Bees Under the Crescent

This bee hive weighs hundreds of pounds. It’s on the main dome of a newly remodeled mosque. Certainly the people in the community are not happy with this development, but there is a certain amount of fear that people will get injured as they try to remove these unwelcome neighbors. Eventually the job will be done.

Believers living under the crescent of Islam are often seen, like the bees, as unwanted pests to be removed. Because of this, believers try to stay out of sight. They certainly don’t want high visibility for fear of negative reactions from their neighbors. Unfortunately, many believers allow this fear of community reaction to keep them from sharing the Gospel. If all the peoples on Sumatra are ever going to be reached with the Gospel, believers need to overcome their fears and get busy like bees!

The Words of God are sweeter than honey. Pray that all the peoples on Sumatra will be able to hear God’s Word.

The Gospel is Good News that transforms lives. Pray that the Gospel will become like a buzz in the air that reaches every corner of Sumatra.

God’s plan for the Gospel to go forth is for believers to be bold witnesses. Pray for the Holy Spirit to stir up believers on Sumatra to go forth in boldness to proclaim the Good News. Pray for training that will equip believers to share in a way that is effective and culturally sensitive.

Sumatra Plugged-in

This photo is of a university student in Padang, Sumatra. It’s not unusual to see college students with lap-top computers, which is a big change from just five years ago. Likely, in another 20 years home computers and access to the internet will be common enough to make on-line evangelism, discipleship and networking a viable strategy, but most Sumatrans don’t have access to a computer outside of an internet café.

The only universal technology that Sumatrans have is the cell phone. Communication with this technology must be brief, but it’s possible to network large numbers of people.

Pray for workers to have wisdom in using available technology to communicate the Gospel and to network believers for focused prayer.

Pray for workers to be open to making regular evaluations of technology with a mind towards strategy.

Pray for workers focused on reaching college students on Sumatra.

Beautiful Batik

This photo was taken in Jambi, Sumatra. This woman is painting hot wax onto fabric to create a pattern. Next, she will dye the fabric. In the dying process the pattern becomes more distinct as the dye will not adhere to the fabric that has the wax on it. When the dyeing process is completed the fabric will then be made into formal clothing for weddings and other special occasions. The fabric is also used for shawls, table clothes, and wall hangings. This art form is called batik [ba-TEEK].

Batik is popular all over Southeast Asia, and was first developed on Java, Indonesia. The origin of the word “batik” is Javanese and means “painted.” Many areas have their own distinctive pattern of batik. It’s not unusual to see husband and wife wearing matching batik during festive times. It’s often considered appropriate to wear batik when preaching in a Sumatran church or while giving a formal speech in public.

In Matthew 22 there is a story of a King who gave a great banquet. All kinds of people were invited to come. When the banquet hall was finally full the King entered and noticed a man who was not properly clothed. He questioned the man, and when the man had no response the King had him bound and thrown out. So it will be on the last day for all the Sumatrans who will stand before the Great King clothed in anything other than Christ’s righteousness.

“Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’” (Matthew 22:13, ESV).

Pray that every person on Sumatra will have the opportunity to hear the Gospel so that they may be clothed in Christ.

Pray that all the righteousness of religious traditions and good works will be shown to be as filthy rags compared to the righteousness that in given by faith in Jesus.

Pray for Sumatran church goers who are trusting in good works and church attendance to realize the difference between religion and true faith in Jesus Christ.

Gayo People Group Profile

“‘But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it’” (Matthew 13:16-17, NIV).

The 300,000 Gayo live in the Aceh province of Northern Sumatra. The heart of their area is the Gayo Highlands of the passes of the Bukit Barisan mountain range. Most of the Gayo work as coffee farmers, but they are also known as fishermen and craftsmen. Kerawang Gayo is a famous handicraft that features fine gold embroidery. The Gayo have a strong oral tradition. Stories are passed down from generation to generation in traditional Gayo poems.

Most Gayo follow Islam, but they are typically not as strict as their Acehnese neighbors. There are noticeably less Mosques in Gayo communities than in Acehnese areas. Many Gayo still believe in good and bad spirits. They revere holy men, both living and dead, and often make offerings to them for guidance with life problems and spiritual protection.

 

There are only a few known believers and no existing Gayo church. The Gayo have great needs in the areas of agriculture development, healthcare and education. While area officials have traditionally been resistant to allowing outside assistance into Gayo communities, they themselves have not done much to meet the needs of the Gayo people.

Pray that:

God will reveal to the Gayo about the wisdom and protection available in Christ is greater than the spirits that they fear or the holy men they revere.

God will burden believers already living among the Gayo to reach out and share the Gospel with their neighbors.

Doors will open for believers to meet some of the community development needs in Gayo communities.

