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Developing Indigenous Leaders Lessons in Mission from Buddhist Asia (SEANET 10)

Every movement is only one generation from dying out. Leadership development remains the critical issue for mission endeavors around the world. How are leaders developed from the local context for the local context? What is the role of the expatriate in this process? What models of hope are available for those seeking further direction in this area, particularly in mission to the Buddhist world of Asia? To answer these and several other questions, SEANET proudly presents the tenth volume in its series on practical missiology, Developing Indigenous Leaders: Lessons in Mission from Buddhist Asia.

Each chapter in this volume is written by a practitioner and a mission scholar. Th e ten authors come from a wide range of ecclesial and national backgrounds and represent service in ten diff erent Buddhist contexts of Asia. With biblical integrity and cultural sensitivity, these chapters provide honest refl ection, insight, and guidance.

Th ere is perhaps no more crucial issue than the development of dedicated indigenous leaders who will remain long after missionaries have returned home. If you are concerned about raising up leaders in your ministry in whatever cultural context it may be, this volume will be an important addition to your library.

ISBN: 978-0-87808-040-3 List Price: $17.99 Paul H. De Neui Our Price: $14.39 WCL | Pages 243 | Paperback 2013 3 or more: $9.89 www.missionbooks.org 1-800-MISSION Become a Daily World Christian

What is the Global Prayer Digest? Loose Change Adds Up! Th e Global Prayer Digest is a unique devotion- In adapting the Burma Plan to our culture, al booklet. Each day it gives a glimpse we have simply substituted loose change of what God is doing around the world for rice and have added this educational and what still remains to be done. Daily and inspirational Global Prayer Digest. One prayer for that still-unfi nished task is at person’s loose change will average about the heart of the Adopt-A-People move- $100 per year exclusively for frontier ment. Condensed missionary stories, missions! When the national goal of one biblical challenges, urgent reports, and million Adopt-A-People Prayer Partners is exciting descriptions of unreached peo- reached, that will mean $100 million more ples provide a digest of rich fuel for your per year for the frontiers! own times of prayer for the world. Become a Daily World Christian Th e Global Prayer Digest is a key tool in a Devotional Ideas movement to help fulfi ll Christ’s com- How can you make the most of this prayer digest: mission to make disciples of all the peo- ples of the earth. Th is movement involves • Some people use it as a a daily discipline of learning, praying, and supplement to their regular giving to help reach the world’s nearly devotional time. 10,000 unreached people groups. Un- • Others enjoy reading and reached peoples are those groups which praying around the dinner table do not yet have a strong church in their with the entire family. own cultural and social setting. • We encourage you to gather Myanmar, Mothers and the monthly with other Christ Frontier Fellowship Movement friends who are involved in this Th e Frontier Fellowship Movement movement. is an adaptation of a custom among • Join the “Frontier Fellowship tribal Christians in Burma (now called movement” (left), a version of Myanmar) and elsewhere. As the the Burma Plan, to fi nancially mother in each family prepares meals support frontier missions. for her family, she sets aside a hand- Every day at the top of the page ful of rice in a special container, and you’ll fi nd the name of an unreached prays for their church’s missionaries to people group for which to pray. Th e unreached people groups. Rice from small maps will help you locate the families in the church is sold to support day’s feature. their frontier missionaries.

3 Editorial May 2013 RECORDS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS U.S. Center for World Mission 1605 East Elizabeth Street Dear Praying Friends, Pasadena, CA 91104-2721 Tel: (330) 626-3361 Many GPD issues have started [email protected] out going in one direction and MANAGING EDITOR ended up going another way. Keith Carey Th is one started out featuring ASSISTANT EDITOR Singapore. Th e background Paula Fern article was written, and the WRITERS writers had the information they Glenn Culbertson needed to write about unreached Patricia Depew people groups in that exciting cosmopolitan city. Patti Ediger Wesley Kawato But this issue went “through Seoul, South Korea” so Arlene Knickerbocker to speak. I visited Korea to attend a meeting in late Esther Jerome-Dharmaraj Christopher Lane November, 2012, and met fi eld missionaries who told Annabeth Lewis me about a better way to direct our prayers this month. Charles Newcombe Most of the unreached people groups in Singapore Ted Proffi tt Lydia Reynolds are already engaged, meaning there is a work going Jeff Rockwell on among them. So I quickly included unreached Jean Smith Malay speaking peoples from nearby Malaysia and Jane W. Sveska people groups in Indonesia’s huge island of Sumatra. DAILY BIBLE COMMENTARIES Geographically, the places are close to one another, but Dave Dougherty, Director of Plans and Training, OMF Intl. this issue now covers people groups in three countries Keith Carey, Managing Editor, GPD rather than one. In this way I hope that we will be CUSTOMER SERVICE praying for peoples with less access to the gospel. Dan Eddy We will still be praying for some unreached peoples GRAPHICS in Singapore on days 7-10. Th e rest of the issue will Amanda Valloza feature highly unreached peoples in nearby areas. PRINTER In Christ, Diversifi ed Printers , La Mirada, CA

Keith Carey, managing editor, GPD WEB SITE www.globalprayerdigest.org

ISSN 1045-9731 Contents of the Global Prayer Digest © 2013 U.S. Center for World Mission PS--If you get the chance, take a look at our sister 1605 East Elizabeth Street publication, Mission Frontiers (Missionfrontiers.org) Pasadena, CA 91104 this month and next. Th ey have some excellent, in- Contents of this booklet may be depth information on unreached people in East Asia reproduced if appropriate credit and subscription information are given. that will be useful for GPD intercessors. Mission Frontiers is presently doing a “12 months/12 blocs” For subscription information, call (330) 626-3361. series that highlights some of the least-reached people For comments on content, clusters in the 12 affi nity blocs that are home to 80 call (626) 398-2241. percent of the world’s unreached peoples.

4 Feature of the Month

Pray for a Strong Church for Every People Group in Singapore, Malaysia, and Sumatra Island

MALAYSIA Kuala Lumpur SINGAPORE

Sumatra

5 To Help You Pray Better 6 Background Wesley Kawato —By

Create Internationalw base fortheirshipssailingbetween IndiaandChina. asasupply to protect theirtraderoute andtoserve and China. Th controlledMalacca thedirect searoute between India position inthatregion vulnerable. Th in 1818.Dutch Th forced toreturn the British thePort tothe ofMalacca those islandstotheNetherlands. Asecondtreaty the resulting peace required treaty toreturn Britain and controlled themforatime. thewarended When of Indonesia. invaded someofthose islands Britain base.supply Th asastrategic from toserve Malacca theNetherlands the Napoleonic Wars of hadtakentheport Britain ofFrance. wasanally time theNetherlands in Early hadcoloniesallover theworld.Netherlands Atthat wasn’t limitedtoEurope. Britain, France, andthe Wars foughtbetween 1804and1815. Th Th How Singapore Came into Existence Leads aContinent Singapore: The IslandThat is major city wasaproduct oftheNapoleonic ismajorcity e British desperately needed this port neededthisport desperately eBritish e Dutch controlled thenearby islands eDutch e loss of Malacca made the British madetheBritish elossofMalacca e Strait of eStrait e fi ghting Singapore: The Island That Leads a Continent

During the early 1800s the British East India Company ran the day-to- day aff airs of Great Britain in Asia. In 1819 that company sent Stamford Raffl es to the Malay Peninsula to fi nd a suitable new port that could serve as the British supply base in that region. Raffl es quickly turned his attention to Singapore Island, located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula. In 1819 that island was sparsely populated and was owned by a number of tribal chiefs. Raffl es purchased the island from them on behalf of the British East India Company. The Development of Singapore Shortly after that Raffl es was appointed governor for the Malay region. Governor Raffl es drew up the architectural plans for the new city he named Singapore. Th e construction of Singapore began in 1822. Around the time construction began, Raffl es drew up Singapore’s fi rst legal code. Slavery and gambling were outlawed from the start. Once buildings started to be completed, settlers arrived from India, China, and Great Britain. Singapore’s strategic location quickly caused it to grow into a strategic port on the India to China trade route. In 1824 the British government took direct control over Singapore, relieving the British East Asia Company of governing duties. Singapore remained a British colony until modern times. Th ere was a brief period of Japanese control during World War II. Japan invaded Singapore in 1942, but returned that island to Britain after losing the war in 1945. In 1959 Singapore became one of the states of the new, independent Republic of Malaya, a former British colony. In 1963 Malaya (now called Malaysia) merged with Sarawak and Sabah. In 1965 Singapore seceded from this new country and became an independent nation. Malaysia didn’t contest the departure of Singapore, so there was no civil war. Ethnic and Religious Diversity Singapore is rich in ethnic diversity. Various Chinese people groups make up 77 percent of the population, and at least fi ve major Chinese languages are spoken in this nation. Malays make up 14 percent of the population. Th ey speak Malay. Various people groups from India make up 7.5 percent of the population. Th e Tamils are the largest of these people groups. Th ere are also a small number of Japanese, Filipinos, and Koreans in Singapore. Th is nation had a signifi cant European population until 1959 when many British expatriates moved to Britain, Australia, or New Zealand. Today

continued on next page 7 Singapore: The Island That Leads a Continent

Singapore has four offi cial languages: English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil. Th ere are numerous religions competing for the hearts of the people of Singapore. Many Chinese practice some form of Buddhism and ethnic religions. Th e Chinese often mix Buddhism with Taoism and ancestor worship. Buddhism is divided into various sects, and some of them have been gaining in popularity in recent years. Sinhalese from Sri Lanka also practice Buddhism. Th ere have been Hindus in Singapore since 1822 when construction fi rst began. Th e fi rst immigrants from India arrived in Singapore at that time. Most of Singapore’s Tamils are Hindus. Like the Hindus of India, the Hindus of Singapore aren’t a unifi ed group. Th ere is great diversity in Hindu forms of worship. Th ere have been Muslims in Singapore since 1822 when the fi rst large group of Malays arrived from nearby locations. Almost all Malays belong to the Sunni sect, yet Singapore’s Muslims aren’t unifi ed in their theology. Th ey range from nominal liberals to hard line militants who support terrorism. Ever since Stamford Raffl es founded Singapore, there have been Christians there. Raffl es eagerly welcomed Christian missionaries during his term as British governor of the Malay region. Missionaries won many from Singapore’s Chinese community and a few from the city’s Tamil community. Th e Joshua Project web site lists no unreached Chinese communities in Singapore. Th e Muslim Malay community has always proven to be resistant to missionary eff orts. All of Singapore’s Malay people groups remain unreached, though they are much more likely to have church planting eff orts among them there than in their original homelands. Th is city-state enjoys near total religious freedom. Singapore’s

government has a policy of only International Create

88 Singapore: The Island That Leads a Continent banning religious groups that discourage patriotism or are intolerant of other religions. Th e government is concerned about keeping the peace, not directing people’s spiritual choices. For this reason, workers must chose their words carefully and be tactful as they reach out to their unsaved neighbors. Singapore is an open door for reaching out to a host of people groups that still need to hear about Jesus Christ, the only source of true salvation. In fact, missionaries in Southeast Asia recommended that we do not feature Singapore alone in the Global Prayer Digest because there is so much work already being done there. Praise God for that! Since a few people groups remain unreached, we will include Singapore in this issue which will expand to the rest of the Malay Peninsula and nearby Sumatra.GPD Let’s Pray! • Ask God to open the hearts of every unreached people group (from Singapore to Sumatra) to the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. • Pray that the believers in Singapore will be mobilized to reach out to every unreached people group, especially the diffi cult-to-reach Malay groups in the region which will have several daily prayer entries in this issue. • Ask God to protect the religious freedom that Singapore currently enjoys. Pray that there will soon be religious freedom in Malaysia.

9 Day 1 Proverbs 19:21 Missionary Biography— Paul Fleming

aul Fleming loved sports, especially track. But Many are the plans in a his mother, Erma, never seemed to be very man’s heart, but it is the P excited when he brought home his ribbons and Lord’s purpose that prevails. trophies. When Paul asked, “Mom, don’t you care?” Today we are beginning the she replied, “Paul, there’s only one race I want you to biography of missionary Paul win and that is the race for Jesus Christ.” Fleming who had too many Paul was born in 1910, and accepted the Lord as his things on his own agenda Savior when he was 10 or 11 years old at the Church to listen to the Lord. It’s very of the Open Door in Los Angeles. Paul’s parents’ example guided his development before and after his easy to allow our plans and conversion. His mom lived with a burning desire to ambitions to get in the way see each of her four children living to reach a lost of what the Lord really wants world. Mrs. Fleming often visited the neighbors, for us. Do you have any “non- introducing them to the Lord. She could also be negotiables” that can get in the counted on in times of sickness and grief. way of the Lord’s fi rst choice? Th rough the evangelistic ministry of Paul Rader, a former football player and heavyweight prizefi ghter, Pray that we will allow Paul Fleming dedicated his life to the Lord. When the Lord to be Lord over all Paul Rader suggested that he come to live and work aspects of our lives, so that with him in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Paul was thrilled. His purpose will prevail. Pray He wrote, “I was able to be with a man whom I that Christ followers will obey became more and more convinced really loved the the great Commission of Jesus Lord and loved people.” He stayed in Rader’s home, and be available to go into helped raise chickens on the farm, and had charge all the world and preach the of the boys’ work. After the thrill subsided, Fleming gospel to unreached people went back to California to work for Durkees Foods. groups. Not our will, but His But now, he was really miserable.—AL will be done! Pray that those people you know who are disobeying the Lord will be discontent until they change their ways.

10 Day 2 Missionary Biography, Continued Proverbs 4:6

n a nighttime shift in the packing plant where Do not forsake wisdom, he worked, Paul Fleming saw a man checking O and she will protect you; boxes who had a reputation as a “no account.” love her, and she will watch Immediately, the thought came to him, “Th is man is a perfect picture of the way I am going to turn out to over you. be.… I have nothing to live for.… I’m going to let the One of the best things about Lord have my life.” Right there, Paul promised the being a follower of Christ Lord he would preach the gospel on the mission fi eld. is that you have access to He married his fi anceé, Cherrill Harter, and they His wisdom and guidance left for the mission fi eld in 1937. Th ey planned to through the Holy Spirit. It go to Sumatra, Indonesia. But when they arrived in took the wisdom of the Holy Singapore, Paul met Dr. Robert A. Jaff ray, a missionary statesman with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Spirit to direct Paul Fleming who said he could not rest until he had made every to the understanding that by eff ort to go where the gospel had not been preached. limiting what he would allow Carrying this burden, Paul and Cherrill went instead to the Lord to do in his life, he the unreached areas of British Malaysia. was losing out. Are you losing Converts were won and a small Bible school started. It out on what the Lord has for was reported that Paul Fleming must have won 3,000 you to do? to Christ in the three years he was in British Malaya. Illness, however, stopped their work. Th e Flemings Ask the Lord what He wants returned to the U.S. and discovered that Paul had you to do. Seek and fi nd Him been poisoned by his malaria medication. Th e doctors and His perfect will. expected him to die, and Paul was nearly crushed to think that his service for God was over and his hopes of seeing the “last tribe” reached were dashed.—AL

Pray that believers will understand that God has a purpose for their lives, and they need to heed His voice.

11 Day 3 Proverbs 3:27 Missionary Biography, Continued

aul Fleming did not die from the poison of his Do not withhold good from anti-malarial medication! Instead, God brought those who deserve it, when P together through him a cross section of ordinary it is in your power to act. Do Christians to help spread the gospel and to form not say to your neighbor, New Tribes Mission (NTM). “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow.”—When you Th ough Fleming was still very weak from malaria, now have it with you. he immediately began to show fi lms of their work in British Malaya. Gradually he gathered around For the past 2,000 years the himself a group of men, many of whom had been led gospel has been available to be to the Lord through Paul Rader’s ministry. In 1942, preached, but the workers have NTM came into existence, and in the late autumn of that year, the fi rst group of 10 adults and six children been few and the unsaved sailed for Bolivia. In 1943, the fi rst issue of Brown were many times hard to Gold, NTM’s publication, was printed. reach. However, today many Paul Fleming once wrote: “Missionary work is often breakthroughs in technology in the horse and buggy stage just because we do and transportation have not use what is available in our day to hasten the made it possible to get this advance of the gospel in the remote, untouched parts life-changing message to all of the world.” Th ough they faced setbacks and even people. Airplanes, fi lms, radio, death, NTM became a pioneer in using aircraft for and the Internet are all great transporting their workers to remote tribes. tools. Do we have any excuse to Today NTM is still moving to reach the last tribes withhold this great message? with the gospel in Southeast Asia where Paul Or is it just a lack of concern? Fleming fi rst had the vision and in many other parts of the world.—AL from, “Th e Story of New Tribes Pray that we will do what it Mission” by Ken Johnston, 1985 takes to give the good news to those unreached nations Pray for the Holy Spirit to grant discernment to those who deserve a chance to whom He has called to extend His Kingdom to the re- enter His Kingdom. maining unreached tribes.

