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.