Believers seeking to reach the Gayo will have wisdom, courage, spiritual protection and unity.

God will call more workers to live among and reach out to the Gayo.

New believers will be gathered, grown and turned loose to reach their own people group.

God will protect new believers from persecution and spiritual attacks.

Flying Sharks

This photo was taken on the beach in Padang, Sumatra. Beaches are wonderful gathering places for people. You often see people have picnic meals, playing soccer, and flying kites. Most kites in Indonesia are homemade. Some are very simple, while others, like the flying shark, are elaborate.

The skill of kite making is normally passed down from father to son. While the fathers make the kites it’s unusual to see Indonesian men with their children flying kites. When it happens it’s a beautiful thing, as many children on Sumatra feel disconnected and abandoned by their fathers.

Pray for the fathers on Sumatra to be more involved in the lives of their children.

Pray for the church to have wisdom to equip and challenge fathers to succeed in their Biblical role of fatherhood.

Pray for the fatherless on Sumatra to find the love of their Heavenly Father, through Jesus the Son.

Gambling with Eternity

This photo could have been taken anywhere on the island of Sumatra. Drinking, smoking and gambling are widespread social problems among the men of Sumatra. The worker who took this photo asked permission before he took the picture. Many enthusiastically agreed, but as the picture was taken many other men covered their faces. They knew in their hearts that gambling was wrong, but they do it anyway. Many of them are spending money at the expense of their wives and children.

Spiritual gambling is also a widespread problem on Sumatra. When asked about the methods they use to pay their sin debts many Sumatrans respond with a variety of possible good works – praying, fasting, giving to the poor, and doing good deeds. When asked if they are certain that those good works will completely pay their sin debt they respond that they hope so, but only God knows. When these same Sumatrans hear about the finished work of Jesus on the cross that can give them confidence that their sin debt is paid in full, they often still prefer the gamble of trusting in their good works and following their religious traditions.

Pray that God will set many Sumatran men free from addictions to alcohol and gambling that are devastating families across the island of Sumatra.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of the Gospel to Sumatrans so that they are willing to forsake their traditions in order to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Pray for believers on Sumatra to be bold to share the Gospel that alone can set people free from their religious gambling that is putting their eternal souls in danger.

Small Business / Kingdom Business

In every traditional market there are tradesmen, like this tailor. They are very proud of their work and of their businesses. Often times they have lots of opportunities to sit and talk with all kinds of people who come to their stall to seek their wares. Many of these small business owners are also followers of Jesus.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see these business owners transformed into Kingdom workers? In many cases all these business people need is some training, encouragement and accountability.

Pray for small Christian business owners on Sumatra to catch a vision for using their business as a vehicle to share the Gospel.

Pray for workers seeking to train, encourage and provide accountability to Sumatra’s Christian business owners.

Pray for market-place evangelism to become common place on Sumatra.

Put it on Ice

This photo was taken at the docks in the city of Bandar Lampung in Southern Sumatra, Indonesia.  

Fishing is not an unusual occupation for an island nation. These large blocks of ice sitting on the docks are for shipping the catch. Fish from this area are shipped to villages throughout the region. Without the ice the fish would spoil long before they reached market.

There are five Lampungese tribes living in this region. Despite long-time, faithful witness there have been very few believers among these people groups. Thinking in terms of being a fisher of men, it is worth pondering why the Gospel is not bringing in more of a catch. Perhaps it is because believers don’t have the ice ready.

Buyers have ice prepared to receive the catch. They do this so the precious fish don’t spoil before they can be distributed. Perhaps the Lord is waiting until the believers in this area are prepared to receive the new believers and help them to grow to maturity. Many believers are afraid to identify with Lampungese believers because of possible community reaction. This is the same fear that keeps them from sharing the Gospel with the Lampungese.

Pray that:

God will draw the net among the Lampungese people groups.

Believers will trust God with possible community reactions and receive these new believers with the love of Christ.

God will revive His church to be active in reaching out to the Lampungese with the Gospel.

It's a Family Vehicle

This photo was taken in the city of Tanjung Pandan on the island of Belitung among the Belitung Malay.

Most Indonesians cannot afford to buy an automobile. Therefore, a motorcycle often times is the family vehicle. It’s not unusual to see four or more people on a motorcycle. It’s also not unusual to see the children falling asleep between their parents. On occasion it happens when only one parent is on the motorcycle. At such times it’s both scary and comical to see the parent trying to drive and manage the limp body of their four or five year old child.

Fortunately, Indonesian people seem to be gifted at balancing things on motorcycles. Often times they balance large items tied down with plastic strips on the back of their motorcycles. There are normally 10 to 15 motorcycles on the road for every car or truck. To the casual observer it seems their goal is to get as close as possible to the car or truck without actually hitting them. It’s also not uncommon to see children of 8 or 9 years old driving a motorcycle on major streets with 5 and 6 year old siblings clinging to them.

