The Price of Education

These Jambi boys come from all over the province to be educated in a religious based school called a pesantren. From 10-years-of-age upward many children live in dormitories away from home to have the opportunity to get a better quality education. Schools in the rural areas often lack teachers and other resources to equip the children.

It must be incredibly difficult for such young children to be separated from their family in order to go to school. This same challenge is often faced by cross-cultural workers. Many workers send their high-school-aged children off to dormitories in order to study at international schools. These children are 14 or 15 years old before they are separated from their family, but still it is difficult. Some children handle this freedom well, others struggle. Some parents handle the separation well, and others struggle.

Pray for education opportunities on Sumatra to improve, especially in rural areas.

Pray for God to protect children who are being sent off at young ages for educational opportunities.

Pray for the children of workers on Sumatra who are also having to be independent at very young ages.

Pray for parents to have wisdom to stay connected with their children at long-distances.

Pray for worker families who choose to home school through high school to have wisdom and resources to make this option viable to keep the family together without sacrificing the quality of education for the children.