12 Day 4 Maldivians in Singapore and Malaysia Proverbs 18:15

itting at the Malé International Airport, Ibrahim The heart of the discerning kept checking his travel documents. Growing up S acquires knowledge; and on a small farm on an isolated island far away from the ears of the wise seek Malé, the capital of the Maldive Islands, this was his fi rst experience away from the comfort and safety of it out. home. His father had put away money to send him to Maldivians are noted for Malaysia to study. On arriving in Malaysia, he would being closed to new spiritual spend the fi rst week at the home of a cousin’s friend. ideas. Even people who come After settling down, he hoped to fi nd a part time job. All his well-laid plans could be dashed if authorities to them with diff erent ideas found out that he did not have a return ticket and about Islam often do not suffi cient funds for his stay. get a fair hearing. Very few Th e Maldive Islands, located off the coast of southern Maldivians have been willing India, are so small that many maps don’t include to embrace Christ. Perhaps them. Maldivians speak one language, Divehi, and it is because they live in a they have one religion, Islam. Th ey are dedicated remote part of the world to what they consider to be true Islam, though it is where they get little input blended with animistic beliefs. Tourism is one of the from the outside world. Or main industries in this beautiful tropical country. But perhaps Satan has blinded few tourists have managed to share the gospel with their eyes to the truth. the Maldivians. Th e Maldive Islands are a country that is closed to Christianity and no missionaries Pray for discerning people are allowed. But Maldivians who venture out of the who will seek and fi nd the country to places like India and Malaysia can hear the Lord in the Maldive Islands. good news. Pray that somehow the Word of God will penetrate this Pray that Maldivians will come in contact with believers remote area of the world who will share the gospel with them. Pray for their hearts through radio or the Internet. to be open to Christ.—EJD

13 Day 5 Proverbs 25: 21 Indian Muslims in Malaysia

y great grandfather If your enemy is hungry, THAILAND came to Malaysia give him food to eat; if he “M MALAYSIA in 1893,” said Sneha to her is thirsty, give him water Kuala Lumpur fellow university student, to drink. In doing this, you SINGAPORE Mandy, who was eager will heap burning coals on to learn about Sneha’s Sumatra, his head, and the Lord will INDONESIA community. An exchange reward you. student from the United States, Mandy enjoyed warm hospitality in this This proverb quoted by Jesus Tamil Muslim home in Kuala Lumpur. Eager to shows us one of the things use this opportunity to share the gospel with Sneha, that makes God’s Kingdom she encouraged her to tell the stories of her great unique. In Christ’s way of grandfather’s voyage from a port city in India. doing things, the believer “Being a Muslim, my great grandparents quickly is required to show mercy, assimilated with the local Malay population.” Pouring compassion, and generosity, a piping hot cup of tea she added, “that is not to even to his enemies. What say they were warmly welcomed. Even though we a revolutionary idea! Such all go to the same mosque, we are still looked upon generosity can draw non- diff erently.” Curious to know more, Mandy asked, “Why is that?” “It’s because we are from a diff erent believers to Christ like words race,” she answered. Pensively sipping tea from her can never do. cup, she continued, “We have also maintained ties Pray that Christ followers with our Tamil roots. Maybe that is the reason why, will glorify the Lord by even after all these years, we are seen as outsiders.” showing mercy to their Most Indian Muslims in Malaysia are from south enemies. Pray that He will India. Th ough there have been gospel advances among show believers how to do south Indian Hindu communities in Malaysia, the this in His way. Muslims remain unreached. Th ese devout Muslims feel alienated, even within the confi nes of their own faith tradition.

Pray that believers in Malaysia would reach out to this alienated community with the all-embracing love of Jesus Christ.—EJD

14 Day 6 Hindu Nepalis in Malaysia Proverbs 17:5

n the busy Indian He who mocks the poor I restaurant, over the shows contempt for their din of onions sizzling, maker; whoever gloats waiters yelling over disaster will not go orders, and cutlery unpunished. clattering, Santosh’s

Create International Create gaze was fi xed on the This is one of the many Santosh’s little sister waits for his return potato patties that exhortations to give aid to were turning golden brown in the hot oil. While his the needy and to not gloat eyes played sentinel on the samosas, his mind was over the plight of the less a hundred miles away. Even though he had lived in fortunate whom you may Kuala Lumpur for nearly fi ve years, he had never felt he was home. His heart was where his home was, not get along with. God is where his parents and sisters lived in Nepal. all-compassionate, and He requires His children to be the As soon as he turned 18, Santosh had come to Malaysia with the hope of fi nding better employment same. This requires us to rise so he could support his family. He worked long hours above our human nature and with very poor compensation. He barely made enough take on God’s nature. In that money to support himself and his family. Th ere was way, God’s Name is glorifi ed. never enough money to buy a ticket to go back home. In an attempt to bring home closer to where he was, Pray that when you see he had surrounded himself with the customs and people suff er, especially traditions of his childhood. Every day he devoutly said those you consider the Hindu slokas that his mother had taught his sisters “enemies,” that you will and him when they were little children. allow God to empower you to help them. Pray that God While some Nepalese are in Malaysia legally, others will use His people during are there illegally, and they are usually exploited. At tragedies to demonstrate one time the number of Nepalis in Malaysia was up His compassion to the to 218,000, but with the economic downturn, that unreached nations that are number is now lower. lost without His guidance.

Pray for God to raise up faithful, believing employ- ers to reach out to Nepali Hindus with jobs and the good news.—EJD

15 Day 7 Proverbs 18:17 Burmese in Singapore

The fi rst to present his case seems right, till t is mid-April, and Singapore’s another comes forward and I Sembawang Park vibrates with questions him. the excitement of thousands of Burmese immigrants who are Using human reasoning celebrating Th ingyan, or Water this puts any believer Festival. Th is is the Burmese New

reaching out to the Buddhist International Create Year. Meanwhile Peninsula Plaza A Burmese boy Burmese people at a great from Myanmar pulsates with thousands more disadvantage. The Buddhists Burmese celebrants. Th ese two gathering spots attract the local Burmese population have learned the tenets of during their annual festivals. Buddhism at an early age, and as far as they know, But such festivities disguise underlying distress. Even in Singapore tentacles from the Myanmar government there is no other way. But reach out to control and manipulate their citizens. they may question what they Singapore is a city that prides itself on fairness to all have always known to be peoples. However, the Burmese hear the message true if believers in Singapore that they are unwanted when they hold protests in reach out to them as Christ’s Singapore against the Myanmar government. Th ey ambassadors. If the Holy Spirit often meet with government restrictions and angry moves in their hearts, they messages from Singaporean citizens who don’t want to may turn their lives over to the hear about Myanmar’s problems. true and living God. On the positive side, these unreached Buddhists who have migrated to Singapore are likely to meet Pray that the Holy Spirit followers of Christ on a regular basis. Singapore’s will speak to the hearts constitution provides freedom of religion and the of Burmese Buddhists evangelical community enjoys respect. While in Singapore when they most Christians are ethnic Chinese, they enjoy the hear about Christ from His freedom of sharing their faith with their Buddhist followers. Burmese neighbors.

Pray that many Christ-followers will show the love of Christ to the Burmese community. Pray that mission agencies in the city would reach out to the Burmese immi- grants, leading to strong Burmese churches. Pray that the Holy Spirit would create a hunger and thirst for Christ among the Burmese.—GEC 16 Day 8 Central Thai People in Singapore Ephesians 6:9

sra awakens early each India China And masters, treat your Bang. I day hearing the sound Myanmar slaves in the same way. Do Laos of traffi c coming from her Bay of not threaten them, since Bengal window. She came from Thailand Th ailand to Singapore for you know that he who is Cambodia both their Master and yours Andaman Vietnam a post as a domestic helper. Sea Th e Singaporean family is in heaven, and there is no South China Sea she lives with assigned her favoritism with him. to watch their young children, clean their home, and Let’s start with the end of prepare meals. For this she receives her living quarters today’s article. Supposing true and a small income. Her brother Aroon came with her. He lives and works at a construction project. He followers of Christ hired Thai gets only a fraction of the pay that a Singaporean Buddhists and treated them citizen would receive, but citizens generally will not with love and dignity. This is perform such demanding and dangerous work. an important aspect of what Isra and Aroon mix their Buddhism with folk animism. we call Business As Mission, Th us their employers allow a spirit house in front of or BAM. Businessmen who their residence. Many such shrines dot the streets of demonstrate the character Singapore. Each day devotees leave food or fl owers in of Christ can be used of Him these doll-sized houses to appease the spirits. to draw Thai Buddhists from Consider the employers of these alien workers: darkness to the light of the What if they were followers of Christ? Th ink of the gospel. For example, do you testimony these believers could give! remember Boaz in the book of Ruth? That was a man who Pray that Christ followers would treat their employees as treated his harvesters with they would treat Jesus (Ephesians 6:9). Pray that while Th ai are away from home, they would search for the Truth. dignity during one of Israel’s Pray that the Holy Spirit will create a hunger and thirst darkest times (see Ruth 2:4). for the Light of Jesus that will lead them to faith in His Name.—GEC Pray for the Holy Spirit to move in the hearts of believers in Singapore to be used of Him to build His kingdom among the lost.

17 Day 9 Proverbs 24:12 Malay People in Singapore

ne would expect the tiny dot on the map at the “Rescue those being led away tip of the Malay Peninsula to be comprised to death…. If you say, ‘But O of Malay people, but that dot is the strong vibrant we knew nothing about this,’ modern city-state of Singapore. It is home to a Malay does not He who weighs the minority that is only 15 percent of the country’s multi- heart perceive it?” racial population. Despite being the fi rst inhabitants Today millions of people of the country, the Malay people are not the largest group in Singapore due to the Chinese and Indian in thousands of unreached immigrants who arrived in later years. Today the people groups and limited Chinese make up the vast majority of the population. access countries continue In the 1960s, the new country of Malaysia allowed to be “led away” from the what is now Singapore to form a separate nation (see true and living God by the background article for further details). evil one. But in many cases In a speech at the Berita Harian Singapore Achiever these people are given an of the Year Awards ceremony on July 28, 2010, a opportunity to hear the Singaporean Malay editor commented, “… we [Malays truth when they move to a in Singapore] have become a completely diff erent place where the gospel can community from what we were 45 years ago. We have be preached with minimal developed our own identity and philosophy of life that are distinct from our relatives across the causeway.” interference. Such is the case of the Malay Muslims who live Well, almost. Th e Malay people are diffi cult to reach in Singapore. with the gospel, be they in Malaysia or in Singapore. Th ey could possibly be Singapore’s most unreached Pray that many believers will people group. be willing to direct Malay peoples away from spiritual Pray that there will be a signifi cant spiritual break- death. Pray for workers through for the Malays so that they can have the freedom among each of Singapore’s and salvation off ered to them through Christ. Pray for Malay minorities. boldness for those few Malay believers in Singapore as they dare to share Christ with others. Pray for a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit in their midst.—JS

18 Day 10 Riau Malay People Proverbs 16:20

he tiny dot on the map we read about yesterday— Whoever gives heed to Singapore—is the political and economic T instruction prospers, and powerhouse of Southeast Asia. As such, it draws blessed is he who trusts in people from all the surrounding areas. Some initially come to avoid persecution, but most have come for the the Lord. economic opportunities that this island state off ers. Have you ever thought of Only 30-45 minutes away by boat are two well- how diffi cult it has been to developed islands, Batam and Bintan, in Indonesia’s get the Bible to the nations? Riau Province. Th e Riau Malay are by far the largest Even within “Christian” and most dominant ethnic group living there. kingdoms during the Middle Th e Riau Malay make a living as fi shermen and Ages, people were sometimes farmers, and for those living on the 3,214 small executed for trying to get islands that comprise the Riau islands, their way of life the Bible to those who didn’t depends mostly on the ocean. Traditionally they have have access to it in their own lived near water on houses built on poles or even on houseboats, which could be used as small stores. With language. A privileged elite their proximity to Singapore, some Malay Riau live in kept His Word a well-kept Singapore. Th is exposure to a cosmopolitan, bustling secret. In today’s world, city off ers many opportunities to experience diff erent Wycliff e Bible Translators is ideas and customs. trying to get the Bible into every language by 2025. Pray that God will send to the Riau Malay people in Singapore Christ followers who will show an interest in Pray that the Lord’s their community and gain their respect and trust. Pray instructions and blessings that this blessed intrusion will open a window of op- will be made available to all portunity to share Jesus with this Muslim people group. the nations so that they can Pray that this good news will be eagerly shared with their trust in Him. families and communities both in the Riau Islands and in Singapore.—JS

19 Day 11 Proverbs 16:25 Bazaar Low Malay People

outheast Asia is a virtual melting pot of peoples There is a way that seems from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and right to a man, but in the S the many tiny islands that comprise this interactive end it leads to death. region of the world. Th e people groups from these Even with access to God’s nations have been seafarers since 1500 BC. Because Word, it is very easy to stray of the diversity of peoples from numerous origins, a trade language developed called Pasar (Market) from His instructions. Our Malay. Today it is known as Bazaar Malay. It is ways are not His ways, and we the common trade language of the East Indies. can easily get side-tracked. Historically its dominance arose through the port of Yet we have no excuse since Malacca in Malaysia. we have God’s Word, the Th e people speaking this trade language are called Bible. What about those who Bazaar Low Malay Creoles. Today Bazaar Malay do not? Don’t they have the speakers live mainly in urban areas such as Singapore. right to know? Modern day traders and shopkeepers, often working in nighttime bazaars, fi nd the Bazaar Malay language Pray that all the nations will adequate for business and everyday life. soon have His Word. Pray for God to grant success to the Th e background of the present day Bazaar Malay Wycliff e Bible Translators speakers stems fi rst from Indian traders who traveled goal of translating the eastward in search of riches. Th ey were followed by Scriptures into every the Arabs in the 1400s in search of goods and spices. language by 2025. Th e third wave was the Europeans, following in the footsteps of the Indian and Arab traders. Th e Arabs had the greatest infl uence because they converted many people to Islam.

Pray that mission agencies and churches will accept the challenge of adopting and reaching the Bazaar Malay. Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will break up the spiritual soil through intercession. Pray for the salvation of key Bazaar Malay leaders who will open the door for the others to embrace the Savior.—JS

20 Day 12 Buginese People of Indonesia John 14:27

hat are you doing?!” the Buginese mother Peace I leave with you; my shouted at her daughter. She and her family “W peace I give you. I do not give were sitting together eating their evening meal. to you as the world gives. “I’m eating my fi sh,” the little girl replied with a Do not let your hearts be bewildered look on her face. “You know better,” Mother troubled and do not be afraid. said, snatching away the plate. “We never eat the other side of the fi sh before throwing out the bones.” The world off ers its version Th e little girl frowned. “But why, Mother? What of peace, but it is merely an diff erence does it make when we throw away the illusion. There is no true peace bones?” “It makes a great deal of diff erence,” the father for anyone who does not put interjected. “It brings bad luck if we eat the fi sh with their faith in the One who the bones.” “I thought bad luck came when we buttoned created them and holds all the our shirts starting at the top,” the little girl said. Th e nations in His capable hands. father nodded. “It does. Th ere are many ways to bring Even Christian believers bad luck. Th at is why we must be very careful.” struggle throughout their lives Once mostly Buddhist, the Buginese converted to to maintain the peace that Islam early in the 17th century, but they continue to comes from true faith. How be very superstitious and very concerned about doing much more diffi cult it is for everything they can to ensure that they keep evil away and enjoy good luck. Most of the Buginese live peoples like the Buginese! in Indonesia, but more than 10,000 have migrated Pray for the Lord to give the to Singapore. Wherever they are found, nearly 100 Buginese people faith in the percent of the Buginese practice folk Islam. One who controls their destiny. Ask the Lord to soften their hearts and prepare them to receive the message of salvation in Christ. Pray for the Buginese Bible, completed in 1997, to be made widely available. Pray for harvest fi eld laborers who will share the gospel with them.—CL

21 Day 13 Ecclesiastes 1:2 Palembang People

“‘Meaningless! e are the children of kings,” the father told his son. “Kings?” the boy repeated with Meaningless!’ says “W wide eyes. “Yes. Kings of Java,” the father continued. the Teacher. ‘Utterly “Allah combined the best from many people— meaningless! Everything is Arabs, Indians, Chinese, Javanese… to make the meaningless!’” Palembangs.” “Are we very special, father!” “Yes, son. If anyone could ever affi rm the We are very special, indeed.” truth of this statement, it was While the Palembangs may or may not be the the author, Solomon, King of descendants of kings, they are believed to be the Israel. He had it all—power, result of the blending of many people groups. Most live in the city of Palembang on the island of wealth, honor, glory, wisdom, Sumatra, but some have moved to Singapore to make and a large family! Yet he a better living. proclaimed it all worthless. Why? Solomon had forfeited Th e majority of the Palembang are Muslim. Tradition plays a central role in their society. Th ey the enjoyment of God’s are also exposed to the Buddhism and secularism blessings by his disobedience. prevalent in Singapore. Th e Palembang do not Even though he was used of currently have a Bible in their language, and there God to bless the Queen of are few, if any, followers of Christ among them. Sheba, Solomon encumbered God’s plan to bless “all the Pray for a mission agency to translate the Word of God families of the world” because into the Palembang language. Pray for the JESUS Film of his sin of idolatry. With the to be used strategically to share the gospel message with this people group. Ask the Lord to show the Palembang channel of blessing diverted people that they can become a royal priesthood and His to personal pleasure, Solomon special possession. Pray for them to hear about and re- evaluated life as vain, empty, spond to the good news of His love and put their faith in and futile. Jesus Christ.—CL

Pray that we will learn from Solomon and stay focused on the things of God, rather than diverting His resources to our personal pleasures.

