Do You Really Understand?

It is often humorous to see the English on hats and shirts of Sumatrans. This Penghulu man certainly looks like a die-hard Iron Maiden fan, doesn’t he? Another time a worker met with a Rejang man who had a shirt that said, “I’m an alcoholic”. When asked if he understood the meaning of his shirt, he said that he did not. It just goes to show that it is not wise to wear something in a foreign language if you don’t know what it means!

In a similar way many Sumatrans hold religious views without really understanding the meaning of what they claim to believe. For example, most Muslims on Sumatra believe that they will have to spend some time in hell before they will be able to get to heaven. They share this belief without any concern or emotion about the reality of what that means.

One worker likes to challenge this by asking for a lighter. Most Sumatran men smoke, so it isn’t too difficult to find a lighter. He then asks the man to hold out his hand. “What finger do you use the least?” he asks. When the man tell him, he says, “Okay, I’m just going to burn this finger for five seconds. Is that okay?” The man always jerks back his hand. The point is made.

Pray for Sumatrans to realize the gravity and reality of hell.

Pray for Sumatrans to see the beauty and reality of the Gospel.

Pray for a harvest of souls from among all peoples on Sumatra.

Malam Minggu

This young couple is sitting along the banks of the river enjoying the sunset together in Jambi, Sumatra. It is Saturday evening or malam Minggu. It is not socially acceptable to be alone with members of the opposite sex in public unless it is malam Minggu. That is the one night that couples are allowed to date. It is not unusual to see dozens of couples together at scenic places like this on malam Minggu.

Societal norms and pressure exert a tremendous influence in every area of a Sumatran’s life. Questions such as who you can date and when you can date lead to who you can marry, what work you do, what religion you follow, how you raise children, and the cycle repeats. Such influence is not necessarily negative, but it can become so when the societal norms prevent people from obeying God. In many of the Sumatran people groups the Gospel is unilaterally rejected because it does not conform to societal religious norms.

Pray for new believers on Sumatra to have courage to stand against societal norms for the sake of being obedient to God.

Pray for people groups on Sumatra to have courage to examine their own societal norms and reject those norms that keep them from following God’s truth.

Pray for workers to have courage as they go into new areas and challenge existing societal norms for the sake of the Gospel.

Family Planning

Keluarga Berencana (KB) is a common Indonesian term for family planning. As with many agricultural cultures, it was seen as a blessing to have lots of children. As population increased to the point that the land couldn’t support the people, the Indonesian government started education campaigns to encourage families to have fewer children.

This sign connects the words for independence and prosperity below family planning. It then says, “Two children are better.” Many of the wealthier, better educated urbanites have embraced this idea. The families in rural areas still often have three to five children per family. Many times they aren’t financially able to care for them.

Thinking outside the cultural norm is often met with resistance, and change comes slow. More important than having more or less children is having a right relationship with God. The Gospel is the way to have a right relationship with God, but it’s currently outside the cultural norm among the people groups of Sumatra. Therefore, it’s often met with resistance. Acceptance is slow.

KB is the abbreviation for family planning in Indonesia. It’s also the abbreviation for Good New or Kabar Baik. We need more of the second kind of KB to be shared on Sumatra!

Pray for those who are hearing the Gospel for the first time on Sumatra to have open minds and hearts to hear and receive God’s way of salvation.

Pray for those sharing the Gospel on Sumatra to be bold and to persevere when the message is received coldly by the peoples.

Pray for Kabar Baik (KB) to be shared to every person living on Sumatra.