Walk & Talk are Both Important

This is a Transmigrant Javanese (TJ) man. He is part of the largest people group on the island of Sumatra. Most TJ people are Muslim, but there are enough who have become Christian that it’s usually accepted if a TJ person decides to follow Isa Almasih (Arabic for Jesus the Messiah).

Late one evening a worker was sharing about the great sacrifice of Isa being the only plan of God to pay for the sin debt of mankind with a TJ man about the same age as the one pictured here. The worker shared about the importance of following Isa without reserve because in Him there is new life including the power to live in a holy way before a Holy God. The man listened with interest, but he was not ready to follow Isa.

After the worker finished sharing the TJ man said, “I am not a smart man to figure out what is true and what is not regarding religion, but one thing I’ve noticed. You’re kind to your wife and children in ways I have never seen before, and it touches my heart. I have a friend who has been on the Hajj (Arabic for pilgrimage). He’s considered holy, but I know he still likes to gamble. It seems that religion that doesn’t make you holy isn’t very good religion.” The worker restated that it’s Isa who alone can pay for sin, and alone can help a person to live in a holy way.

Pray for this TJ man to meet Isa and give his life to Him.

Pray for workers on Sumatra to live in a holy way so that their lives will match their testimony about Isa, the life changer.

Pray for the TJ people to be convicted of sin and righteousness by the Holy Spirit.

Pray for revival among TJ churches on Sumatra.

Krupuk

This Transmigrant Javanese woman is making a traditional snack called krupuk or fish crackers. There are many different types of krupuk and this snack is enjoyed all over Southeast Asia. Krupuk likely originated in Indonesia. It takes three days to produce krupuk from start to finish using traditional methods. This particular family was new to the business. They learned from a family from Solo. Most people who produce Krupuk have had the tradition handed down for generations.

Many industries on Sumatra are time and labor intensive, because time is readily available and labor is cheap. As Indonesia modernizes snacks like Krupuk will be mass produced, but the quality will not be the same. Much of the flavor will be lost. The time and effort put in does make a difference in the taste.

The process of making krupuk is similar to the effort of making disciples among the peoples of Sumatra. It’s time intensive and labor intensive. There have been attempts to streamline and modernize the process, but the results are not as good. You can no more microwave discipleship than create instant krupuk. The difference can be seen in the quality and flavor of the end product.

Pray for workers who are going through the difficult time and labor intensive process of helping new believers become established disciples of Jesus Christ.

Pray for wisdom for the Indonesian people as they weigh the tradeoffs between their current culture and traditions and the promised economic prosperity of modernization.

Pray for the Transmigrant Javanese people to have the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel on Sumatra. The Transmigrant Javanese are the largest people group on Sumatra.

Sunk in the Dock

This fishing boat in Tapaktuan is an odd sight. It is sunk, but it is still tethered to the docks. The worker who took the photo was told that the boat was beyond repair so the owners had just left it to rot in the docks. Such a boat must certainly cause problems for the other active boats that still use the dock.

Believers who stop being obedient to God’s Word are like this boat. They not only cease to be effective, but they cause problems for others who are still striving to be obedient to the Lord. While the owner has written this boat off as hopeless, there are no hopeless causes for the Lord. He can restore, renew and re-energize inactive church members. He can bring revival to those tethered to tradition or legalism so that they can serve again with joy and grace.

Pray for revival among the churches on Sumatra.

Pray for believers willing to leave the docks of safety (the church) for the unknown of the high seas (the place where the fish are) and thus becoming fishers of men.

Pray for believers to be obedient to God’s Word above the traditions of man.

Sikhule People Group Profile

“But as it is written, ‘Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand’” (Romans 15:21, ESV).

The Sikhule are a small people group located on the northwest end of the island of Simeulue. The roughly 28,000 people who call themselves Sikhule primarily work as farmers, fishermen, and lobster divers. Their life on a day-to-day basis is very simple as they mostly live in small wooden houses, bathe in nearby rivers, and, until recently, lived without electricity.  

Despite the fact they identify themselves as being followers of Islam, they are still very much influenced by animistic beliefs as they regularly call on witch doctors and often share stories of spirits dwelling inside of people and objects found in nature.

 

There are hardly any believers living on Simeulue and many Sikhule live and die without ever having the opportunity to hear the Gospel. The challenge of getting the Gospel to the Sikhule because of cultural and physical barriers are formidable.

 Pray that:

God will send more believers to live among and share the Gospel with the Sikhule.

The Holy Spirit will open Sikhule eyes and ears so that they will perceive and understand the truth.

Believers living on Simeulue will be bold and persistent in sowing Gospel seed among the Sikhule.

New Sikhule believers will have courage and perseverance to face societal pressure and persecution.

Jesus will set Sikhule believers free from fear of spirits that attack people and exist in nature.

Signs, wonders, and power will be displayed among the Sikhule together with the preaching of the Gospel.

An indigenous, doctrinally sound, rapidly multiplying Sikhule church will be established soon.

Sawing Logs

These Jambi men are working in a saw mill. These trees are being cut into finished lumber for construction projects. Much of Sumatra is covered in dense, lush jungle. The need for lumber has resulted in deforestation in many areas of the island.

The balance between current needs and future needs regarding the use of environmental resources is always a fine balance that is difficult to find. The balance between the physical needs and nature of man and the spiritual is also a difficult balance to manage. When the “rice bowl” is full, many Sumatrans are not even interested in seriously considering spiritual issues.

While this lack for foresight and awareness is not unusual, it is extremely dangerous. Most souls do not enter hell through terrible wickedness, but rather by gradual descent. People often make decisions without realizing the balance that they are breaking within their own spiritual lives. The destruction of a soul is tragic no matter what method is used to bring it about. Many people on Sumatra are spiritually “sawing logs.” They need to wake up before it is too late.

Pray for Sumatrans to become more aware of the spiritual balance that is needed in life.

Pray for believers to be bold to share the only means for achieving this spiritual balance that leads to eternal life.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to remove the blinders that hide people from awareness of the gradual descent that will eventually lead them to ultimate destruction.

Pray for true spiritual balance and revival on the island of Sumatra.