22 Day 14 Minangkabau (aka, Minang) People Ecclesiastes 12:13b

his small fi eld belongs to me, Fear God and keep His “Tand the next one belongs to commandments, for this is the other people; but in friendship the whole duty of man. we are working together.” Th e Minangkabau grandmother living All over the world there are in the Harau Valley of Sumatra people who fear gods and

Create International Create explained to a visiting writer that keep their commandments. Minangkabau girl she had received the land from her However, they know very mother and her grandmother had it before her. Th is little about the only One who, was the tradition of her people. because He is the creator, has Th e Minangkabau people are also known as Minang. the right to expect obedience. Today 4,000,000 Minangs live in western Sumatra, Billions of people have wasted while about 3,000,000 more are scattered throughout their lives obeying gods that many Indonesian and Malay Peninsula cities and towns. aren’t God. Don’t we owe them Th eir culture is one of the largest matrilineal societies a chance to know and embrace in the world with property and land passing down the only One who has the right from mother to daughter. Th e religious and political to command them? aff airs are the responsibility of the men. Life for the Minang is rapidly changing as the younger generation Pray that missionaries will is abandoning the older customs. Th e majority of them fi nd those among the Minang are Muslim, but they often combine ethnic religious people who fear God and are practices with Islam. Th ey often break Islamic rules. willing to learn about Jesus For example, many of them eat pork. A common and join His Kingdom. expression which is used to excuse the breaking of the Islamic laws is, “We fi nd places to eat so we can hide from God.” Th ere are almost no believers among the Minang people.

Pray that God will stir the hearts of His children to care and fi nd ways to reach the Minang people. May they soon know the Lord and realize that they cannot hide from Him!—PD

23 Day 15 Proverbs 22:9 Orang Pantai Timur

llah help us! Please help us!” Frightened, the A generous man will himself Orang Pantai Timur mother cried out as be blessed, for he shares his “A she waited with her children to be rescued from the food with the poor. rising fl oodwaters of the Kelantan River. Eventually One of the key ways that rescuers came in a motor boat to save the family from believers glorify God is by one of the worst fl oods in Malaysia’s history. showing genuine compassion Th e 2,000,000 Orang Pantai Timur (meaning for the poor and the suff ering. “people of the east coast”) consist of Malay people When disaster strikes, it’s who live primarily in the two states of Terengganu and Kelantan. Th ey have their own distinct accent, Christ’s followers who are which identifi es them as diff erent from the other most likely to respond. We Malay people groups in Malaysia, Brunei, and don’t do it to be “blessed,” Singapore. Th eir fertile land is excellent for growing but to bring glory to Christ’s rice, vegetables, and fruit. Unfortunately, their crops Name. Is His Name being are sometimes destroyed by severe fl oods during glorifi ed by the money you monsoons. Th e economy is enhanced through send and the actions you take fi shing, boat making, rubber, and the tobacco to help the suff ering? industry. A few younger people are seeking education and professional careers outside of their region. Pray that the Lord will show Orang Pantai Timur are devoted to their Islamic you how He wants you to faith and adhere to all the Islamic laws, customs, respond to suff ering, so that and religious tenants. A point of distinction with He will be glorifi ed. other Malay peoples is that Orang Pantai Timur emphasize Hari Korban (sacrifi ce day). Animals sacrifi ced include goats, cows, water buff alo, and even imported camels. Th ere are only a few known isolated believers living among them.

Pray that devoted believers will befriend these people and explain God’s Word to them. Pray that they will come to know that Jesus was the perfect and fi nal sacrifi ce given by God for their sins, and they can have eternal life through receiving Him.—PD

24 Day 16 Malay People of Peninsular Malaysia Proverbs 16:2

anih and Shibou All a man’s ways seem Y were enjoying innocent to him, but the extended-family motives are weighed by barbecue until they the Lord. overheard their cousin, Part of what is diffi cult about Mikau ranting. frontier mission work is the Create International Create Mikau said, “Th is is Malay children our country, and the motivation. There have been Chinese have taken all the good jobs. Everyone resists times in Church history when Sharia Law as if they should be able to write their own mission work was misused laws in someone else’s country. And to make matters by people who used it to worse, the Christians are getting away with calling expand the political power of their God ‘Allah.’” an empire. The Russian and With that last statement, Yanih had to say something. the Spanish empires both “Did you know that the Christians in Arabia were used mission work to expand calling Him Allah before Mohammed was born?” their infl uence among newly- Mikau spat his coke on the ground and retorted, “If conquered peoples. But in each they want to use our name for God, then they should convert to Islam!” Shibou reached into the plastic tub case, there were missionaries of soft drinks, pulled out a decaff einated cola, handed who wanted to glorify God it to Mikau, and said, “Switch to decaf. And let the rather than an empire. rest of us enjoy the get-together.” Pray that our hearts will Th is family is part of the over 25,000,000 Peninsular be pure as we pray for the Malays of Malaysia. Th ey are very diverse. Some like unreached, so that we will Mikau strongly identify with Islam. Others are much have the power to keep His more tolerant in their views of other people groups. Kingdom fi rst and foremost But both groups would agree that to be Malay is to be in our hearts. a Muslim. It is almost unthinkable for a Malay from Malaysia’s peninsula to think outside of the Islamic box.

Pray for Christ’s ambassadors to have the boldness to share Him with their Malay neighbors. Pray that God will open the door for Malays to embrace their true Savior.—KC

25 Day 17 Ecclesiastes 1:14 Kedah Malay People

bidin, a Kedah Malay, loved his homeland I have seen all the things and was sharing with a visitor from America. that are done under A “Kedah is so beautiful; I would say it is the prettiest the sun; all of them are region in Malaysia. Its honorifi c name in Arabic is meaningless, a chasing Darul Aman, meaning ‘Abode of Peace.’ Come let after the wind. me take you to the most beautiful mosque in the Can you imagine going world!” Th e Moorish-styled, Zahir Mosque stood out like a gleaming gem as they approached it in the through life with this mindset? Kedah capital city of Alor Setar. Abidin explained Everything is meaningless! that the mosque was where Kedahian Muslims come Most people throughout for the important Qur’anic reading competition. Th is history have lived and died challenged many Kedah Malays in their Islamic with little or no purpose other faith. He himself had memorized a large portion of than to survive. Doesn’t our the Qur’an and was now teaching his children. After loving Heavenly Father want a meal of laksa (noodles in tangy fi sh soup) Abidin more for us? He certainly took his friend to visit the famous and historic residence of the Sultan of Kedah. does! He wants to give us the most important purpose of Dominated by never ending paddy fi elds, Kedah is all, to glorify His Name and known as the rice bowl of Malaysia, and it is home to over 3,000,000 people. Th e majority of these warm, to expand His Kingdom. He hospitable people are followers of Islam. Th ere are only a wants us to invite others to small number of Christians, most of whom are Catholic. get to know the true and living God. Pray that more Bible training programs will be made available for the Christians in Malaysia so they that can Pray that we will have the eff ectively become witnesses of the Living Lord to the boldness to tell others of His people of Kedah. Pray that many Kedah Malay Muslims meaningful purpose for life: will become strong followers of Isa (Jesus) and will dwell to love God, and to make in the House (Abode) of the Lord forever.—PD Him known.

26 Day 18 Alas People of Indonesia Proverbs 20: 9

ahifa ran up the Who can say, “I have kept trail, strong legs L my heart pure; I am clean pumping, breathing and without sin”? easily in the high elevation of her home We know that everyone has village. When she sinned and falls short of the Create International Create reached a turn in the glory of God. So what do we path far from listening ears, the ache in her heart pushed up into her throat and a primal scream sent do about it? Those of us who birds fl apping to fl ee the horrible sound. Again and are part of God’s Kingdom again her agony pierced the quiet of the mountain. have the chance to do She fl ung her veil to the ground in frustration. Her something. By the power of love, her dear husband, was taking another wife! the Holy Spirit we can repent Lahifa suff ers a pain commonly infl icted on women in and change. But what about Muslim cultures. Because she has only born daughters those who don’t even know to her husband, he has the right to take another wife. that a loving and true God Th is is the plight of many women in Alas villages. exists? All of them are without Because Lahifa’s Alas people adhere to Islam, yet a chance to be forgiven of sin. cling to shamans and magic complete with potions and occultic ceremonies, she will turn to these dark Pray for the Holy Spirit to do practices to try to fi nd relief from her unhappiness. It a new work in the hearts of will bring her only further heartache. lost peoples like the Alas, so that they can be cleaned and Pray that the 82,000 Alas people will fi nd the faithful, made pure by His power. merciful, and kind Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. Pray that the evil strongholds of oppression and the occult will be de- stroyed, and the spiritual veil that keeps the people blinded will be lifted to see the true and loving Creator. Pray that workers will be called, protected, and given a great harvest of souls as they carry the gospel to the Alas people.—PE

27 Day 19 Song of Solomon 6:3 Aneuk Jamee People

abalah, you will do as I say right now!” Th e I am my lover’s and my teenaged girl yelped as her father pulled her lover is mine. “T arm and stood her to her feet. Her mother covered her When we gaze upon the face to shield her tears. “No Father, I don’t want to go beauty of our Savior who loves to the shaman! Madani and I truly love each other!” “Silly girl! Th e shaman placed a spell on you. You us with an everlasting love, just think you are in love. Now we must pay him to the signifi cance of Solomon’s remove the spell.” Th e on-looking shaman smiled out words comes home to us: of the corner of his mouth. Th e price he would soon He is ours and we are His. charge would be a good sum in his moneybag. He claimed us as His “bride” Th e Aneuk Jamee of northern Sumatra, Indonesia, live before we claimed Him as our by the sea and mostly earn their living by fi shing and “groom.” We did not choose trading. Islam has colored their lives a dark hue with its Him, but He chose us and harsh laws, but the occult practices add their shadows loved us, and then set us free as well. Fears of spells and counter spells impede any to love Him in return. He chose sense of peace within Aneuk Jamee communities. us “to go and bear (lasting) fruit” (John 15:16). Unlike the Pray that the power of the Evil One will be broken, and the miracle of a new birth in Christ will be understood love between a man and his and accepted by thousands of the 65,000 Aneuk Jamee. wife, the love between Jesus Pray that the fi ve Aneuk Jamee who have become believers and His disciples is meant to will allow the Holy Spirit to guide them and use them to be shared with many others. give out the Word of God. Pray that they will be trans- This way His love can spread formed and become a bright light, dispersing the darkness throughout the earth to around them. Pray that the JESUS Film and the New groups like the Aneuk Jamee Testament in their language will be used powerfully to ex- tend His Kingdom among the Aneuk Jamee people.—PE who don’t yet know the Heavenly Bridegroom.

Pray that Christ’s beauty will be in us so that those who don’t know Him may come to know Him intimately.

28 Day 20 Kluet People Proverbs 19:2

rops of perspiration brought on by fever It is not good to have zeal drenched Chinar’s shirt, but he had to walk D without knowledge, nor to on until he could fi nd the magic grave. Th e malaria be hasty and miss the way. was getting worse, and Chinar feared that evil spirits would take his life if he didn’t act soon. His heart beat Zeal is a good thing, but it faster as he approached the grove of tall trees where is not enough. We have all the grave sometimes appeared; but sometimes it didn’t seen people go on short- show itself at all. If he only could fi nd it, gather a stone or a stick to carve out an amulet of protection, term mission trips, and based perhaps he would live. on zeal alone, they want to follow what they believe the Chinar is of the Kluet people who live in a remote area 50 miles from a road. Malaria and dengue fever Lord is telling them to do. ravish the population, and education is not valued Then they fi nd out that they among these poorly fed people. Although Islam is have made the wrong choices. their claimed religion, fear of evil spirits and the use of Yet, they have access to plenty magic charms are prevalent in their communities. of information to give them Illness, poverty, violence, and fear are the results of the knowledge they need the evil that oppresses the Kluet. Spiritual darkness to make informed decisions wreaks havoc and destruction upon these people who about where the needs are have no beam of heavenly light at all. Th ere is no the greatest. One of the best Bible. Th ere are no followers of Christ to tell them tools for aspiring missionaries the good news that they can be free to know the is the Perspectives class, wonderful God who loves them. Th ere is no JESUS Film or radio program. Th ere is nothing to point them which takes you through to Christ. the biblical, historical, cultural, and strategic issues Pray that God will call workers to show them the love of for cross-cultural ministry. Christ and tell them the good news. Pray for an emerging (perspectives.org) Kluet Church.—PE Pray for young missionaries to add knowledge to their zeal, so they can be eff ective for His Kingdom.

29 Day 21 Proverbs 3:25-26 Singkil People

o you recall the Have no fear of sudden massive nine- disaster or of the ruin that D point earthquake of overtakes the wicked, for December 26, 2004? the Lord will be at your It was the one that side and will keep your foot triggered a series of

from being snared. Condit Bernice devastating tsunamis Though this verse does not in the Indian Ocean, killing over 230,000 people in 14 countries. As Wikipedia reports. it was “one of mean that believers never face the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.” natural calamities, it does mean Indonesia suff ered the most devastation, and the 67,000 that the Lord will be at the Singkil people of Sumatra were among those aff ected. believer’s side, so there is no Although spared from the tsunami, this people need to fear. This would be very group was aff ected in other signifi cant ways. Fear good news to people like the spread throughout their community. When another Singkils who live in fear. The earthquake in nearby Nias Island hit, many Singkil houses were destroyed, but no lives were lost. After that, Lord can be their protector! many Singkil then moved to higher ground. Pray that the Lord will Traditionally residing in villages along the rivers and soon be the protector of in the hills, the Singkil people earn their livelihood the fearful Sinkil people of through farming and fi shing. Some also work as day Sumatra, Indonesia. laborers and craftsmen. Th eir houses are built on wooden stilts. Th e Singkil River is important to their daily life; they use it for drinking water, bathing, dumping trash, and transportation. Strong family ties are very important to them. Traditional culture and Islamic laws order their lives, and few would dare to not conform to what is expected of them.

