In a quiet workshop somewhere in Japan, a skilled artisan carefully gathers the shattered pieces of a ceramic bowl. Once whole and useful, it now lies fractured — edges sharp, surfaces uneven, its purpose seemingly lost. But instead of discarding it, the artist practices kintsugi, the traditional Japanese art of mending broken pottery with a special lacquer mixed with powdered gold. Seam by gleaming seam, the vessel is restored. The cracks are not hidden; they are highlighted. What was broken becomes more beautiful, more unique, and often more valuable than before.
In this short video, Andi Santoso draws a powerful parallel between kintsugi and the work of God in human lives.
“These broken pieces, when you are able to put them together as kintsugi, became something that is really beautiful,” he says. “As persons, we are dealing with brokenness in our lives. That’s okay. Don’t see that as a negative but see it in a positive light. You see your vulnerability, your weakness, your brokenness. God can use that brokenness, and he will work on us… Let God rebuild your life and make it beautiful as never before. That is the meaning of kintsugi.”
The metaphor resonates with our mission. Across the world, we partner with local ministries that walk alongside people and communities navigating fracture —
- in families torn by conflict,
- in faith communities strained by division,
- in societies marked by injustice, displacement or loss.
These partners join God in the careful, patient work of restoration, trusting that the seams of grace can become places of unexpected strength and beauty.
Just as the kintsugi artist does not erase the history of the break but transforms it, our global partners help people name their pain while pointing toward hope.
In some places that looks like accompanying families as they rebuild trust after violence or migration.
In others it means supporting congregations as they heal from internal strife or external pressures.
In still others it involves walking with individuals whose lives have been fragmented by poverty, addiction, or trauma, offering practical care and spiritual presence so that what feels irreparable can become a testimony of God’s rebuilding power.
The video’s closing invitation is simple: “Let God rebuild your life.” It is an invitation extended not only to individuals but to communities and to the church itself. Brokenness is real. Relationships fracture. Systems fail. Hearts shatter. Yet the gospel declares that the God who created the world out of nothing is also the God who specializes in reconstruction — taking what is cracked and filling the gaps with gold.
Our work is possible because people choose to support these partnerships. Every gift helps sustain ministries that practice a kind of spiritual kintsugi: gathering the pieces, applying the gold of Christ’s love, and watching something more beautiful emerge.
Learn more about our partners and consider giving to support this work.