Of course if there is an accident it’s automatically the fault of the car or truck, because they are the ones who have money. These factors can make driving a nerve racking experience. Oddly enough, because of the dense motorcycle traffic, the speed of traffic is not fast and this keeps the number of accidents amazingly low.

Pray that:

God will grant journey mercy to workers who often travel long distances to reach remote villages.

Motorcycle drivers will be self-aware and not put other vehicles in danger in order to save time.

Frustration on the road will not hinder the witness of workers on Sumatra.

Lintang People Group Profile

“The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” (Revelation 22:17, ESV).

There are 190,000 Lintang [lin-TONG] people living in Southern Sumatra in the Lahat Regency. They are a subgroup of the Pasemah. Most Lintang make their livelihoods from farming. They also raise livestock. It is well known by surrounding people groups that the Lintang are notorious for being thieves. People do not travel through their area at night, and are careful even during the day.

The Lintang who do not work doing manual labor often have a longer fingernail on their pinky to show their higher status. Most Lintang, however, make their living off the sweat of their brow and the strength of their backs. The Lintang often have a lower than average income compared to surrounding people groups.

 

The Lintang are ardent followers of Islam. Most all of their celebrations and ceremonies are from their religion. There are no known Lintang believers. Many believers who live near to the Lintang are afraid to go into their area because they fear being robbed.

Pray that:

The Holy Spirit will do a mighty work among the Lintang preparing their hearts to hear and receive the Gospel.

Believers living near to the Lintang will overcome their fear and share the Gospel with them.

Those who rob among the Lintang will rob no more.

God will call workers to focus on reaching the Lintang.

As Lintang people come to faith they will be bold to share with friends and family.

New Lintang believers will be quickly grouped into vibrant, multiplying house fellowships.

Peoples surrounding the Lintang will see a mighty work of God and be drawn to the Savior.

The Batak King

For over 150 years the Gospel has been proclaimed among the Batak tribes of Sumatra. The Batak Karo youth that is pictured here is dressed in traditional clothing to participate in a traditional dance at a church gathering. One of the main ideals of Batak culture is the Batak King. There is a saying among all Batak tribes, “Saya raja.” Translated that means, “I am king.”

However, the ideal of the Batak King is not the same as you might think. The Batak King is not one who Lord’s his authority over others. The Batak King is honest, brave, strong, hard working, generous, and self-sacrificing. To say you are king in a Batak sense is to say you are aspiring to all that is true of the ideal of the Batak King.

One worker met a Batak man on an airplane. The man believed in Jesus, but he also put his faith in the Batak King. He thought Buddha and Muhammad were okay too. When the worker challenged this man with the Gospel he was unwilling to give up his faith in the Batak King. The worker suggested that the only person who lived out the ideals of the Batak King was Jesus, and only Jesus can forgive sins, but the Batak man was not able to process these ideas.

Syncretism is such a huge issue on Sumatra. Many people are happy to add Jesus to their list of spiritual power sources, but few are willing to forsake all else in order to gain Christ.  

Pray for believers on Sumatra who not only follow Jesus, but also the traditional religions of their ancestors, to realize that Jesus is the one and only way to heaven so that they forsake all else to gain Him.

Pray for workers who are trying to help new believers to avoid the pitfalls of syncretism.

Pray for hundreds of Batak believers to give themselves to the task of reaching the unreached on Sumatra.

Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to all the people groups on Sumatra so that they can know, choose and follow the Truth of God.

Modeled Behaviors

While a worker was waiting at a Sumatra airport for his flight to leave he noticed a 2 to 3 year old girl like the one pictured in this photo. Her parents had sent her to the garbage bin to throw away a candy wrapper. The girl examined the bin. She literally stuck her head into the bin. Then she wheeled away and tossed the candy wrapper on the floor. She had obviously been told to put the wrapper into the bin, but what she had seen modeled was to throw the wrapper on the floor. This little drama reminded the worker of a powerful truth – people follow what they see modeled rather than what they are told is right.

Earlier in the week this worker traveled among several people groups with a local partner. The local partner didn’t do a lot of witnessing. He gave the reason that people want to hear the foreigner, but perhaps there was a more powerful and unspoken reason. This local partner was watching to see if the foreigner would practice what he preached. He wanted to see the teaching modeled. This was an important reminder to the worker that he must realize that he’s being watched, and he must consistently model what he teaches.

Pray for workers on Sumatra to be consistent to model godly living and bold proclamation with local believers.

Pray for local believers to catch what is being modeled and taught so that they will be obedient to Christ and that they will transfer that obedience to other believers through words and actions.

Pray for revival among the churches so that they will model and proclaim the Gospel message among all the peoples on Sumatra.