Pray for economic advancement and improvement in farming and fi shing techniques for the Singkil. Pray that Christ followers will be sent to the Singkil. Pray that the Singkil people will not fear false gods, but will trust in Jesus as their eternal hope.—CN

30 Day 22 Tamiang People Proverbs 28:13

s a legend goes,” the grandfather began, He who conceals his sins answering his young grandson, “Our name “A does not prosper, but Tamiang comes from two words, itam and mieng, whoever confesses and which mean ‘black cheek.’” Rubbing his cheek, the grandson replied, “Hmm,” turning about, viewing his renounces them fi nds mercy. own refl ection in a mirror. Chuckling, the grandfather This verse is like the gospel continued. “Supposedly, our name came about because of message in one sentence. a king in our history who had a black mark on his cheek. The only way to be forgiven is Th ere’s also another story,” the grandfather said, “that our name came from an island in the Riau Archipelago—the to confess and renounce our original dwelling place of our people.” sins. The unreached peoples like the Tamiang are making a “Long ago our area was settled by four founding fathers called datuk, who established the Law of the Four futile attempt to either deny Tribes. Th e datuks eventually came together and chose a sin exists or to cover it up king as leader. We live by this proverb, ‘A fair king will with rituals or good works. be worshipped, but a cruel king will be dethroned.’” Shouldn’t they know the truth Today some 41,000 Muslim Tamiang people reside in so that it can set them free? the province of Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia. Growing rice is the main source of their income. Th ey also grow Pray for the Holy Spirit to a variety of fruits and vegetables. Coast dwellers fi sh prepare the hearts of the Tamiang so that they will and make coal from mangrove trees. Because their land receive the word of God is fertile enough to support them, they rarely move from Christ followers and away. Yet they have a need for better farming methods, be able to understand that as well as educational and public health facilities. they need to confess and renounce their sins against Ask the Lord of the harvest to send Christ followers to the the Almighty One. Tamiang. Pray that they will meet the one true king— Jesus—and enjoy their eternal inheritance.—CN

31 Day 23 Proverbs 29:7 Talang Mamak People

The righteous care about f you are going justice for the poor, but the I through diffi cult wicked have no such concern. times, you may wish you could return to the “good Some people in this world, old days,” to those calmer even those who don’t know and simpler times when

about the lordship of Christ, Condit Bernice life in your daily fast lane A slower life defi nes the Talang Mamak are seeking righteousness. would move over to the In some cases missionaries far right slow lane. Simpler living— perhaps that’s a have found people who lesson we can learn from the Talang Mamak people have a devotion to God, but of Sumatra, Indonesia. Th ey themselves prefer the simple life, and they are not attracted to technology have a misunderstanding and education. of who He is. In other cases, the Holy Spirit may have Generally, the Talang Mamak are farmers who plant rice, and move from fi eld to fi eld using simple given some from unreached tools. Th ey also grow corn, cassava, and a variety of nations like the Talang Mamak beans. Some earn their living from fi shing, hunting, people His attributes, such as gathering rattan, or tapping rubber trees. Talang compassion for the poor and Mamak houses are built on raised platforms of logs, the suff ering. Will you pray for bark, and woven bamboo. Th e thatched roofs are of such people? sago palm fronds. Houses are generally multi-level. Parents and small children live on the fi rst fl oor. On Pray for God to guide this the second fl oor you will fi nd a married daughter unreached people group, so and her family, and they store their farm tools on the that they will get to know third fl oor. the one true God who Like many of the Malay peoples we are praying for can give them eternal life this month, the 140,000 Talang Mamak people mix through Jesus Christ. animistic beliefs with Islam. Th ey also believe that God created Adam and Eve, to whom were born nine children. Of these nine was Datuk Perpatih Nan Sebatang, whom they believe is their ancestor.

Ask God to send Christ followers to them to share the sim- plicity of coming to know the wonderful God who loves them through Jesus.—CN

32 Day 24 Pekal People Proverbs 29:18

hey have no Bible, no gospel recordings, no “Where there is no JESUS Film, no Christian radio programs and no T revelation, the people cast churches. How will they hear? How can they believe in off restraint; but blessed is the one of whom they have not heard? (Romans 10:14). he who keeps the law.” Th irty thousand Pekal people live on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the sixth largest island in the world. Where there is no revelation Th ey work as farmers and plantation workers during of God’s law, people cast off the rainy season and as fi shermen in the dry season, the restraints that govern according to asiaharvest.org. Many of the young people social behavior. Where God’s are unemployed. Th e Pekal are very community- Word and Christ’s Church are minded; they help each other when needed, and they not resident, the uninhibited hold no distinctions or prejudice in regard to ethnicity, education, or economic status. All people are considered forces of sin and selfi shness equal and have the same rights. According to ravage peoples and societies. asiaharvest.org, “If a newcomer wants to live with the But where messengers of Pekal, this person has to cook a meal to share with his/ good news have come to her chosen clan as well as other nearby clans. After this, proclaim and demonstrate the the person will be formally considered a part of the clan way of love, and where men and will be treated like all other Pekal….” Although and women have congregated they profess Islam, they still cling to earlier, traditional in believing fellowships, salt beliefs in the spirit world. and light combat the decay Pray for Christ’s ambassadors to live among these people, and darkness. and share with them the way to know the One True God. Pray for His holiness to Pray there will be many Pekal among the throng of believ- prevail among the Pekal ers from every nation, tribe, language, and people wor- people. Pray for them to shipping with us at the throne of God in Heaven.—JWS be drawn to His revelation so that sin will be cast off and they will be set free to worship Him.

33 Day 25 Proverbs 18:10 Muko-Muko People

hhg-ahh!…………” Th en The Name of the Lord is a silence. Rukoo didn’t have strong tower; the righteous “A the satisfaction of delivering her run to it and are safe. baby before she died. Th e midwife There are many “names” that tossed coins in front of the would-be the unreached peoples run to mother, and began to wail. She kept Bernice Condit Bernice crying louder, and people walked for safety. Hindus pick their by the hut to see what happened. Th en they quickly favorite gods for protection. scurried away when they saw that a woman had died Animists look to diff erent in childbirth. Some bowed their heads and tossed spirits to protect them from coins into the room before leaving. various calamities. Chinese and Fortunately, this is only a story. However, it illustrates African religions teach people something that is both sad and true in the culture of the to look to their ancestral spirits Malay-based Muko-Muko people of southern Sumatra. for protection. But they all Th ough these 60,000 people are offi cially Muslims, share this in common: none of they “venerate large trees, stones, the sources of rivers, their gods can off er anything and ancestral tombs,” according to Indonesia’s Unreached that really exists! Shouldn’t we People Groups. Th ey are especially fearful of the spirits of women who have died in childbirth. Th at is why people pray that they fi nd the One might try to appease her spirit by doing something like and only God who is actually a making an off ering. Th e midwife might be weeping strong tower? more out of fear of the spirit than because the mother and child died. Pray that unreached nations like the Muko-Muko people Th ough it is always a tragedy when a mother dies will soon fi nd Him who is a delivering a baby, the response should not be fear. strong tower. Pray that He Her spirit will not be around to haunt her neighbors. will show Himself powerful so that they will know that Pray that the Muko-Muko people will be delivered from He indeed is the Lord of all. fear when they hear the Word of Jesus of Nazareth, the One who died as our deliverer. Pray that they will be freed to become part of His Kingdom.—KC

34 Day 26 Kaur People Ecclesiastes 3:14

ndonesia is an amazing country with over 17,000 I know that everything God islands. It has been an important trade region since I does will endure forever; at least the seventh century. Th e Kaur people have nothing can be added to it lived in what is now Indonesia’s Bengkulu Province for centuries as rice farmers. Th ey are one of the original and nothing taken from it. peoples to inhabit this part of southern Sumatra. Th eir God does it so that men will language is their own, though it is part of the Malay revere Him. cluster of languages. Th ey can be distinguished as Eternity—this is what two separate groups: those in the North Kaur District Solomon describes here. and those in the South Kaur District. Most of their communities are located along rivers. Eternity is what God is about. Most people live their lives Just about everything in the lives of the Kaur people for what is highly perishable. revolves around rice production, rice planting, and harvest times. Weddings can only be performed Why put your resources after the rice harvest celebration. Aside from rice towards a high defi nition TV production, they also grow tropical fruits like bananas, set or an earthly home, when mangos, pineapples, and durian, which has a spiky you can invest in eternity? shell and a strong odor. Even with all these crops, What really matters? Think though, the Kaur still have great diffi culty providing about it! Above all, pray about enough for their families. Th ey survive by cooperating it and see what the Lord tells and working with others at harvest time. you to do. Sunni Islam has been the Kaurs’ religion and lifestyle since the 17th century. Th ere is no signifi cant number Pray that our Heavenly of Jesus followers among them. Father will teach us to think of eternity every time our Pray that the Church will see the spiritual and physical eyes get distracted by the needs of the Kaur people and respond with love and obedi- material world. ence to evangelize them.—JR

35 Day 27 Ecclesiastes 3:11 Kikim People

tropical climate with year-round warm “God has also set eternity in temperatures provides a good environment the hearts of men; yet they A for rubber trees to grow. Th is, along with the quick cannot fathom what God has growth of rice, has been the life source of the Kikim done from beginning to end.” people. Th ey are able to produce two crops of rice per Author Don Richardson has year because of an abundant water supply. employed the phrase “eternity Th e Kikim are a hardy people who have been known in their hearts” as the title of to work more diligently while away from their his thrilling account of God’s hometowns. In many cases they have turned from redemptive activity among rice production to rubber tree cultivation because the income is better and more dependable. On average the peoples of the earth. the head of each household has one hectare (2.5 Richardson has discovered acres) of land to farm. evidence of the knowledge Another centuries-long characteristic of the Kikim of the One True Creator God is their devotion to Islam as well as their belief in in the ancient stories and animism (traditional religion). One tradition they legends of people groups keep is called Sedekah Rame, in which the entire from every continent on village eats a ceremonial meal together while sitting earth. Yet these stories and in a “Future Burial Ground” in the middle of a rice the yearnings for eternal truth fi eld. Th is “burial ground” is designated as a place they express are not suffi cient for burning incense, giving off erings to spirits, and lighting bonfi res. It is defi nitely rooted in animism to lead men and women to rather than Islam. saving faith in Jesus Christ. “How can they hear without Pray for their spiritual eyes and ears to be opened to the a preacher?” Paul asks. “And gospel of Jesus. Pray that the Kikim people will begin how can they preach except learning effi cient ways of farming that will help them to they be sent?” prosper economically.—JR

Pray that the Lord will sharpen our sensitivity to pray for those who need Jesus. Pray that the Lord will send missionaries to go to the Kikim people, and prepare the hearts of the Kikim to receive the good Word of God.

36 Day 28 Lembak People Proverbs 16:4

wenty-one—game over! Th e visiting team of The Lord works out Javanese transmigrants clapped, while their T everything for His own Lembak opponents quietly walked to the sidelines to be scolded by their coach. One of the Lembak players ends—even the wicked for kept turning his head to glare at his opponents. Th at a day of disaster. night one of the Javanese players had his hut burned. The world often seems to be It was probably not a coincidence that he was the only out of control. Satan does Christian on that team. It is clear that Christians are not welcome neighbors for the Lembak people. all he can to kill, steal and destroy the lives of people About 220,000 Lembak populate one region of everywhere, and man’s selfi sh, southern Sumatra. Many are coff ee farmers. But those sinful nature plays right into farmers need training in farming practices, and many others just need a simple education and job training. this evil plan. But we have read Th e Lembak men who migrate to the cities follow the the end of the Book, God’s custom of taking two companions with them. Even Book, the Bible, and we know those in the cities struggle economically. that He will prevail in the end. Nearly all Lembak adhere to either a staunch form Shouldn’t we be concerned for of Sunni Islam or to folk Muslim traditions. Th ey those whose lives are heading consult shamans and practice animistic beliefs. All of towards disaster? them frequently visit their town or village mosques since they also serve as community meeting places Ask the Holy Spirit to prompt to celebrate the end of the harvest and weddings. your heart to pray for those Only a handful of Lembak follow Christ. Th ere is no heading towards disaster. Scripture in their language, nor do they have other outreach tools.

Pray that Christ’s light will break through the Lembak darkness. Pray for the Holy Spirit to intervene so the Lembak people can experience the grace and mercy of the Lord.—LR

37 Day 29 Song of Solomon 2:4 Daya People

He has taken me to the he Daya teenager banquet hall, and his T gave a disarming banner over me is love. smile and greeted his Komering elder. This “banner” suggests that A feast the next day the one word to describe how would celebrate the

Bernice Condit Bernice rebuilding of the the Heavenly Bridegroom feels A mosque in rural Sumatra about His bride is “love.” It’s mosque ripped down not “judgment,” “obedience,” by an earthquake. Since the two tribal villages are near each other geographically and the two people or “forgiven.” Oh, how great a groups speak basically the same language, they love our Savior has bestowed would celebrate together. But in the Komering man’s upon us! His is far greater than heart, he felt the Daya youth was lazy—even with the love between a man and their joblessness, the Daya hire the Javanese people his wife. As a woman enjoys to harvest their fi elds! the loving protection of her Although the 83,000 Daya speak a language that husband, so all who know is almost the same as the Komering language, they Jesus are under the protection consider themselves distinctly diff erent from the of His love. But what about Komering. However, the Komering consider the those who don’t know Daya to be part of them. Th ey live in a neighborly Him—those who have not manner, but deep-seeded resentment over the Daya work ethic hinders perfect peace. Although each heard like the Daya people? Daya family typically owns a rice fi eld which is one Pray that the Daya people or two hectares, they call for the Javanese to manage will soon respond to the and harvest their crops. banner of love. Almost all of the Daya people identify with the Muslim religion. Very few are Christian. Daya villages keep ancestor burial grounds, where kinsmen visit and off er prayers. No Christian resources are available to the Daya, but a Bible translation in Lampung is underway.

Pray that Daya hearts will open to receive Christ’s love. Pray that Javanese believers will tell Daya rice fi eld own- ers about the true and living God.—LR

38 Day 30 Kayu Agung People Song of Solomon 5:8

id you see the Rose Parade on New Years O daughters of Jerusalem, Day? Th e island nation of Indonesia had a D I charge you—if you fi nd fl oat in it. Indonesia is the world’s most populated my lover, what will you tell Muslim nation, and Sumatra is its largest island. At the southern end of Sumatra live the Kayu Agung, him? Tell him I am faint a Muslim people for whom we are praying today. with love. According to the Joshua Project, the Kayu Agung Can you even imagine being consist of two groups: the Original Kayu Agung and “faint” with love for the Lord? the Kayu Agung, each with their own dialect. Both dialects are part of the larger Komering language. Wouldn’t this be the ultimate experience, to love Him so Th e Kayu Agung live in 40 villages in the Komering much that you cannot contain River area. Each village consists of stilt wood houses yourself? Do we love the Lord with sago palm leaf roofs. Although they use sago palms for house roofs, rubber tree plantations are Jesus Christ, our heavenly important to their economy. Many also work in offi ces bridegroom, with the passion or teach. Th en there are the duta who temporarily leave and purity of the love this the village to seek their fortune through urban crime! bride has for her husband? In a population of 20,000 people there are only about Do we truly regard His love as 20 believers in Christ. Th e Kayu Agung practice folk the most precious of all forms Islam. In this they are aided by shamans who conduct of pleasure and satisfaction? planting and harvesting blessings. Village support of Do we honor His longing for the duta, fear of ghosts, and shamans indicate a need a bride who is both beautiful for moral, ethical, and religious change. Th e changes and complete? must come through faith in Jesus. Pray that you will be so Pray that this people who have the JESUS Film and radio “faint with love” for your Lord evangelism will respond to both, and that the Bible will soon that you will obey Him in all be available in their languages.—TP He says to do for the nations.

39 Day 31 Song of Solomon 8:7 Rambang People

oday we turn our attention to the Rambang of Many waters cannot Sumatra, who live not far from the Kayu Agung quench love; rivers cannot T for whom we prayed yesterday. According to the wash it away. If one were Joshua Project, the Rambang work wet rice fi elds to give all the wealth of his and raise corn, peanuts, fruits, and vegetables. Other house for love, it would be than agriculture, the Rambang may make their living utterly scorned. by preserving fi sh, mining river sand, or making This book of the Bible not only furniture and objects of bamboo, rattan, wood, roots, and palm branches. Sometimes they set up shop gives a verbal description of beneath their stilt houses in their villages, which may the intensity of love, but it have a population of some 300 to 400 households. explains the value of it. The Th e Rambang people practice two kinds of marriage. love that one has for their If a bride price is paid, the couple lives with the spouse pales by comparison groom’s parents. If none is paid, the couple lives with the priceless love that with the bride’s parents. Residence determines the God has for humanity. Yet children’s family affi liation to grandparents. entire people groups like the Unlike the Kayu Agung, there are few elements of Rambangs go through their animism in the way the Rambang practice Islam. lives not knowing about His What animism there is focuses on supernatural forces love. What are you willing to in certain objects, what anthropologists call mana. do to make sure they know His Otherwise, Islam governs the life cycle. Many go on intense love? pilgrimages to Mecca and compete in Qur’an readings. In addition to needing clean water and better Pray for God’s direction hygiene, the Rambang need salvation. Th ey lack to His Church as we draw the Bible, the JESUS Film, radio evangelism, and others to experience His love. believers in Jesus.

