From Java to Papua: Henk’s Journey from Atheism to Faith and the Transformation of the Hatam

Henk Lit grew up in colonial Java, hardened by loss and the harsh realities of life. An atheist by conviction, he survived the Japanese occupation, the chaos of revolution, and the collapse of his family’s business. With his wife Johanna, he fled to Papua, leaving behind everything familiar, carrying only uncertainty—and hope.

In the village of Manokwari, life tested them like never before: sickness, poverty, and the constant struggle to start over. Yet it was here, in the most unlikely place, that Henk’s heart began to change. Baptized in the sea and freed from the grip of lifelong illness, he discovered a faith that reshaped everything. Together with Johanna and the missionaries they met along the way, Henk walked alongside the Hatam people—teaching, baptizing, and sharing the God who had transformed them.

Their journey was far from easy. Every step came at a cost, every miracle hard-won. But through rivers that would not flood, lives healed, and hearts opened, a Hatam church began to grow—a community that would one day proclaim God’s Word in their own language and send missionaries into the wider world.

Miracles in Papua is the story of ordinary lives touched by extraordinary grace, of faith forged in struggle, and of a people forever changed. Told through family manuscripts and missionary records, it is a testament to hope, endurance, and the quiet power of God at work in the most unexpected places.