World-wide Product

This roadside stall in Padang, Sumatra, is testimony to the fact that Coke is everywhere. You can go to the most remote village that has never had a foreigner visitor, and you’ll find Coca-Cola is already there. The advertisement on this stand translates – Open a Coca-Cola; open new enthusiasm!

It’s a sad thing that in many places on Sumatra an American soda product is better known and more widely shared than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. New enthusiasm is no replacement for new life. People who open their hearts to Jesus Christ receive new life. They receive life eternal. Now that’s a message worth proclaiming!

Pray that the Gospel will be come as widely known and received on Sumatra as Coca-Cola.

Pray for believers to have new enthusiasm to tell the Good News to the lost souls living all around them.

Pray that the Gospel will be proclaimed even in the most remote villages on Sumatra.

Tools of Protection

This Palembang man and woman are in the spiritual protection business. They sell rings, amulets and other items to provide their clients with spiritual power. Some items have purported power to ward off evil spirits and curses. Others are supposed to help you in love relationships. These items are called jimat in Indonesian. This seller had jimat focused to different religious clientele. He had “hell notes” for the Chinese Buddhists. He had knife charms with Arabic writings and special blades for Muslims. There are rocks and special tubes for other religions. Even people who call themselves Christians often use jimat.

The power of occultism is very strong in many people groups on Sumatra. While most Indonesians will laugh and deny these beliefs if a Western foreigner asks them about it, but they will turn around and pay good money to men like the one pictured here. Indonesians are pragmatic. They don’t care much what power they are calling upon as long as it allows them to succeed in whatever they are trying to do.

One man asked a worker about baptism, because he had heard that being baptized could heal him of his sickness. Many Indonesians are willing to use Jesus to meet a felt physical need. Sadly, they are often not willing to bow to Him as Lord just because He’s worthy.

Pray for believers to be convicted of their ties to the occult so that they repent.

Pray for revival among Sumatra’s churches.

Pray for workers who are proclaiming the Gospel to show forth the power of God.

Pray for all the peoples of Sumatra to bow to Jesus for no other reason than the fact that He is worthy.

Lembak People Group Profile

“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you” (Psalm 9:10, ESV).

The 208,000 Lembak [lem-BAUK] people live in Benkulu and in the areas north of the city. Their language is part of the Malay family. Most Lembak men work as rice farmers or as workers in rubber tree plantations. Some men also work producing bricks through small home-based factories. Women generally help out in the fields and manage the household. The Lembak are a patriarchal society. Neighboring peoples often call them bulang (turban) people.

Lembak culture has close ties to Rejang and Serawai. Villages are formed by family members living close together in adjoining houses. They often enjoy traditional Dangdut singing which combines a strong beat with Arabic lyrics that teach Islamic truths. Most Lembak are Muslim, but are still highly influenced by animistic and occult beliefs. The dukun or shaman is often consulted for health or family problems.

There are only a handful of Lembak believers and no indigenous Lembak churches.

Pray that:

More workers will reach out to the Lembak with the Gospel.

Lembak believers will have courage and boldness to reach out with the Gospel to their friends and family.
Strong discipleship and training for Lembak believers will take place.

Indigenous Lembak fellowships will be formed before the end of this year.

Lembak believers will cut all ties with occult and animistic beliefs.

The Gospel will be broadly sown among the Lembak.

Many intercessors will adopt the Lembak for passionate, persevering prayer until the church is established among the Lembak.

Shave & Haircut $1

Most neighborhoods have a traditional barber shop called a pangkas. You can usually get your hair cut for 5 to 7 thousand rupiah, or for a little less than a dollar. The odds are good that the combs and clipper has not been cleaned. The razor is also reused without being cleaned. So, if you are a neat freak who likes things sanitary, the pangkas is not the place for you. But if you want to gather and talk with the men of the community, the pangkas is a great place to hang out.

If you are in a hurry, the pangkas is not the best place to go. It’s more of a social event. And they love having foreigners come in. The barber – tukang rambut – will normally pull out his cell phone and take a picture of you so he can show it to his other customers.

Many workers will not use the pangkas because it’s dirty and unsanitary. This decision illustrates the struggle workers have about how far they are willing to go in order to enter into the culture.

Pray for workers to have wisdom as they engage and embrace the culture around them.

Pray for workers dealing with culture shock to be able to rest in the Lord.

Pray for God's Kingdom to come among all the peoples on Sumatra.

Eye on the Sparrow

Most large traditional markets in Sumatra have a section for buying tropical birds. Birds are very popular pets here in Southeast Asia. The birds that the little boy in the picture is looking at are very common, very small, and not very expensive. Because of these facts these birds are often given to small children to play with. This is a good opportunity for the children to learn how to handle animals, but it does not always bode well for the birds.