Pray that God will send believers to help them clean up their water, teach them proper hygiene, evangelize them, translate the Bible, and produce the JESUS Film in their language. May the Rambang listen to Christian radio and respond by putting their faith in Him.—TP

40 www.global-prayer-digest.org

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Replace with the cover PDF Editorial June 2013 RECORDS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS U.S. Center for World Mission Dear Praying Friends, 1605 East Elizabeth Street Pasadena, CA 91104-2721 Field missionaries wrote Tel: (330) 626-3361 each people group profi le [email protected] for this issue, and they in- MANAGING EDITOR clude up to date information Keith Carey about the number of believ- ASSISTANT EDITOR Paula Fern ers among each group. You will read many testimonies WRITERS Glenn Culbertson of people from unreached groups who have embraced Patricia Depew the Savior! If anyone tries to tell you that Muslims Patti Ediger Wesley Kawato will not consider Christ, show them this GPD issue! Arlene Knickerbocker Esther Jerome-Dharmaraj I must warn you, however, that the missionaries use Christopher Lane Annabeth Lewis many “missiological” terms in this issue. So please Charles Newcombe make a note of these terms so you can understand Ted Proffi tt Lydia Reynolds what they are saying. For example, a “church plant- Jeff Rockwell ing movement” abbreviated as CPM, is a “rapid and Jean Smith exponential increase of indigenous church plant- Jane W. Sveska ing churches within a given people group or popu- DAILY BIBLE COMMENTARIES Dave Dougherty, Director of Plans lation segment.” In layman’s terms, that means that and Training, OMF Intl. indigenous churches are rapidly multiplying within Keith Carey, Managing Editor, GPD a specifi c people group. Secondly, they often refer to CUSTOMER SERVICE Jesus as “Isa Al Masih” which is Arabic for “Jesus the Dan Eddy Messiah.” Th e writers also use the term “persons of GRAPHICS Amanda Valloza peace,” which refers to those from unreached people PRINTER groups that are spiritually open to the Word of God Diversifi ed Printers , La Mirada, CA and are willing to introduce Christ’s ambassadors to their households and friends in the community. WEB SITE www.globalprayerdigest.org

Th is issue is a bit like part two of what we covered ISSN 1045-9731 last month when we prayed for the Malay-based Contents of the Global Prayer Digest © 2013 U.S. Center for World Mission peoples, some of which live in western Indonesia. 1605 East Elizabeth Street Th is month we will pray for unreached people groups Pasadena, CA 91104 in some of Indonesia’s eastern islands. Contents of this booklet may be reproduced if appropriate credit and subscription information are given.

For subscription information, call (330) 626-3361. For comments on content, call (626) 398-2241. Keith Carey, managing editor, GPD

46 Feature of the Month

Pray for a Church Planting Movement Among Every Unreached People Group of Eastern Indonesia.

Kalimantan Sulawesi

Madura Java Bali

47 To Help You Pray Better RA, Mission to Unreached MissiontoUnreached RA, 48 Background (MUP) Peoples

Bernice Condit unreached peoplegroups ineastern Indonesia. documented by 18th century naturalistsas possessing documented by 18thcentury Island,eastern region ofSumbawa have been Th victor,the eventual theDutch. pepper, nutmeg, cloves, andcoff lucrative tradeincoconuts, cinnamon, mace, salt, Sultanates. todominatethelocal for theright Th whobattledthePortuguese andothers of theDutch 1521. Th to reach thesefabledlands, butwaskilledenroute in Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan, intended through oftheeasternislands. thelabyrinth Famed ofexplorers andspicetradersmadetheirway Myriads Th they encountered. werethese rulers revered andfeared by thosewhom (Kingdoms), andtheperceived powers of spiritual Th held great sway oftheregion. over extensive parts Islands)eithercontrolled theSpice or includes In pre-colonial timesthepeoplesofthisarea, (which History East Indonesia Forgotten Peoples of The ButNot Neglected eBimanesesultans, whooncereigned inthe entheEuropeans discovered easternIndonesia. over theirSultanates (Kings)ruled eSultans e historical landscape islittered landscape withstories ehistorical working amongthe96remaining whoare believers currently dedicated theproblemsterms describe facing graveyard ofmissionaries; these W ee was the prize for ee wastheprize hostile tothegospel, diffi ar torn, neglected, cult to reach, e The Neglected But Not Forgotten Peoples of East Indonesia what is known as sakti (divine power). Many of these formerly independent sultanates continue to fl ourish through the current bloodline descendants of these once despotic rulers. Th eir descendants possess the relics and artifacts of the past, which contain treasures of the realm. Th e possession of these riches still enable the descendants to wield political and business infl uence over their respective regions. At the height of their power during WWII, the Japanese invaded Indonesia. Th e Japanese were defeated in 1945, and in 1948 Indonesia was given full independence from the Dutch. Th us ended 350 years of colonial rule. Indonesia has been a sovereign, independent nation ever since. Religion in Eastern Indonesia In the early 15th century Islamic warriors swept through the archipelago of Indonesia and made their way into the eastern kingdoms. Th e peoples embraced the new religion and began to combine their strong ties to mysticism with the daily practice of Islam. But today this region which includes the islands of Kalimantan, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Ambon will demand great eff ort from those who wish to see the Kingdom of God extended. Th e population includes several unengaged unreached people groups (UUPGs). Th is acronym means that they have no Christian workers. Th ere are also many unreached people groups (UPGs), which are groups with a small number of Christian workers and are less than two percent Evangelical. With the exception of the Balinese Hindus, these predominantly Muslim unreached groups make up a total population of approximately 26 million. Among the 96 unreached groups in the region, 71 remain “unengaged” without any Christian witness. Th ey are waiting to be told about the true King of Kings. During the last decade from 1999-2002 the Maluku islands and Ambon have been fi lled with deadly attacks aimed at Christian and Western targets. Th ere were also the Lombok terrorist riots in January of 2000 and the Bali terrorist bombings in 2002. Th ese were all traced to Al-Qaeda- linked groups. A major hotbed of jihadists resides in the Poso area of Sulawesi. Th is Al-Qaeda training camp is alive today and highly active, with branches multiplying into the remote areas of Sumbawa and beyond.

continued on next page 49 The Neglected But Not Forgotten Peoples of East Indonesia

An Overview of Life Today Among East Indonesian Unreached Peoples Th e peoples of eastern Indonesia are mostly agrarian, and the land is rich in fertile soil, lush tropical foliage and very exotic natural resources. Some areas on the island of Sulawesi have some industrial and business pursuits and have produced infl uential modern day political fi gures. Corporate business successes have been launched in the major cities of Makassar, Denpasar, and Manado. Th e vast majority of these peoples are still subsistence farmers. Travel in this region even to this day is largely considered primitive in nature due to the lack of a modern infrastructure. Th e temperament of some of the largest unreached people groups in this region is often hostile and aggressive. Harsh life experienced at the hands of human oppressors, years of colonialism, and centuries of sultanate domination may have infl uenced the people in a negative way. Numbers of these unreached people groups, such as the Sasak-Bali cluster group, are renowned for their warrior like dispositions and culture. Workers must earn trust rather than expect it.—RA Heartbeat of the Local and Foreign Missionaries Presently, there are over 30 foreign and national mission agencies partnering in the formation of what is called Th e Ephesus Team for eastern Indonesia. Th e Ephesus Team is a cooperative inter-missions agency eff ort to strategically launch church planting movements among the unengaged and unreached people groups of eastern Indonesia. Th ose laborers involved in this area of 96 unreached people groups sense that we are on the edge of a breakthrough among these Muslim peoples. We pray for church planting movements (CPM) for God’s glory. What will be the tipping point? We believe strongly that very little of eternal consequence is accomplished in God’s work apart from intercessory prayer. As those of us engaged in CPM among these unreached people groups refl ect upon this reality, we acknowledge our unmitigated dependency upon the hand of God. Our Vision for Eastern Indonesia: • To glorify God through church planting movements (CPMs) among the 96 unreached people groups of eastern Indonesia. • To launch church planting movement capable teams, raise up indigenous leaders, and rapidly reproduce obedient Christ-followers in each village and city. By transforming the hearts of these people, we are trusting God to spawn movements to transform their societies and beyond.

5050 The Neglected But Not Forgotten Peoples of East Indonesia

Our Goals for 2013-14: • To mobilize and equip indigenous Indonesian believers in the implementation of church planting movement essentials. • To send teams of intercessors and gospel-sharers to the region in order to inundate the people with unprecedented prayer and gospel-sharing. • To see churches, prayer groups, and individuals from around the world participate in coordinating prayer initiatives, which are focused on the specifi c people groups of eastern Indonesia. By using the GPD this month, you are part of this initiative. In short, the desire of the laborers in this region is to, by faith, take these people groups off the unreached peoples list! How Can I Pray? • Pray that God will raise up more laborers to join the few existing workers in church planting movements. • Pray for the hearts of the indigenous people to receive, adore, worship, and obey the Lord Jesus among these unreached peoples of Indonesia’s eastern islands. • Pray for the hearts of the believers to grow in passion and compassion for the lost of eastern Indonesia. Pray for Indonesian believers and churches to catch a vision to share the gospel in a culturally relevant and sensitive way with the unreached peoples of this region. • Pray that workers will be led to “persons of peace” who, in turn, will lead entire households and communities to Christ. Pray that they will rely upon the Holy Spirit to guide them through the Scriptures. • Pray that new believers will be obedient to the Word of God and persevere in the face of persecution. • Pray that as these new believing households are transformed through loving obedience to Christ, they will begin to engage in ways to see transformation in their communities. If you desire to send a 250 word letter of encouragement to fi eld workers among these peoples, and/or are interested in receiving further updates by email please contact: [email protected] GPD

51 Day 1 Daniel 6:28 Missionary biography, Hendrik van Dijken

he year was 1866. Four young Dutch So Daniel prospered during missionaries were sailing through the Straits of the reign of Darius and the T Malacca. Th e intended port for these glory bearers reign of Cyrus the Persian. was present day Papua, Indonesia. Scholars have estimated that Enroute to Papua they met a Christian man named Daniel was about 90 years Moli. He appealed to the four missionaries to begin old; he was toward the end of mission work in the Maluku islands. Th ey heard a his lifetime of civil service to “Macedonian Call” much like the one described in a couple of regimes when he Acts 16:6-12. Th ree of them, Hendrik van Dijken, T. F. Klaassen, and A. De Bode, answered that experienced God’s miraculous call, changed their plans, and began a work in this protection in the lion’s den. area. Th e work was slow and painstaking. Th e fi rst God honored Daniel’s faith baptisms took place in 1874 when they dedicated the and obedience and used fi rst church. him to bless Babylonians, Th e growth of the church came after 1900 when a Chaldeans, Medes, and perceived “new” missionary method was applied. Persians. We may confi dently People were baptized in groups (households). Th is expect to enjoy fellowship rapid growth began in Tobelo in 1898 and developed together around the throne quickly throughout the islands from 1900. of God with members of each “Perintis Injil” (pioneer of the gospel) reads the of these ancient peoples, inscription at the base of the present-day bronze partly because of what Daniel statue that memorializes Van Djiken’s obedience to did. Daniel was faithful to his Christ. Several mango trees from that time period shade the land where Van Djiken and his colleagues mission. Will Daniel be able to planted the gospel in the Maluku area of Halmahera. enjoy fellowship at that same gathering with representatives Pray for today’s believers to hear and respond to God of other people groups when He calls them to re-direct their eff orts. Pray for en- because we too have been tire households of unreached people groups to embrace Isa faithful to the task to which Al Masih (Jesus, the Messiah).—RA the Lord calls us?

Pray that God will give us the perseverance to serve Him well like Daniel of old.

52 Day 2 Continued. Fast Forward to Today Habakkuk 1:5

nly a short walk from the present day tribute to Look at the nations and the faithfulness of these three missionaries lies O watch—and be utterly a sharply contrasting memorial to a more recent story. amazed. For I am going to From 1999 to 2002 one of the largest jihad eff orts to eradicate the few Christians in this eastern area of do something in your days Indonesia was launched. that you would not believe, even if you were told. Th is second and more recent memorial stands less than 100 meters from the bronzed likeness of the It sometimes seems today fi rst bearer of the gospel; two divergent kingdoms that God is silent while are represented therein. Th e moss covered remains the wicked swallow up of a bombed out church building chronicles the stark those more righteous than contrast between the transformational power of the themselves (1:13). But as we gospel and the cruelty and fallen-ness of man. A mass grave refl ects a small representation of those who were watch the ebb and fl ow of killed at that time in the confl ict. Th is mass grave tells international aff airs through the tale of those who were eviscerated, bludgeoned, the centuries, we can be decapitated, maimed, and hunted down by Laskar confi dent that God is wisely Jihad and other Muslim terrorist groups. Many of and fairly working out His their children were stolen and shipped back to Java to purposes until the earth will be raised in Islamic boarding schools and madrasas. be fi lled with the knowledge Th is has resulted in a generation of stolen children and of the glory of the Lord as the many eradicated families who dared to say the name of Jesus. Th e challenge is to fi nish what Hendrik Van waters cover the sea (2:14). Djiken and others began by faith. Those who lost their lives to Laskar Jihad did not die in Th e Lombok Riots of January 17, 2000, which targeted the few Christians in this area, were incited vain. God is using the blood of by the violence unleashed in the Ambon, Maluku, His martyrs in Indonesia and and Poso areas of Indonesia. Islamic solidarity and all over the world. prowess expressed a higher stakes commitment from that day forward. Pray for the nations to watch and understand what God Pray for Muslim Indonesians to understand God’s perspec- is doing in Indonesia, even tive on these two “monuments” off ering such contrasting when it involves tragedy. spirituality.—RA

53 Day 3 Daniel 6:10 Missionary Biography, Darlene Rose

he year was 1942, and the Japanese invasion and Three times a day he got occupation of the Dutch East Indies (present down on his knees and T day Republic of Indonesia) was imminent. Word prayed…just as he had had spread rapidly throughout the region regarding done before. the human atrocities experienced by captives of the Just like Daniel, Darlene Rose Japanese aggressors. Missionaries who stayed would had to choose between safety have to suff er alongside Indonesians. and obedience. Put yourself Russell and Darlene Rose’s mission agency had in her place. Would you fi nd it begun to implement their evacuation plans as hard to hear the Lord tell you they gathered in south Sulawesi. Th eir leader, Dr. R.A. Jaff rey, drew a line in the sand before the what to do in such a crisis? missionaries gathered that day. Th ose who chose to How would you go about stay and suff er alongside the Indonesians were to fi nding His perfect will when remain standing in place, and those who were led to one option means relative escape stepped over the line. Th e missionaries were safety and the other means given a time to seek the Lord before the last boat left facing brutal oppressors? the coast. Though she faced years of Darlene and her husband chose to remain. She brutality, her actions were lived through the next several years in a Japanese a strong testimony to the internment camp, while her husband was never to Indonesian Muslims. She was be seen again after the Japanese whisked the men away from the women. Darlene’s story of trust and willing to suff er and even die obedience, as relayed in her book entitled, Evidence for the sake of taking them the Not Seen, in the midst of unspeakable suff ering at gospel. the hands of her captors, is one of the many stories of those who gave seed to the advancement of the Pray that you will clearly gospel in the eastern area of Indonesia. hear the Lord’s voice when you face diffi cult choices. Pray for today’s missionaries to have the presence of mind to hear the Lord’s voice when they encounter persecution and face death.—RA

54 Day 4 Missionary Biography: Anna Tan Isaiah 25: 7b-8

hen your bucket gets kicked, what spews On this mountain He forth will be either bitterness or blessing. I “W will destroy the shroud can’t answer for others, but I know what I desire. that enfolds all peoples, When God takes me through suff ering, I want to respond with blessing,” commented Anna Tan, the sheet that covers all Singaporean missionary to the Sasak Muslims of nations; He will swallow up Lombok island, Indonesia. death forever. One morning in 2001, Anna was found with 80 The end of shrouds, funerals percent of her body covered in 2nd and 3rd degree and the stench of death; that burns. Anna had awakened to the daily routine of is what Isaiah is proclaiming. making coff ee in anticipation of her time with the And this is a promise to the Lord. Th e propane gas tank, which supplied the faithful in all nations. How stovetop operation, had leaked profusely overnight. In her sealed kitchen area she unknowingly walked into a can anyone say no to such a cloud of undetectable gas and lit a match. promise? Though the majority of humanity will say no, there Anna obeyed the Lord’s voice to demonstrate and proclaim the glory of Christ among the Sasak will be a remnant from all people. Her life represents just one from among the nations that will say yes to the 70 missionaries who have come and gone in service Lord, and yes to life. That is among them in the past 23 years of modern mission why we pray for them. eff orts. For those of us still called to be among the Sasak, we jointly believe God to launch a rapidly Pray that the Lord will bring multiplying movement of Sasak worshipers of Christ. unimaginable life to the nations that we intercede for Anna is a reminder of the high cost and the privilege this month. of obeying God’s voice to the least reached peoples. She spewed forth blessing as she clung to Christ’ suffi ciency, even as she died.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to plant blessings in the hearts of God’s children who face suff ering.—RA

55 Day 5 Isaiah 40: 28 Mbojo (aka, Bimanese) People

Have you not heard? The hough the air was Lord is the everlasting God, T hot and sticky, Mun the Creator of the ends of the felt a chill down her earth. He will not grow tired or spine when she visited weary, and His understanding her home village among no one can fathom. the Bimanese people. People she had known all Imagine the excitement Bimanese women her life as friends looked of those who hear of their the other way and pretended they didn’t see her. She Creator for the fi rst time. His later commented, “I returned to my home village of power resulted in the Universe Wiara. Upon my arrival I was greeted with coldness from the entire community. No one there is a believer. Th ey being created out of nothing. were raised Muslim and expected me to stay that way.” No god can boast of such a thing! And there’s more: His Mun has recently been looking for persons of peace (described in Luke 10 and Matthew 10 as people who understanding no one can welcome Christ’s ambassadors). After a recent visit to fathom. By giving allegiance her home village, she off ered to jointly study the stories to this Creator, people are of the Old Testament and New Testament in the joining with the One whose Discovery Bible Study (DBS) approach. Her mother understanding is far beyond and family members agreed to study these stories anything mankind can and have begun to yearn for God’s ways. Mun has imagine. What a hope! What committed to train her mother to share these stories a privilege! with other persons of peace and their households.

