Pray with Indonesia, January 30, 2022

Lectionary Selection: Luke 4: 21-30 (NRSV)

*Rev. Yulian Widodo, of GMIT’s Synod Unit on General Ministry and Hospitality, distributes emergency relief at Al-Fitrah Mosque in Oesapa, West Timor, to women whose homes were damaged.*

Prayers for Indonesia:

O God, today we remember the people of Indonesia who are vulnerable to increasingly dangerous climate disasters—hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and rockslides. We pray for global justice to address the crippling impact of Covid on Indonesia’s rural populations scattered over thousands of islands with limited access to vaccines. We pray that those monitoring environmental exploitation, government corruption, gender-based violence, human trafficking, and violent conflict in Indonesia will be able to continue their important work of speaking truth to power. We pray especially for the reconstruction efforts of the Evangelical Christian Church of Timor following Cyclone Seroja—the pilot projects to train carpenters so they can build back better with more robust church structures, economic empowerment training for women, and improved response to the continued disasters of droughts and tropical storms. Walk with the island people of Alor and West Timor; Sabu and Raijua; Rote and Ndao; Flores and Sumbawa. Grant them Your mercy and strength. May the resilience they demonstrate close at hand become a light to inspire others far away. Jog our memories, O God, so we remember that your mission has been, and remains, a global one. In the name of the one who was not afraid to love those far away from his home, we pray. Amen.

*Recipients of GMIT’s disaster relief at a Muslim orphanage and grade school in Namosain, West Timor.*

Mission Stewardship Moment from Indonesia:

Today’s scripture reading expands Jesus’ preferential option for the poor found in earlier verses to an option for non-Israelites. Thinking him a traitor, Jesus’ hometown crowd flipped its attitude 180 degrees from “all spoke well of him…” to attempted murder. This reversal reminds me of deep-seated rifts among those who once thought they knew and trusted each other. On the surface, such animosities relate to a range of issues in the US, but underneath they point to fundamentally different beliefs about culture, faith, and nation. With so much distrust and turmoil amongst ourselves, how can Jesus expect us to care for those beyond our own communities?

*A church building in East Sabu (Island) Presbytery leveled by Seroja Cyclone.*

Cyclone Seroja, which struck southeastern Indonesia last year, left hundreds of churches, parsonages, and homes heavily damaged or entirely destroyed. The Emergency Response Team of the Evangelical Christian Church of Timor (GMIT) rose to meet the challenge of providing emergency assistance and pastoral support to congregations in remote areas on several different islands. In its response, GMIT included members of other denominations and faiths. Aid to Muslims is particularly significant because of Indonesia’s legacy of interreligious strife. Even now, security alerts are routinely issued during religious holidays as a time when extremist groups have been known to launch attacks on worshippers. Thank you for your gifts to Global Ministries that help partners like GMIT respond faithfully during times of disaster. Just as a disaster is blind to distinctions, so too is the love of Christ that we are invited to share beyond our own homes and communities.

Photos courtesy of Rev. Wanto Menda, GMIT Synod Unit on Communication and Information.

Prayer and Mission Moment by Karen Campbell-Nelson

Mission Partners in Indonesia

More about Indonesia

Global Ministries Mission Co-worker in Indonesia:
Karen Campbell-Nelson has served with the Evangelical Christian Church of West Timor in West Timor, Indonesia. Her appointment is has been made possible by your gifts to Disciples Mission Fund, Our Church’s Wider Mission, OGHS, and your special gifts.