The worker who took this photo remembers visiting a village and seeing one such bird in a cage being handled by a 2 year old. The two year old dropped the cage three times during a short visit. The poor little bird looked ready to have a heart attack. The little boy said, “aduh.” Roughly translated that means, “oh dear.”

This situation reminded the worker of the old song that says, “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” As the little bird was put at the mercy of a toddler, he may not have felt watched over or protected by the All Mighty! Yet that is often what life feels like for God’s children who are trying to be obedient in a land where the majority of the people do not honor God’s Word or God’s Son.

Pray for new believers on Sumatra who often feel trapped in a cage of opposition and persecution at the hands of their family and friends.

Pray for new believers among Sumatra’s people groups who struggle with feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Pray for traditional fellowships that are caged by fear and tradition that keeps them from reaching out to the lost around them.

Pray for small house fellowships that face physical danger in order to gather and worship the Lord.

The cost of faithfully following the Lord in the United States is not nearly as great as it is on Sumatra. Pray for God’s Kingdom to come on our island despite the high personal costs! After all it cost Jesus His life blood to bring God’s Kingdom from heaven to earth.

Working Together

This 37-year-old Javanese man is a rice farmer. He has spent his entire life working in the rice fields. The field where he works is owned by several Javanese families, but it’s worked collectively. When this photo was taken, the man was spraying to kill the grass and weeds that were growing amidst the crops.

The Javanese moved to Sumatra in great numbers during the 1970s and 80s. The government encouraged this migration because of over-crowding on the island of Java. Today the Javanese are the largest people group on Sumatra at 12.5 million.

Pray for God to prepare the hearts of many Javanese people to hear and receive the Gospel.

Pray that God will guide believers with a heart to reach the Javanese to Javanese villages and communities on Sumatra.

Pray that God will weed out the distractions that keep the Javanese from being open to hearing and obeying God’s Word.

Pray for Javanese believers to become burdened to reach the rest of their people group.

If we pray together, as the Javanese work the rice fields together, then no doubt we will see a great spiritual harvest!

Salute the Flag

All over Indonesia school aged children regularly gather in the school yard to participate in a flag raising ceremony. It’s a great honor to be chosen to raise the flag. There’s a lot of rehearsal before a student is deemed ready to do this important job. Perhaps this tradition is akin to the pledge of allegiance that school age children daily recite in American schools. The purpose of this ceremony is to promote pride in their national identity and unity in their school. It’s not unusual for teachers to give motivational talks about working hard to achieve a good education and a bright future for themselves and for Indonesia.

While there is nothing wrong with national pride or working hard to have a brighter future, it is not these things that bring ultimate value to a person’s life. Many of these children live in communities that have no access to the Gospel. They can reach the pinnacle of success, but if they don’t know Jesus it will all prove to be vanity.

Pray for believers on Sumatra to be focused on eternal, Kingdom values.

Pray for every child on Sumatra to have the chance to hear and respond to the Gospel before they die.

Pray for a spiritual heritage and identity for Sumatra that is eternal in scope and beyond reckoning in value.

Jambi Malay People Group Profile

“My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait” (Isaiah 51:5 ESV).

The 1 million Jambi Malay are proud to be descendants of the 7^th century Malay kingdom. This pride has led them to cling to their culture and traditions with tenacity that at times is not healthy. They live along the inland rivers and tributaries of central Sumatra. Many Jambi men work as fishermen. The Batanghari River is an important source of both food and income. Extensive palm oil plantations in the area also provide many families with their income.

Travel is often done by river because many of the villages are near waterways. It’s difficult for outsiders to get to most Jambi Malay villages. Typically, outsiders are viewed with distrust.

To be Jambi is to be Muslim. Every village has a mesjid (mosque) and many have madrasah (Islamic school). They govern every aspect of their lives based on the Qur’an and the Hadith. They also believe that religious leaders, dwarfs, and dukuns (occult healers) have supernatural powers.

The Jambi people, despite their deep religious convictions, struggle with deep seated corruption on every level of society and deeper than usual sexual sin. Many Jambi families are in crisis because of these sin strongholds.

There are only a handful of known believers, and no indigenous Jambi church. As most of the Jambi people live in isolation and view outsiders with distrust, it’s extremely difficult for believers to reach this people group.

Pray that:

God will open doors for believers to enter into Jambi villages.

Cultural pride will not continue to blind the Jambi to their need of a Savior.

Jambi believers will be strong and bold in the face of family and community opposition.

Jesus will call to the hearts of Jambi people to drop their nets and become fishers of men.

God will prepare the hearts of Jambi people to receive the Gospel.

Believers will be Holy Spirit led to Jambi people of peace.

The first ever indigenous Jambi Malay church will be birthed before the end of this year.