Pray that when the Pray for the four to six house fellowships in the area of unreached hear of the One Wiara to rapidly reproduce into new churches within who created them, that they the next year. Pray for boldness and love in the hearts will marvel in such a way of Bimanese trained lay leaders, and ask the Lord to that it will be impossible to enable them to aid in the national church planting not worship Him. movement.—RA

Bimanese people: 750,000 Muslims, 200 believers Status: Engaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: Sumbawa Island

56 Day 6 Sumbawanese (aka, Semawa) People Daniel 2:47

nees to the earth! Saleh The king said to Daniel, South Philippine China Sea K assumed the praying posture “Surely your God is the God of Sea at dawn’s fi rst light. Saleh had gods and the Lord of kings.” known nothing of life outside of Islam. Islam defi ned his According to the customs in understanding of community. To the Ancient Near East, each be Sumbawanese is to be Muslim. Indian Or so he had always assumed. group of people lived in the Ocean service of their own god, As Saleh prayed, he was deeply whom they worshiped and MALAYSIA shaken by a new image of a person clothed in splendorous served in exchange for his Borneo robes of white enwrapped in a Sumatra blessing. The defeat of Judah bright light. Saleh had fallen face had supposedly marked INDONESIA down, struck by a deep sense of Jakarta dread over his sinfulness in the their God as a lesser deity, Java presence of this Person. Saleh unworthy of worship by recognized the man in his vision the mighty king of Babylon. as the one known as the prophet However, through the faithful Isa (Jesus). Th e message Isa declared in the vision that day “Come and follow Me.” Recollection of this event sent alternate testimony of Daniel and his waves of thrill and fear through the very core of Saleh’s being. friends, Nebuchadnezzar On the heels of this vision, a man came to Saleh’s home village. was confronted with the Th is man, Masri, asked who among them has experienced a glory and power of Yahweh, dream or vision of Allah. Saleh practically stumbled over himself God of Judah and God of to invite Masri into his household. Masri has begun to train Saleh to take a series of stories from the Bible back to his family. the nations. In this case God used the interpretation of Pray for many Sumbawanese people to be given dreams, visions, and dreams to reveal Himself supernatural healings that they can only attribute to Jesus. Pray to the king. Later He used for indigenous lay leaders to be well equipped so they can facilitate other demonstrations of healthy, rapidly multiplying movements to Christ.—RA His great power to convince 500,000 Muslims, 20 believers Nebuchadnezzar and others Status: Engaged in a church planting movement eff ort of His supremacy. Location: Sumbawa Island, a small island to the east of Java Pray that God will use the faithful service of His children to reveal His power and love to the mighty of our day. 57 Day 7 Joel 3:14 Sasak People

Multitudes, multitudes in am your new confession of the valley of decision! For “I faith!” were the words Jakir, a the day of the Lord is near devout Sasak Muslim man, heard in the valley of decision. Jesus speak to him in a dream. After a specifi c dream detailing baptism, Joel’s prophecy foresaw Jakir awakened that same morning

that God would summon International Create and took himself to the river. When the nations to the Valley of A Sasak man he was sure that no one was around, Jehoshaphat and pronounce he dunked himself under water. A few weeks later judgment on the wicked, but Jakir still did not understand salvation in Jesus. Even so, he dreamt again of Jesus baptizing him. In declare refuge for His people. obedience to this unknown God, he went down to As the prophet looked out the creek and knelt in the water and baptized himself over the sea of humanity again to make sure it was done properly. in the valley, he was vividly Before he had these dreams, a church planting aware that the great and movement worker had shared with Jakir about terrible Day of Judgment was the Savior during multiple visits. He shared with imminent. This prophecy was him through Discovery Bible Study (DBS) stories, a picture of today’s world in through the JESUS Film in Sasak, as well as a which vast multitudes hang contextual movie entitled “Irun’s Dream.” After Jakir in the balance of decision. truly acknowledged that salvation is through Christ Will we give each human alone, he wanted his friend to baptize him as the statement of his new heart condition. society the valid opportunity to decide to follow Jesus? Pray that God would continue to go ahead of and be- Will we off er the refuge of hind missionaries with undeniable signs and wonders salvation to the nations to that point to Jesus Christ. Pray that local and foreign save them from judgment? missionaries will be fi lled with boldness to start more Discovery Bible Study story groups among Sasak house- Pray that God will raise up holds that will reproduce rapidly into a mighty movement messengers from His Church to Christ.—JK who will go out into the unreached harvest fi eld. 2,600,000 Muslims, 100 believers Status: Engaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: Lombok, a small island east of Java

58 Day 8 Hindu Balinese People Daniel 10:13

n the name of the Lord Jesus, I But the Prince of the “I deliberately set my feet on the soil Persian Kingdom resisted of Bali and claim it for Him.” To that me 21 days. Then Michael, original faith claim, Dr. R.A. Jaff rey one of the chief princes, later added, “Th e light of the gospel came to help me, because preached by Spirit-fi lled missionaries I was detained there with Create International Create will drive out the millions of demons Balinese women the king of Persia. of darkness, and these people, enchained by the devil so long, will be set free.” This comment made by the Rodger and Lelia Lewis were among those early angel of the Lord to Daniel missionaries who started their work in Bali in the early gives us some insight into 1950s—and yes, demons were driven out, and people what happens when we pray. were set free. But it was a battle, according to the book, We know from this passage Th e Battle for Bali. With Hinduism intricately woven that the Lord responds to our into the fabric of both family and culture, to choose prayers. In this case he sent His to follow Christ often meant ostracism and economic angel to Daniel. But notice that isolation for the Balinese people. the answer to this prayer was Th ough Rodger went to be with the Lord in 1999, delayed because of the work of Lelia still serves among the Balinese. Th ey have the enemy, the Prince of Persia. had an enduring infl uence on the island. A church planting movement is now in the early stages among It may take much regular the Balinese. prayer before the Lord breaks through the spiritual darkness. Pray for healthy house fellowships led by Balinese lay be- Will you be one who prays for lievers to reproduce. Pray for national and foreign laborers the unreached nations until the to walk in humility and spiritual freedom, and to appro- Lord is victorious? priate the weapons of the spiritual warfare which rages before them.—RL/RA Continue to pray for the peoples we lifted up this month. 3,280,000 Hindus, 5,000 believers Status: Engaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: Bali Island, just to the east of Java Island

59 Day 9 Habakkuk 2:14 Buginese (Bugis) People

o you know the origin of the name For the earth will be fi lled “boogeyman”? During the Spice Islands trade with the knowledge of the D of centuries past, the Bugis people were known as glory of the Lord, as the marauding sea-faring pirates. waters cover the sea. Th e present day Bugis people depend upon their own Habakkuk eventually good deeds to gain access to heaven. According to their understood that God wanted worldview, to pray fi ve times daily and to make the all the peoples, all the nations, pilgrimage to Mecca will 99 percent guarantee heaven. to see and understand His Th ere are over fi ve million Bugis people who are authority. God parted the sea spread out over southern Sulawesi. Due to the because He wanted those unique challenges of intense spiritual warfare among who didn’t know Him to see the Bugis, few workers stay focused upon them. His salvation and turn to Him. Our church planting mission teams learned that prayer His chastisement of Israel was is crucial, while on a prayer drive a couple of years partially intended to show ago. After two years of sharing, follow up and prayer, the nations the awesome one household has believed. Th ree other households believed through this network, bringing the total to power with which He would 17 people that came to the Light. With a population later come to redeem her. of 5,010,000, there are only 10 known Bugis churches No matter what the situation and they are presently not reproducing. Who else in the world may be today, among the Bugis has seen the Light? Be assured that our future is glorious! Our these seekers want to be found. responsibility in this great drama of life is to willingly Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his bear witness of His glory to harvest fi eld according to Matthew 9:38. Pray that the eyes of the Bugis will be opened to see Jesus Christ alone as every nation! Lord and Savior. Pray that many Bugis households will Pray that God will speed the turn from strongholds of Islam to freedom in Christ.—SS day when the knowledge of the glory of the Lord covers 5,010,000 Muslims, 5,000 believers the earth! Status: Engaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: Southern Sulawesi Island

60 Day 10 Makassarese People Jeremiah 45:4, 5

resh water was in short supply, …I will overthrow what I so it seemed to the foreign F have built and uproot what missionaries that a Makassarese I have planted… Should community would want their you then seek great things help. Th ey were in for a surprise when they approached the village for yourself? Seek them not.

Create International Create elders about a possible well- A skeptical God admonishes us, as He Makassarese digging project. Th e tersely lipped did Jeremiah’s scribe Baruch, elder Makassarese leader rubbed his chin to abandon selfi sh ambitions and glared at them. He said, “We refuse to lift a fi nger for the digging of your water wells. Furthermore, if which are not only futile, others choose to help you, we shall not allow them to but also irrelevant. Most benefi t. We will block their ability to obtain clean water.” people spend their lives Th is Makassarese community has been without clean pursuing either things or water for generations. Quite commonly, they make trips accomplishments. It is tragic to the mainland in order to obtain drinking water. Why when believers chase personal would they refuse help with such an important matter? aspirations to the ignorance or Th e Makassarese operate with the world view that neglect of the clearly-revealed there are only limited blessings from the god that purposes of God. In light of they worship, only a limited amount of resources and what God is doing and wants power available from Allah. Th eir human leaders to do among the nations, can are perceived to have the power, and no one is to we possibly justify seeking combat this reality. Such a worldview hinders their great things for ourselves? development as a community. Seek them not.

Pray that more people will desire to see a church plant- Pray to yield your ing movement launched among this resistant people group. aspirations, ambitions, and Pray for persons of peace from among the Makassarese, dreams to His perfect will. who are presently being taught the Word of God, will have wisdom as they begin to minister to their people.—RA

2,130,000 Muslims, 583 believers Status: Engaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: South Sulawesi

61 Day 11 Isaiah 25:7-9 Konjo Pesisir People

hat is our prayer for the The Sovereign Lord will South Philippine China Sea W 200,000 Konjo Pesisir Sea wipe away the tears from people of southern Sulawesi all faces…. In that day they Island? We pray for thousands of will say, “Surely this is our multiplying Konjo Pesisir house God; we trusted in Him, and churches to come out of darkness He saved us.” Indian into the brilliant light of Christ! Ocean Th e desire of present and future This verse and in fact the entire followers of Jesus is to see this Celebes Sea INDONESIA Bible should be good news to people group rapidly reproduce peoples like the Konjo Pesisir Gorontalo as obedient worshipers of the who need hope. Isaiah here living God. Sulawesi Island portrays the heavenly banquet No more fear, no turning back, in which men and women total spiritual freedom…that from every nation will rejoice in would be the passionate wish of the goodness of God. Though any one who knows them. Satan’s Christ’s death has conquered hold on these people is fi erce. the power of death for all who Th ey fear the loss of their homes, their lands, their families, put their trust in Him, His return evil spirits, and outsiders. All these fears continue to cripple any new believers. Satan incessantly whispers lies to the Konjo will banish the presence of Pesisir as he preys upon their shame and deep wounds. death from the redeemed of every nation. How tenderly the Twenty years ago Isa Al Masih (Jesus the Messiah) called one young Konjo Pesisir woman to be His apostle to her people. Sovereign Lord will wipe away Persecution of every form has not stopped her from being tears from faces upturned in faithful to this vision. Estimates of between 500 to 1,000 joyful praise! believers are now numbered among this unreached people group. Some 30 fellowships meet in numerous villages. Pray that the Lord will guide us until we see Him face to face. Pray for steadfastness of heart for the Konjo Pesisir believers. Pray for the rapid reproduction of disciples in the house fellowships led by healthy Konjo Pesisir leaders.—MA

200,000 Muslims, 500-1,000 believers Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: Southern Sulawesi

62 Day 12 Luwu People Romans 10:3

ittle Hamadi scurried onto his tikar mat (made Since they did not know the of thinly woven bamboo), which ushered in his L righteousness that comes nightly sleep. Many times he imagined his tikar mat from God and sought to becoming a magic carpet like the ones he heard about in the folklore of the great Islamic Ottoman Empire. establish their own, they His teachers at the Islamic school in the south-central did not submit to God’s region of Sulawesi Island told him many stories of righteousness. glorious Islamic empires. People are very good at When he woke up in the morning Hamadi quickly attempting to create God in fi xated upon a much weightier endeavor. As a Luwu their own image. Since we Muslim aged seven, he is expected to participate in have a fallen nature, we can the Islamic Fasting Month of Ramadan. Th us, the easily try to view God as being fasting month commenced. By fi ve o’clock he was absolutely famished. as wicked as we are. Such is the situation for the jihadists Hamadi thought of all the heroes he heard about in who use the Name of the God school. Th ere were the Bali Bombers (jihadists) who fought against Western decadence. Th en there were the of Creation as an excuse for heroes of the 9/11 World Trade Center. “Th ose men murder. Such people have gave their lives for Allah,” commented his teacher. Yet interfered with the advance even at this tender age, Hamadi quietly wondered to of the gospel. It will be very himself, “How could they be true heroes when so many diffi cult to get the gospel to people suff ered because of what they did?” such people. However, we must remember that it took Pray for the younger generation of Luwu to become disil- hundreds of years to see the lusioned with spiritual counterfeits. Pray for house fellow- ships to break out into a rapidly reproducing movement of Kingdom of God penetrate disciples.—RA Viking communities that were once dedicated to piracy. 290,000 Muslims, 150 believers Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort Pray for the Holy Spirit to shower His mercy on the Location: Southern Sulawesi Luwa people so that they will not listen to the jihadists, but instead listen to His voice of love and mercy.

