Pastor of GBI Fatmawati, Cilandak-Jakarta)

The Lord Gave and The Lord Had Taken Away, Blessed Be The Name of The Lord

My phone rang at about 8 pm from a friend in the GBI Fatmawat’s  services which  brought  a shocking news that we’d never thought the slightest. The day was May 23, 2010 when God took her life out of the  earth during the last service at GBI Fatmawati without any prior symptom of illness and the sky full of stars witnessing how we had lost one of whom we loved most.

Rev. Helena Herbitoe was  a perfect mother, a good wife, a friend, a faithful  observer  for  the congregation, a powerful prayer maker and a preacher who loudly proclaimed the truth of the Word faithfully. She has become a role model for us to dedicate life only for God's glory. 

God gave her  46 years (1964-2010) to live  in the world and she made life so valuable for His glory. Many things we could learn through her life; care to the needy, perseverance, loyalty and faith that were always burning to follow the calling. We believe she had fought the good fight and completed the good race (II Tim 4:7).

We spent crying and tears for days as if not willing to let her  go, but time with her and the testimony of her life speak so much about absolute submission for God, the King of Glory, and we are His servants who are obliged to fully surrender at God’s merciful hand.

My wife is one member of the church whom she really loved (therefore  my wife felt shocked extremely when she heard the news). Rev. Helena Berhitoe used to make a call to my wife several times  in a week and they prayed together in the middle of her tight ministry. Truly, God had been using her to abundantly bless us through the words which strengthened us despite not being in the same activity.


Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones.

Life is not just a matter of choice but an absolute responsibility before God no matter how long you live in the world. We as Christians believe that we have assurance of faith for resurrection after physical death. Physical death is not end of life but new beginning to enter into a perfect divine life. Rev. Helena Berhitoe had been carried by angels into the Abraham’s bossom (Luke 16:22) and she joined her righteous ancestors (Gen. 25:8) to forever praise and worship the God Father (Rev. 14:2-3, 15:3). She now is experiencing how great, passionate, just and merciful our God Father forever and ever, therefore Apostle Paul said.” Life is for Christ and death is gain to me” (Phil 1:21).

Moses said, “the days of our years are 70 years or if by strength they are 80 years …. Teach us to number each of our days so that we may grow in wisdom” (Psalm 90:10a,12). We may live longer or shorter than the 70, but whatever the number is God should be glorified through our life as we had been chosen before the foundation of the earth to bring His Light in the world whatsoever your calls or professions (Eph 1:4, Matt 5:14-16). In the end, May God always bless her beloved family (Bishop. Temmy Berhitoe, Yoel, Daniel, Ruth, Abraham), fellow relatives and their ministries more each day after her departure to the eternal home.

Bon voyage, Rev. Helena Berhitoe … hasta que nos encontramos otra vez (until we meet again) in His time at His kingdom.

I heard a voice from heaven saying, 
Write this:
From now on those who die believing in the Lord are blessed.
"Yes," says the Spirit. "Let them rest from their hard work.
What they have done goes with them." (Rev.14:13)

(NBG's)