Colorful Canopies

Most traditional markets on Sumatra have canopies. On hot, sunny days they provide shade. On damp, rainy days they keep things relatively dry. Light in the market is filtered through these patchwork canopies and give everything an otherworldly tint – blue, orange, green and so on.

Just as the canopies act as filters that changes how things are perceived, so the peoples of Sumatra have filters of religion, culture and tradition. These filters serve the important functions of giving stability, protection and a shared framework for interpreting life events. They can also become barriers to considering and receiving God’s truth. Many people on Sumatra hear and reject the Gospel because their internal filters distort the message they are hearing and make it unpalatable to them.

Pray for workers to have wisdom to understand the filters of their people groups and to learn how to communicate the Gospel in a culturally sensitive and relevant way.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to work through the barriers of religion, tradition and culture to allow lost people on Sumatra to focus on the truth that can set them free.

Pray for all the people groups on Sumatra to see that receiving the Gospel need not destroy the uniqueness of their cultural identity. In fact, faith in Christ will make them become a more noble expression of their core cultural values, because they will have His power to enable them to do the right things in life.

Home Town Connection

A worker met this young lady at a convenience mart where he stopped to buy some water. In the course of conversation it was discovered that the worker lived in the city where this lady was born. There was an instant connection made because of this fact. People who grew up in the same city or village or have connections to the same places are more open to each other. Because of this fact, it is important that new believers be taught how to share their faith as soon as possible. They are far more effective at sharing within their circle of friends and family than any outsider. However they are also more likely to be persecuted and ostracized than any outsider.

Pray for workers to equip and encourage new believers to share the Gospel as soon as possible.

Pray for new believers to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that they can withstand persecution when it comes.

Pray for the Gospel to spread rapidly among all Sumatra’s people groups.

Acehnese People Group Profile

“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:8, ESV).

The 4 million Acehnese people live on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Islam entered the islands of Indonesia through the Acehnese heartland. In the past, Muslim pilgrims on their way to Mecca would stop in Banda Aceh, the provincial capital. For this reason the city is called the “Terrace of Mecca” to this day.

The Acehnese are known by other Indonesian people groups as being the most dedicated Muslims in Indonesia. They are strict Sunni Muslim and have been instrumental in spreading Islam throughout Indonesia and to other Southeast Asian countries. The Aceh Province is the only area in Indonesia to have instituted Shari’a law. Acehnese will often violently oppose any member of their people group who wants to follow another religion. To be Acehnese is to be Muslim.

Most Acehnese men work as farmers or fishermen. The women handle domestic affairs. Children are expected to help with the household chores from a very young age. Men generally do not involve themselves in household affairs, including child rearing. Inheritance is settled by Islamic law with a double portion going to the men, but homes and land almost always pass to the women.

In 2004 a cataclysmic tsunami swept through the west coast area. Over 150,000 people were killed. Yet, in the aftermath of this disaster many Acehnese learned that Christians are different than what they learned from their religious training. Acehnese became, for a time, more open to outsiders.

There are a handful of believers, but they are fearful of family and community reaction, so they are not bold to share their faith. There is no indigenous Acehnese church.

Pray that:

Believers living among the Acehnese will be bold to share the Gospel daily.

Acehnese believers will be given courage from the Lord to share their faith with family and friends.

Three reproducing and vibrant Acehnese churches will be planted this year.

All ideas set up against the knowledge of God will be brought down by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit will convict the Acehnese of sin and reveal Jesus as the one path to true righteousness.

The Acehnese will see that Isa [Jesus] is more than just a prophet and they can be Acehnese without being Muslim.

God will not allow those who want to isolate Acehnese from outsiders to succeed.

The Monkey Factor

This type of monkey is fairly common on Sumatra. This particular monkey was chained up in front of a shop-house. Many people here keep monkeys as pets. Some people train monkeys to perform and do animal shows for children and parties. We have a monkey handler who comes to our neighborhood regularly. He will put on a short performance for about 2 or 3 dollars.

You have to be careful with monkeys. They are more likely to bite or become aggressive than a dog or cat. Part of the problem is misunderstandings of cultural-cues. For example, when a monkey looks like it’s smiling it’s actually saying, “Back off, you’re scaring me.” Such communication problems are not uncommon when you are bridging into another culture. There are many things that are being said loud and clear within the culture that are completely lost on the person coming in from the outside.

Pray that the Holy Spirit will help cross-cultural workers to clue into the cultural communication that is going on around them.

Pray that near culture believers will be brave to share with far-culture workers about cultural clues that they might be missing.

Pray cross-cultural workers on Sumatra will remain humble and teachable before the Lord and their national brothers and sisters.