63 Day 13 Daniel 1:19 Mamuju People

t was a dark night when the survey team met with The king talked with them, a new contact; a Christian businessman, in the and he found none equal to I capital city of the region populated by the Mamuju Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, people of south-central Sulawesi. All were seated and Azariah; so they on a woven mat. Th e brightly lit dome of the area’s entered the king’s service. largest mosque lay visible through a nearby window Daniel and his friends did as a poignant backdrop to those gathered. Th e discussion that night was about how a person could not serve in Babylon on bring about a church planting movement (CPM) missionary visas, but as among the Mamuju people. trainees for civil service On a survey trip that ended in this city, it seemed positions. They were among that endless rice fi elds lay strewn across the territory the fi rst “tentmakers” working of the Mamuju people. Children were also part of in positions of useful service the landscape on this trip; those who wore school among foreign nations; uniforms mingled alongside those who could no but they also served as longer aff ord to attend school. At times, children representatives of the Most were stationed at points along the road to collect High God. Today, many off erings for the local mosque. countries have closed their Th e religion of the Mamuju unites Islam with doors to career missionaries. traditional occult practices. Commonly the Mamuju But God can use people like people consult the local dukun (shaman/healer) for the Christian businessmen healings as well as for the appeasement of demonic spirits. Th eir belief systems include celebrations and mentioned in this prayer entry. rituals that utilize sacred knives. Those with medical skills can serve just about anywhere. Pray for the implementation of CPM training that is The possibilities are endless! being launched among the few believers in this area. Pray for the few believers who serve among the Mamuju Pray that our Heavenly to begin to trust God for entire households to come to Father will bless the 21st faith.—MV century tentmakers who serve Him in nations around 60,000 Muslims, no believers the world. Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: South-central coastal Sulawesi

64 Day 14 Selayar People Daniel 7:9, 10

’ve had dreams about Isa (Jesus)!” declared Moh, As I looked, thrones were “I the Muslim head of his village. Th is was the set in place, and the response my Indonesian national partner and I heard Ancient of Days took His when we sat down with this man and fi rst mentioned seat. The court was seated, the name of Jesus. Moh lives on a relatively small and the books were opened. island called Selayar which is off the south coast of the island of Sulawesi. Daniel was given a glimpse of the end times as seen in these Th e fi rst time we surveyed this island we were introduced to Moh. As the head of his village, he holds verses of the Great White much sway in the community. Over a cup of coff ee, we Throne judgment seat. (See told him about Jesus the Messiah on our short visit. We also Revelation 20:11-15.) The talked about Adam and Eve and the fall of man. Th en dead will then stand before we concluded with the story of how Jesus shed His the Father’s throne and be blood as payment for our sins which separate us from judged according to what Allah. Upon the fi rst mention of Jesus, Moh cut us off they have done. What an to say that he has encountered Jesus in multiple dreams! Now we have returned several times to the village to awesome vision for Daniel to give Moh a New Testament and to challenge him to behold! As he continued to put his faith in Jesus. watch, the Son of Man was led into the Father’s presence Pray that Moh and his family will turn from their old be- and was given authority, glory, liefs and make Jesus lord of their lives. Pray for a rapidly and sovereign power. All reproducing network of house fellowships in this village. peoples, nations, and men of Pray that the Holy Spirit will lead us to persons of peace every language worshiped (spiritually receptive people) among the Selayar who will him (7:14). How glorious and become believers in Jesus.—BA how comforting! God has 115,000 Muslims, 300 believers not given us an impossible Status: Unengaged with a church planting movement eff ort commission. It will be Location: Selayar Island and southern Sulawesi accomplished as we yield ourselves to Him.

Thank the Lord for this glimpse of the future. Pray that He will hasten the day when through us, some from every nation will sing His praises. 65 Day 15 Isaiah 32: 17 Makian Timur People

locket of hair, a fi ngernail, and a photo of The fruit of righteousness yourself!” demanded the mass of students who will be peace; the eff ect “A surrounded Nitha’s dorm room. Nitha had come of righteousness will be to this Islamic boarding school for an education. quietness and confi dence On school break back in her home village among forever. another Muslim people group, Nitha and her family Trust in the Lord develops members had recently come to follow Jesus through what her friend called a “Discovery Bible Study.” righteousness that leads to What she received was an opportunity for personal quietness and confi dence in transformation. She returned to her boarding school the Lord. Today we are reading with a newfound passion for Jesus. Her school about a woman who is being friends opposed her when she shared her new faith. threatened and persecuted, yet And now those same boarding school friends she is quiet and confi dent in her falsely accused her of theft. In their worldview, to Lord and Savior. What a gift He discover guilt or innocence was in the hands of the has for the nations if they will local dukun. Nitha refused to give them what they only listen to His voice! demanded. She knew their false accusations, if “confi rmed” by the dukun, would result in her public Pray that this year many humiliation and a severe beating. “Was this what from unreached peoples Jesus went through?” she thought. She chose to in Indonesia will put their surrender her fears to her newfound Lord. trust in the One who takes Based upon real events, Nitha is a composite story away our fears and replaces of the consequences often faced by those who live in them with quietness and Muslim people groups and trust Christ. confi dence. Pray for those people among the Makian Timur who will come to Christ. Help them to be strong in endurance and obedience so that they can withstand persecution.—RA

30,000 Muslims, no believers Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: Maluku Island, to the east of Java

66 Day 16 Sula People Isaiah 37:20

o away”!, cried Nisa. Not even Now, O Lord our God, a momentary silence calmed “G deliver us from his hand, so her tormented soul. Th e “spiritual that all kingdoms on earth guide friends” the local dukun had bestowed upon her would continue to may know that You alone, torment her. She was plagued night O Lord, are God.

Create International Create and day with demonic faces, fears, and It could be a big trial like a voices. “If only there was a way to get out from under possible takeover from a this curse,” lamented Nisa. hostile nation, or it could be It is a common occurrence among the Sula people to a personal trial as serious take girls at age 13 to a dukun to invoke and secure as the one faced by the girl a spirit to accompany her. Th is spirit is employed to in this story; but God can imbue her with powers to attract the opposite sex. Nisa’s parents want her married early to a man of deliver, and when He does, means, and they think the dukun’s eff orts will help her His Name is glorifi ed among fi nd this man. the nations. Have you prayed Th e Sula people consider themselves staunch Muslims. for someone oppressed by Yet, they also practice many traditions that seek favors demons or sickness? Do you from the spirits said to reside in the holy places of pray for their relief so that the former Islamic leaders. Th ey are known as high-level lost may see His deliverance? practitioners of sought-after guardian spirits. Is the purpose of your prayer personal comfort, or the Pray for the revelation of God’s truth that Christ is the glorifi cation of our Lord? all-powerful deliverer. Pray for national laborers trained in church planting movements to be sent among the Sula Commit to God in prayer the people to proclaim the matchless Name and power of Jesus crises of your life. Pray that Christ.—RA He will answer our prayers in ways that will glorify Him 80,000 Muslims, no believers among the nations. Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: Central Maluku

67 Day 17 Daniel 3:17-18 Geser-Gorom People

ow did I get here except by the hand of Jesus The God we serve is able to the Savior? Mutmainah mused. A daughter save us from it, and He will H of vagrant farmers, she now stood before the wife rescue us from your hand, of a powerful regent of the Geser-Gorom people. O king. But even if He does Mutmainah had begun to teach women in her village not, we want you to know, area how to read. She simply did this because she O king, that we will not felt that God asked her to teach them. All she knew serve your gods or worship of her newfound faith in Jesus was to obey what He the image…. told her. Th e regent’s wife heard news of the program, and now Mutmainah was summoned to meet with What courage and what this woman of infl uence. insight! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego teach us at After Mutmainah and her family began to study the stories of the Bible, her life was ruined, that is, least three lessons as we ruined for nothing short of God’s glory! She prayed confront the challenge of for Jesus the Savior to place her into the lives of those principalities and powers who are seeking after Him. Now as she stood before raised up against the these women of governmental infl uence, she recalled knowledge of God. First, God the words from the Proverbs 30:28, “Th e lizard you is able to deliver His servants may grasp with the hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.” from danger, and give us great Here she stood among “kingly” types as a Muslim boldness and confi dence. background believer; yet she had the confi dence of the hand of God. Nothing is too hard for Him! Second, He is not obligated Pray that God would place obedient disciples of Jesus to rescue His servants from into all levels of the Geser-Gorom society. Pray for a physical harm; His power is massive movement of multiplying churches among the directed by His wisdom. Third, Geser-Gorom.—RA a balanced view of God’s ability and His providence 32,000 Muslims, very few believers keeps us from timidity on the Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort one hand or presumption on Location: Central Maluku Island the other.

Pray that our wonderful Lord will teach us to walk in truth and wisdom as we face challenges to His authority.

68 Day 18 Buol People Daniel 4:32

he Buol people’s former sultans were quite You will eat grass like eff ective implementing a class system of the T cattle…until you have’s and the have nots. Zul, a simple rice farmer, acknowledge that the Most defi nitely inherited the takdir (fate given by Allah) of the have not’s. High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives Zul’s neighbors, Burhan and his wife, had recently them to anyone He wishes. begun to talk with him about the prophet Isa (Jesus). Th ey invited Zul and his family to a discussion of the Daniel’s fourth chapter is prophets as studied from the books of Moses, Psalms, a kind of celebrity tract in and the gospels. During his last crop failure, Zul which the most powerful had observed Burhan and his wife standing in the king of his day tells how middle of their rice fi eld as they cried out to Allah God broke his pride and in the name of Isa Al Masih (Jesus the Messiah). Th ey asked Allah to bring rain for the parched land stubbornness, and how in so that Allah would be glorifi ed. A beautiful rain simple childlike surrender, did descend at that moment! Mysteriously though, he came to acknowledge rain fell only upon Burhan and his family’s farm. the most High God as his Th at prayer and apparent intimacy with Allah had Sovereign. Nebuchadnezzar mystifi ed Zul. Why did Allah answer Burhan’s said, “I raised my eyes toward prayer in the name of Isa Al Masih and not his? heaven, and my reason returned to me and I blessed Pray for the Holy Spirit to draw the Buol people to Jesus. Pray for the Holy Spirit to thrust out a national team the Most High….” When we that will implement a church planting movement among are tempted to believe that this unreached people group for God’s glory.—RA any individual or any nation is beyond the saving power of 96,000 Muslims, fi ve believers God, we should be reminded Status: Engaged in a church planting movement eff ort that the king’s heart is in the Location: Northern Sulawesi hands of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases.

Pray that God will give us the faith to trust Him for miracles in the hearts of men and nations.

69 Day 19 Malachi 1:11 Kaili Ledo People

uhaimin stopped My Name will be great for a moment and among the nations, from M smiled. Yes, motorbikes the rising to the setting of were coming. It must be the sun. them! He collected his The heart of God for all the hoe and walked back to nations is very evident. God Condit Bernice his thatch-roofed hut in anticipation. He called to Ani to put the kettle on. wanted His people to shine forth among the nations so all Sure enough the gospel bearers came. Th ese young could see His salvation. So it men had been visiting for months. Whenever they came, it broke the monotony of living deep in the is today. Today God sends His jungle with few neighbors. Th ey joked, sang, and workers into the harvest fi elds brought fi sh to share. of the world, so that from the Maryam was the fi rst to have come to visit Muhaimin rising of the sun to its setting, and his family. She was the one who challenged the nations will know of His Muhaimin and his family to follow Jesus. She had glory. It’s all about spreading impressed them with her youth and fi re for Jesus, and His great Name to the nations! she could answer all of their questions. And now “the boys” were here again. He’d have to remember the Thank the Lord for the questions from last month and what he did to obey privilege of being entrusted God’s Word since their last visit. Th e path of Jesus was to carry His Name to the very exciting. Muhaimin wanted to show that he was nations. Pray that our obedient to Allah, especially now that Ani and the response to His challenge family had also decided to follow Isa. will bring honor to His Name from the rising of the sun, Pray for church planting movement equipped workers to even to its setting. go into Kaili-Ledo communities for God’s glory. Pray for the Holy Spirit to bring a stirring among the Kaili-Ledo people so that they will see their need for Jesus as Savior.— adapted from JK

343,000 Muslims, 50 believers Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: Central Sulawesi

70 Day 20 Bungku People Daniel 3:4-5

olorful fl owers and beautiful wedding attire This is what you are were everywhere at the Bungku wedding, and C commanded to do… the foreigners had to stop and take a look. Th ey tried you must fall down and to be discreet as they dismounted their scooters to enjoy the view and hopefully catch a glimpse of the worship the image of gold beautiful bride. Th ey were startled by what happened that King Nebuchadnezzar next. “Welcome to our wedding celebration! We are so has set up. happy you stopped by!” exclaimed the wedding hosts Throughout history many to these uninvited foreigners. Th e mother of the bride pretenders have contended nodded her approval to the hosts. She thought that perhaps if she welcomed these foreigners, the spirits for the allegiance of men’s would be appeased. hearts. Nebuchadnezzar sought to command worship Such scenarios often play out among the Bungku people who live along the southwest coast of the of his gods and his glory; Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Until recently the but Shadrach, Meshach, and Bungku have been isolated due to diffi cult terrain Abednego refused to join which lies between their home area and the modern the crowds in such idolatry. fl ow of Indonesian society. Likewise, today the people of Along newly built roads, village after village still God are called to prophetically remain lost and unreached without a gospel witness. denounce idolatry in its many But new roads bring new opportunities to take the forms and point the nations gospel to these people loved by God! to the one true God. Yahweh will not share His glory with Pray for a national team to start church planting move- another, and He longs for the ments in the Bungku villages which are along the new roads. Pray for God to draw people with a spiritual hunger people of the earth to turn to introduce the church planting leaders to households and from false gods. communities who are receptive to the gospel.—MV Pray that God will break our hearts with the tragedy of 34,500 Muslims, two believers a world bound by the futile Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort worship of idols. He alone Location: Southern Sulawesi is God!

71 Day 21 Isaiah 40:15, 17 Wolio People

f only I hadn’t been born a Wolio,” muttered Surely the nations are like a Fifi , a 13-year-old daughter of Wolio dukuns. drop in a bucket…. Before “I Jules is a neighbor of Fifi ’s older sister. She is a Him all the nations are as foreign woman called to be salt and light among nothing; they are regarded the Wolio. Extraordinary prayer has defi ned her by Him as worthless and work as a missionary. Th rough a season of prayer less than nothing. and fasting, Jules asked the Father to bring more To stand before a wall-sized seekers and persons of peace to her. Finding these kinds of people are essential to get a church planting world map is to catch a movement started. glimpse of the immensity of this earth. Yet Isaiah asserts Driven by a hunger for something better than the Wolio belief system, Fifi began to spend time with that when we stand before this foreign woman. After several years Fifi has come the Creator, the creation to follow Jesus. Her spiritual journey has included dwindles to comparative multiple dreams and visions of Christ, healing from insignifi cance. What epilepsy, demonization, and persecution. Fifi ’s story is perspective this fact gives chaotic. To reproduce multiplying disciples of obedient to God’s people! We are so worshipers of Jesus is sometimes diffi cult. Jules clings easily overawed by the scope to the reality that God is our constant friend, and He is faithful to His purposes among the nations. of the Great Commission that our resolve weakens and Th e Wolio people practice Sufi Islam, a mixture of our courage fails. But God is Islam and mysticism. Th ey often seek after a dukun in order to secure a “helpful” spirit guide. greater than His commission, greater than His earth, greater Pray for the Wolio people to recognize the demonic spir- than any obstacles we will its that ensnare their hearts and keep them away from face. He loves the nations and the true God. Pray for more church planting movement regards them as infi nitely equipped workers to be sent to their area. Pray for a mas- precious and worthy of the sive movement to Christ among the Wolio people.—RA death of His Son. 215,000 Muslims, 11 believers Pray that our Almighty God Status: Engaged in a church planting movement eff ort will teach us to fi x our eyes Location: Southwest Sulawesi on Him so that we may act in faith before the nations.

