Pray for Indonesia on Sunday, September 13, 2015

Lectionary Selection: Mark 8:27-38

Prayers for Indonesia:
Gracious God, we give thanks that you have gathered together people from many tribes, traditions, and languages to be one nation. You have given them bountiful resources on land and sea. Teach them and us to use your gifts more wisely, to stop the burning of tropical rainforest for the sake of palm oil plantations, the expropriation of tribal lands to serve corporate greed, and the destruction of coral reefs. Save the people of Indonesia from the scourge of human trafficking, the crippling effects of corruption, a legal system that allows profound violations of human rights to go unpunished, and a distorted democracy that serves only the interests of the wealthy and powerful. Whether we call on you in the name of Christ or of Allah, we share one earth and one common humanity. Unite us also in one faith. We rely on your Grace. Amen.

Mission Stewardship Moment from Indonesia:
Abdul Rahman Jose Soares, his wife Sri and their three wonderful daughters stayed at our house on their return from East Timor. Abdul/Jose was abducted from East Timor by an Indonesian soldier when he was 8, taken to Kalimantan and raised as a Muslim. Our friends at AJAR Institute have been working to reunite people like Abdul with their families in East Timor (there are over 4,000). We are just a transfer point on the way, but it is a wonderful experience.

According to local tradition, Abdul couldn’t immediately enter his home village because they had already placed a gravestone for him, assuming he was dead. A ritual had to be prepared in order welcome him back from the grave. Although his Timorese family are all either Catholic or Protestant, they accepted his Islamic faith without question and held a three-day feast for the entire village.

Confessing Christ (Mark 8:34-38) needn’t mean converting others to Christianity, but it certainly means embracing a long-lost brother. Abdul’s return was in its own unique way a witness to the Resurrection.

(Prayer and Mission Moment by John and Karen Campbell-Nelson)

Mission Partners in Indonesia:

More information on Indonesia: http://www.globalministries.org/indonesia

Global Ministries Missionaries in Indonesia:
John and Karen Campbell-Nelson serve as missionaries with the Evangelical Church of West Timor. John’s appointment is made possible by your gifts to Disciples Mission Fund, Our Churches Wider Mission, and your special gifts. Karen’s appointment is supported by One Great Hour of Sharing, Our Churches Wider Mission, Disciples Mission Fund and your special gifts.