Taking Out the Garbage

Basic sanitation is often a challenge in developing nations. Finding a good solution to the disposal of garbage is not an easy thing. Often times people will burn their garbage out in front of their homes. The smell and toxins released by these fires is not safe or pleasant. However, if these piles of garbage aren’t burned they attract rats. This photo was taken in a market area in one of the major cities on Sumatra.

The problem of garbage on Sumatra is symbolic of the problem of sin. Sin creates a pile of garbage in the hearts of people that becomes larger and larger every day. People try many things to eliminate the problem, but it just gets worse. Just as the cities of Sumatra need a good sanitation plan, the peoples of Sumatra need a good salvation plan. Only Jesus can clean the garbage of sin from the hearts of mankind!

Pray that the peoples of Sumatra will become aware of their accumulating sin debt, and the complete inadequacy of good works to atone for sin.

Pray that believers on Sumatra will be faithful and bold to share about the Savior who can cancel the sin debt.

Pray for believers on Sumatra to deal with the sin that is making their witness smell worse than the piles of garbage that are common in the cities of our island.

Pray against the rats of societal pressure, discouragement and fear that gather around the piles of sin that fill the hearts of people living on Sumatra.

Minangkabau People Group Profile

“Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from far” (Psalm 138:6, NIV).

The Mingangkabau are proud of their heritage. They are proud of their economic prosperity and influence. They are proud of their tradition of merantau, which means going to a distant area to seek success. They are proud of their matrilineal family structure. They are proud of their religion – to be Minangkabau is to be Muslim.

While the Minangkabau are proudly Muslim, they are also strongly drawn to seeking spiritual power through animistic rituals. They routinely consult the dukun (shaman) for assistance with daily problems. This tendency crosses many people groups on the island of Sumatra.

 

There are approximately 5.5 million Minangkabau living primarily in West Sumatra. They are the fourth largest ethnic group in the country of Indonesia. They have their own language and outsiders are often viewed with suspicion. The scriptures have been translated into the Minangkabau language, but distribution has been difficult. Those who seek to share the Good News with the Minangkabau are often met with resistance.

After a major earthquake in 2009, many Christian relief workers were able to enter traditionally closed areas to show the love of Christ through service to the victims of the natural disaster. It is hoped that the impression that these workers made on the Mingangkabau people will open doors for further witness.

Pray that:

God will open the eyes and hearts of the Minangkabau people to see and receive His Good News of salvation.

Doors will open for believers to enter into and live among Minangkabau communities.

The preaching of the Gospel will be accompanied with power so that the Minangkabau will learn that Christ is more powerful than the spirits they consult with their life problems.

The blood of Christ will break the spiritual strongholds that keep the Minangkabau from being willing to receive the scriptures.

God will call laborers with a heart to reach the Minangkabau with the Gospel.

The Holy Spirit will convict the Minangkabau of sin and righteousness so that their hearts will be soft to God’s calling for repentance.

Believers seeking to reach the Minangkabau will be guided to people of peace who will become door openers to the rest of this people group.

Community Alarm System

This painted bamboo is part of a community communication system. This system actually originated on the main island of Java. If there is an emergency, a person will beat this tube with a stick. As others hear they will drop what they are doing and come running.

Some examples of why you might sound the alarm include a fire, a car accident, a wild animal, a thief, or any other threat/emergency that requires a large number of people to deal with. The tube is painted red and white to look like Indonesian’s flag. It’s a reminder to people in the community that helping each other is their patriotic duty as a citizen of the Republic.

Pray that the Holy Spirit will sound the alarm about the wages of sin and bring deep conviction into the hearts of Sumatran people.

Pray that those living on Sumatra will realize the danger of rejecting God’s one method for dealing with their sins before it’s too late.

Pray that the Gospel message will spread rapidly, like this community alarm system.

English Opens Doors

The young woman on the right is currently studying at University to become an English teacher. When she saw the opportunity to sit with a native English speaker, she was very excited. Many people on Sumatra are interested in learning English. Some are interested because of the freedom of expression that they see in American culture, and not all of that is good.  Some are interested because they see English as a tool to become more marketable in business, or to get ahead in life. Some are interested because they see foreigners as an opportunity to make money. Regardless of why they are interested, the fact remains that many Sumatrans are interested. This opens doors for Americans visiting or living on Sumatra to share truth.

Pray that native English speakers will have wisdom to capitalize on the interest that Sumatrans have in learning English to share truth with them.

Pray for volunteers to come who have a heart for the Lord and for the peoples of Sumatra.

Pray these volunteers will see the open doors that their English gives to them and will be willing to let people practice English with them.

Pray that God will give wisdom to believers to see where God is working and not spend too much of their time teaching English to those who are not interested in truth.