72 Day 22 Bajau (aka, Sea Gypsy) People Isaiah 58:10

s we walked along the well-worn paths of the If you spend yourselves on Bajau village, I was fascinated by the picturesque A behalf of the hungry and sights, but I sensed a dark, demonic undercurrent. I satisfy the needs of the knew that if God called us to work with the Bajau, an absolute prerequisite would be a strong prayer team. oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, Later we began to establish our life in a rented home and your night will become in the capital of the province. Our team sought to like the noonday. engage people in spiritual conversations. A team member, Yeti, struck up a conversation with a young Isaiah is talking about mother who wandered dejectedly through our glorifying God through neighborhood. Th e mother explained that she needed our care for those who are work in order to pay for bus fare to return to her Bajau exploited by the world. When village. After Yeti invited her into our house, all of the we take care of the needs women gathered around her, listened to her story, and shared the gospel with her. Th ey then gave her some of the hungry, the poor, and ironing to do to earn some money. the oppressed, we are acting as His hands and feet. Thus When my husband returned home, he met the young mother and heard what had happened. He sensed the people will praise His Name, Spirit’s leading to talk with her further. She received and He will be glorifi ed. That Jesus. She is one of only a couple of known believers is why the workers we read among the Bajau. about today are taking care of the poor. God tells us to do it! Pray that the Bajau who typically are nomadic boat dwell- ing fi shermen will be drawn to Jesus, the great fi sher of Pray that our Gracious men. Pray for the launch of strong church planting move- Father will teach us to ments among the Bajau. Pray for faithful laborers and sacrifi cially give on behalf of for the ramping up of intercessors to come alongside this those who are desperately eff ort.—LH hungry both for bread and the Bread of Life. 204,000 Muslims, two believers Status: Engaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: Southwest Sulawesi, other parts of Southeast Asia

73 Day 23 Amos 3:2 Wawonii People

aiyul and his forefathers had been farmers for You only have I chosen of H countless generations. But because of slash all the families of the earth; and burn techniques and other destructive farming therefore I will punish you practices of the Wawonii, the inherited land of for all your sins. Haiyul’s family became infertile. He switched to living off the abundance of the sea as a fi sherman, and Because Israel was entrusted has done well in his fi shing eff orts … until recently. with great blessings, her Now his crippled boat lay strewn across the reef. mandate was equally great: His boat had been destroyed because on one evening to bless all the families of Haiyul had begun to feel restless over the mysterious the earth. When the chosen visions he had received: a vision of what he assumed to nation rebelled in selfi shness be Isa Al Masih (Jesus the Messiah). He shared these and idolatry, her punishment visions with his imam (Islamic leader). Th e imam was correspondingly severe. reacted strongly against Haiyul’s experience. He But is it not the same for shared Haiyul’s vision with the Wawonii elders. Th ese us? Jesus declared, “From visions of the splendor of the Savior shared in curious everyone who has been amazement with the imam resulted in temporary fi nancial devastation for Haiyul and his family. Th e entrusted with much, much elders had ordered his boat to be destroyed. more will be asked” (Luke 12:48). We who know Jesus Haiyul built a new boat and bravely began a new life in Christ. Often, he looks back upon this time as a Christ and who have the severe test. God, in his mercy, has given him so much means to take the blessings more than the life he once knew. As he and his family of the gospel to the ends of have begun to understand the Word of God, they the earth are obligated by our have begun to worship Christ and obey His words. opportunities to do so. Pray for the Wawonii people to be given dreams and vi- Thank our Gracious sions of the Savior leading to a church planting move- God for our blessings ment among them. Pray that the laborers sent among the and acknowledge the Wawonii will demonstrate the humility and gentleness of responsibility they place Christ.—RA upon us. Pray that He will keep us from the 27,500 Muslims, fi ve believers sins of selfi shness and Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort self-indulgence. Location: Southwestern Sulawesi

74 Day 24 Banjar People Jeremiah 4:2b

budin wept over If you put your detestable A the news of idols out of my sight … how Jesus treated the and if in a truthful, just, and woman with the issue righteous way you swear, of blood (Matthew 9). ‘as surely as the Lord lives,’ He had never known the hope of forgiveness then the nations will be for his own sins. Abudin felt a wave of remorse and blessed by Him… repentance for the abuse he had shown to women. On The Lord will act to bless the that day God’s grace collided with Abudin’s shame nations, but we also have a as he and his family members studied the Word of God together. He knew what he must do; he must responsibility. We must put ask forgiveness from each one of his three wives. Th at away our idols of selfi shness, would be necessary for his step of obedience to His greed, and whatever else newfound Lord and Savior. might be a hindrance to our Th e Banjar see all of life through the lens of Islam. obedience to Him. Are we Th eir daily practice is heavily monitored in ritual willing to do that so the nations observance. In this people group the intersection will be blessed? Are we willing where animistic belief and Islam diff er has long to do what it takes to be good been blurred. Th eir strict adherence to ceremonial ambassadors of the One who obligations is one of the highest among east calls us to the nations? Indonesian people groups. Th eir suspicious nature toward any infl uence outside of their Islamic norms Pray that the Holy Spirit is a hindrance to the spread of the gospel. Islamic will point out our idols so boarding schools thrive among the Banjar. that we can toss them aside and watch peoples like the Pray for spiritual breakthroughs among the Banjar people Banjars be blessed! for God’s glory. Pray that the few laborers among them will have emotional and spiritual strength when they ex- perience spiritual warfare.—RA

3,500,000 Muslims, 200 believers Status: Engaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: Southeastern Kalimantan

75 Day 25 Daniel 2:44 Sanggau Sekadau People

lue mixed with alternate In the time of those kings, South Philippine China Sea B hues of black and purple Sea the God of heaven will set could be seen on Tin’s face up a kingdom that will near her eye. Physical abuse at never be destroyed, nor will the hands of her husband was it be left to another people. the norm for this second of It will crush all those Indian three wives of Alif, a Sanggau kingdoms and bring them Ocean Sekadau clan leader. Tin had to an end, but it will itself often appealed to Alif’s role endure forever. MALAYSIA as Islamic teacher in order Borneo to dissuade him from the What a note of assurance, of Sumatra inevitable mistreatment she triumph, of victory! God’s INDONESIA suff ered. At any unguarded unchangeable kingdom will last Jakarta look of objection to Alif’s Java forever. These words of certain philandering, the beatings victory should encourage and increased. Tin’s painful strengthen us in the task of world narrative portrays the ashen heap of mistreatment of women condoned by Islam. evangelization. We do not yet see the Kingdom in its glory Tin had clung deeply to the Islamic instruction that and power, but the Kingdom is Allah created her to satisfy the needs of her husband. A crossroads moment lay before her; her Alif had begun here. It is among us. It is growing, to molest their daughter. She sought help, and the pulsating with power as God community leaders responded. In order to save face for calls and fi lls his people with the her husband, she was ordered to remain quiet, regardless power of His Spirit. It is growing of whether or not the molestation continued. Perhaps she as God thrusts his people into a could take solace in her role as guardian and protector of worldwide harvest, calling those Islam for her family, she thought. from every nation to share in the glory of eternal fellowship with Pray that the hearts of the Sanggau Sekadau people will be broken over their sin, and that they will turn to the for- the Heavenly King. giveness and redemptive power of Isa Al Masih. Pray for Pray that the King of kings and God to send church planting movement workers to show Lord of lords will strengthen our the Sanggau Sekadau people the love of Christ.—RA hands, quicken our minds, and encourage our hearts with a 110,000 Muslims, fi ve believers vision of His victorious Kingdom. Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: Kalimantan Island

76 Day 26 Melayu Sambas People Haggai 1:2

he Night of Power, the night that annually ushers This is what the Lord in the much-anticipated end to the Muslim T Almighty says: “These month of fasting, Ramadan, was here. Rahmad people say, ‘The time has usually looked forward to this time, but now his mind wandered. Recently a foreigner and his Indonesian not yet come for the Lord’s friend had visited Rahmad’s Melayu Sambas village house to be built.’” and had said things Rahmad could not forget. Th e A small company of Jews foreigner dared to broach an unthinkable topic. “Have had returned to Judah from you ever considered that the Kingdom of Allah is available for mankind to discover? I am praying that exile in Babylon. Initial eff orts Allah will lead my friend and me to people who want to rebuild the temple were to study the books of Moses, Psalms, and the gospels frustrated by opposition from in order to know and understand the heart of Allah. surrounding peoples. The Are you and your household among such people?” people of God became too Rahmad’s imam had always taught that no book but discouraged to do anything the Qur’an could be trusted as completely accurate. but rebuild their own homes. Rahmad shook himself from a momentary shiver Haggai’s message was, “God in his soul as he recalled the memory of that recent will honor us only if we put His conversation. Th e memory hadn’t ceased. Over the concerns fi rst!” What about past two weeks, Rahmad and his family had met with your church? Is it putting God’s these men and discovered powerful truths as they studied these stories. kingdom fi rst? What about its vision for the world? Does Pray for church planting movement laborers among the God want to use us the way Melayu Sambas people to be bold and loving. Pray that He used Haggai to rebuild a they will fi nd “persons of peace” who will open the doors of neglected mission vision? their community to Jesus.—RA Pray that the Lord will give 450,000 Muslims, 10 believers us the courage, vision, and Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort wisdom to be like Haggai. Location: Kalimantan Island Pray that the Church will have a vision for reaching peoples like the Melayu Sambas which have been neglected for too long a time.

77 Day 27 Acts 19:23 Gorontalo People

About that time there arose awaria, a Gorontalo South Philippine a great disturbance about China Sea woman, considered her Sea J the Way. long journey from a past full of unmet longings as a Just as there was a faithful adherent of Islam. “disturbance” in the hearts Th en came the day she was introduced to Ati. Th is of the Greeks who heard Indian Ocean woman who followed Jesus the apostles preach in the was radically diff erent from book of Acts, there is also a Celebes Sea INDONESIA anyone else Jawaria had “disturbance” in the hearts of ever known. unreached people like Jawaria Gorontalo Ati trained Jawaria to take selected Bible stories, who hear the Word of God Sulawesi Island one at a time, and have today. The gospel is intended her household gather to disturb the listener! Either and discuss them. As a the Holy Spirit prompts them patterned response, Ati to repent, or they allow other trained her to use the following questions related to the stories they voices to keep them away discussed: What does this story reveal about the from the Savior. character of God? In what specifi c ways will you obey God from this passage of Scripture? When do Pray that more Gorontalo you plan to obey truths? When and with whom will people like Jawaria will hear you personally share this story so that others too can and obey His voice! know God and His ways? As Jawaria honestly thought about her life, she realized there were numerous times she had hurt others. She felt like one who had been invited to know Allah and yet was always separated by a great chasm between herself and a holy and just God. Did the stories in the Bible have the answer?

Pray for the church planting movement eff orts among the Gorontalo. Pray for many Gorontalo to seek God’s true and straight pathway found in Jesus alone.—RA

1, 011,000 Muslims, less than 3,200 believers Status: Engaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: Northern Sulawesi

78 Day 28 Kaidipang People Acts 17:19-20

rwan noted the intensity of Halim, the Kaidipang And they took him and I Muslim man, who now sat across from him. Halim brought him to the shared how his soul felt empty, and how he longed to Areopagus, saying, “May know the source of the ache which caused this pain. we know what this new Irwan, a new follower of Jesus, began a stream of teaching is which you are interactions with stories from the Word of God that were crafted to speak into the worldview of Muslims. Th ey proclaiming? For you are meet twice weekly in a Discovery Bible Study (DBS). bringing some strange things to our ears; so we Irwan prays often for Halim to share these stories want to know what these with his household as well as his network of things mean.” relationships. Why wouldn’t the Father be bringing this man to saving faith along with his household? Alas, the Athenians were Th e process may take time, even several years. But simply looking for some novel the Holy Spirit must have time to patiently work. ideas to ponder. It is possible And people like Halim must open their hearts to that people like Halim are also His promptings. When will there be lasting spiritual in that same category. Some fruit in Halim’s life? Th is will take much prayer and people may not receive Christ much love on the part of Christ’s ambassadors. “To be after hearing the good news. eff ective prayer warriors, we need to be eff ective lovers … real prayer comes not from gritting our teeth, but But it is also possible that they from falling in love.” Richard Foster. will turn their hearts over to the Risen Christ as they learn Pray that those who will someday labor among the about Him. Kaidipang people will be people of prayer and intense love. Pray for God to raise up church planting movement labor- Pray for missionaries to ers who come from within Kaidipang communities.—RA continue to plant seeds of faith in the hearts of people, 10,000 Muslims, fi ve believers even when they appear to Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort reject His Word. Location: Northern Sulawesi

79 Day 29 Daniel 1:2 Campalagian People

evastation awaited restoration. And the Lord delivered Ina lingered for a bit as we Jehoiakim, king of Judah, D concluded our art therapy sessions into his hand, along with for villagers traumatized by the some of the articles from recent fl oods. Th e exacting lines the temple of God. These he sculpting Ina’s leathery skinned face carried off to the temple of revealed the harshness of life in this his god in Babylonia. International Create fertile farmland area of southern Sulawesi. I felt Tragedy strikes. The chosen led to ask her privately if she was a reader, and she nation goes into exile. nodded. I asked her if she had ever read of the beauty But in Daniel we also and splendor of Jesus the Savior from the gospels. see something exciting Animatedly, Ina confi ded her desire to hear more happening. Throughout about the life of Jesus. She shared with me that many this book, one message is years ago a man with a Muslim background came trumpeted clearly: God is to her Campalagian village and declared himself a still on the throne! Five times follower of Jesus. Ina recalled that she had received in succeeding chapters the a glimpse of the life of Christ through a brief power of God is displayed discussion of the gospels with him. She noted that which causes the most many others in her village had gathered with this powerful leader in the world man at the time. However, as Ina commented, that to acknowledge Yahweh’s opportunity to learn more of Jesus the Savior seemed sovereignty in the aff airs very long ago. (adapted from the book, Sumbi Life) of men and nations. God’s intention here is that all Pray for national church planting movement laborers men learn to recognize that to be sent to the Campalagian people. Pray for laborers although the heathen rage to fi nd the persons of peace who will introduce them to and the kings of the earth Muslim households that are receptive to the Word of God. take their stand against the Pray for laborers to be raised up who will walk in the hu- Lord and His anointed, He mility and power of the Holy Spirit.—RA still reigns triumphant. 66,000 Muslims, no believers Pray that the Lord will teach Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort us to see His sovereign hand Location: Southern Sulawesi behind the aff airs of men and nations.

80 Day 30 Konjo Pegunungan People Leviticus 19:18

f only I had insisted that Zul come with me to our Do not seek revenge or neighbor’s home!” lamented Lili. Th e girl could “I bear a grudge against one not shake the shame and stabbing guilt she felt. She recalled the awful moment her younger brother, Zul, of your people, but love had fallen from the aged palm tree. Zul had been your neighbor as yourself. I left in Lili’s care while her mother spent several days am the Lord. away at a relative’s funeral in a neighboring Konjo Today we are praying for the Pegunungan village. How could she ever forgive Konjo Pegunungans, a people herself? How could her mother ever forgive her? Konjo Pegunungan people are known to take off ense noted for holding grudges. In our quickly and to hold grudges deeply. human, fallen ways, it is very easy to hold relationship-destroying Lili recalled how she initially rushed Zul to the local dukun. Th e dukun prepared a concoction of crumbled grudges. In His wisdom, love, Qur’anic verses ground to a fi ne powder added to holy and sovereignty, the Lord off ers water from Mecca. “Take your brother home, force something far better: “Love your him to drink this mixture, then let Allah determine neighbor as yourself.” his fate,” admonished the dukun. Two days passed since Zul was injured, and nothing had changed. Pray that this message of Finally, Lili mustered the courage to go against the love and reconciliation will dukun. Lili secured a public minibus to escort her frail soon penetrate the hearts brother to the local government health clinic. of the Konjo Pegunungan people so that they can Pray for spiritual breakthroughs among the Konjo experience the freedom and Pegunungan. Pray for a hunger for the righteousness, mer- peace that was originally cy, and forgiveness of Christ to rise up among the Konjo intended for mankind. Pegunungan people. Pray for church planting movement equipped national laborers to be sent among the Konjo Pegunungan.—RA

150,000 Muslims, less than 100 believers Status: Unengaged in a church planting movement eff ort Location: Southern Sulawesi

81 WILLIAM CAREY LIBRARY

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NoN Solitary Effort How the CIM Worked to Reach the Tribes of Southwest China

No Solitary Eff ort describes how members of the China Inland Mission engaged the tribes of Southwest China as part of their comprehensive plan to evangelize all of China from 1865 to 1951. Th at endeavor required the combined lifelong eff orts of numerous missionaries, spanned several generations, and was invariably aff ected by events and decisions that occurred thousands of miles from where the actual ministry was taking place. Th e task was incomplete when the missionaries were forced to leave, but the foundations for the Church which were laid have stood. Th is book addresses the great challenges to cooperation that faced the missionaries. It also reveals the rich rewards that were obtained by the united eff orts of committed Christians who had no timetable for withdrawal, but only an unwavering commitment to work together until the task was accomplished.

ISBN: 978-0-87808-624-5 List Price: $14.99 Neel Roberts Our Price: $11.99 WCL | Pages 191 | Paperback 2013 3 or more: $8.99 www.missionbooks.org 1-800-MISSION WILLIAM CAREY LIBRARY

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The Ways of the People A Reader in Missionary Anthropology

Alan Tippett’s publications played a signifi cant role in the development of missiology. Th e volumes in this series augment his distinguished reputation by bringing to light his many unpublished materials and hard-to-locate printed articles. Th ese books—encompassing theology, anthropology, history, area studies, religion, and ethnohistory— broaden the contours of the discipline.

Missionaries and anthropologists have a tenuous relationship. While often critical of missionaries, anthropologists are indebted to missionaries for linguistic and cultural data as well as hospitality and introductions into the local community. In Th e Ways of the People, Alan Tippett provides a critical history of missionary anthropology and brings together a superb reader of seminal anthropological contributions from missionaries Edwin Smith, R. H. Codrington, Lorimer Fison, Diedrich Westermann, Henri Junod, and many more.

Twenty years as a missionary in Fiji, following pastoral ministry in Australia and graduate degrees in history and anthropology, provide the rich data base that made Alan R. Tippett a leading missiologist of the twentieth century. Tippett served as Professor of Anthropology and Oceanic Studies at Fuller Th eological Seminary.

ISBN: 978-0-87808-467-8 List Price: $39.99 Alan R. Tippett Our Price: $31.99 WCL | Pages 702 | Paperback 2013

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