Coffee for the Peoples

This Gayo man is enjoying a cup of coffee after breakfast. Most of the people groups on Sumatra have distinctive coffee grown in their areas. And, of course, their coffee is always the best! Many times, as a foreigner, you will be asked if you’ve tasted their coffee yet. When you are served coffee it’s usually scalding hot. This is good for two reasons. First, it means that whatever was in the water has been killed off and you won’t get sick. Second, it means that they want you stay and talk while the coffee cools down. On the other hand, if they give you warm coffee it means they want you to drink it and leave.

Pray that the peoples of Sumatra will smell the aroma of Christ, awake from their spiritual slumber and be saved.

Pray that believers on Sumatra will see hot coffee as an invitation to sit and share the stories of life with their family, friends and acquaintances.

Pray that like the unique coffees of the peoples, God will help the peoples of Sumatra to value the uniqueness of His Son. Pray that they will come to understand that He is more than just another prophet.

Chess Anyone?

Many men on Sumatra enjoy playing chess. Often times after work they will meet with their friends to talk, smoke, drink coffee (or alcohol) and play chess. It’s not unusual to have places in traditional markets for drivers to play chess while they are waiting for their clients to shop. A simple wooden chess set here costs around $3.

Chess is one activity that bridges both rural and urban areas. From the biggest city to the smallest village you can find men playing chess. If you like to play chess, you should come to Sumatra. You will never lack for someone to play a good game of chess, but be prepared to inhale a lot of second-hand smoke. Most men on Sumatra like to smoke just about as much as they like to play chess!

Pray that the Kingdom of Light will overcome on the island of Sumatra.

Pray that people groups on Sumatra will no longer exist as pawns in Satan’s kingdom, but will be set free by the Prince of Peace.

Pray that believers won’t get rooked into believing the lies of the enemy that keep them from obeying the Great Commission on Sumatra.

Pray that the powers of darkness on Sumatra will be put in check by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pray for God to raise up knights of the faith to go behind enemy lines to set the captives free through the bold proclamation of the Gospel among every people group on Sumatra.

The Jamu Lady

This is a Jamu lady. She’s been trained in the ancient, herbal medicine traditions of Java. She carries herbal medicines on the back of a bicycle which she uses to make health drinks for her clientele. Most Jamu ladies are Javanese. Typically the Jamu lady has a circuit that she travels every day. She has glasses on the back of her bike for customers who meet her in the street, but as she does not have a sink to wash the glasses, it’s typically not very clean. Most clients use their own cups as the Jamu lady visits their homes to give them their daily dose of jamu. A cup of herbal medicine usually costs 2,000 RP (around 20 cents). Many Indonesians swear that drinking jamu wards off many types of illnesses. This tradition is much like our taking daily vitamins.

Everyone who drinks jamu will still eventually die. Pray that people on Sumatra will realize that only faith in Jesus will ward off (atone for) the consequences of sin.

Tradition is not a bad thing, but many traditions on Sumatra keep people from being obedient to God’s Word. Pray that the peoples of Sumatra will see that following God is more important than any tradition they may hold.

The 13 million Transmigrant Javanese are the largest people group on Sumatra. Pray for God to draw these people into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

Musi People Group Profile

"Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the LORD have created it” (Isaiah 45:8, ESV).

The 600,000 Musi [moo-SEE] people have deep roots to their homeland in Southern Sumatra. Many of them live and make their living along the banks of the mighty Musi River. Others make their living as rice farmers, and by growing various varieties of fruit. They also work on rubber plantations and in mining operations.

The Musi language is a part of the Malay language family. And, like the Malay peoples, the Musi tend to have close ties to their community and don’t often move far from home. Musi women pride themselves on keeping neat, tidy homes so that their husbands can say, “My home is my heaven.” The Musi believe that sons are the guarantee of a strong country and a continuing family heritage. Therefore a typical Musi family prefers to have boys more than girls.
 

Most Musi are Muslim. Many Musi people will say they are Muslim because their ancestors were Muslim. In reality the Musi follow Islam together with a form of ancestor worship. They have many sacred grave sites where they go to consult the dead for wisdom, protection or other blessings. They also believe in the occult powers of the dukun (shaman). Most communities have a dukun to help people with various life issues through magical, spiritual treatments.

There is no indigenous Musi church, and there are very few Musi believers.

Pray that:

Believers living among the Musi River will be bold to share the Gospel.

The Musi will realize that they don’t have to stop being Musi in order to receive the Lord into their lives.

Those seeking to share the Gospel will be led to Musi people already softened by the Holy Spirit.

New Musi believers will be obedient to baptism shortly after they receive the Lord.

Musi villages will allow new believers to remain within the community.

New Musi believers will pray continually, learn the principles of God’s word, and be obedient to the Lord in all things. Pray this for all the believers on Sumatra!

New Musi believers will be successfully grouped into rapidly multiplying, indigenous churches.