On one occasion during a visit to a district called Ninati, in Boven Digoel, Papua, a group from the Indonesian Bible Institute (LAI) visited an elementary school run by a Christian Education Foundation.
The children attending the school were mostly shoeless, carrying neither bags nor stationery like elementary school children in Java. Their white and red uniforms look dull and brownish.
In a brief interaction with the students, we were surprised by a student's outspoken answer. At that time the leader of the LAI group, Mrs Erna Yulianawati, asked the question, "Which city was Jesus born in? Whoever can answer I will give a prize!"
The atmosphere was soon quiet as none of the children answered. Suddenly a child raised a finger and exclaimed loudly, "I know, Mummy. The Lord Jesus was born in West Java!" That answer certainly made all the team members laugh, but not the children. They were puzzled to see us laughing.
We found out later that, although they attended a Christian school, they rarely had any Christianity lessons. Even more concerning, these children did not have Sunday School classes. Even if there is one, it is more often than not ‘skipped ’. Most of these primary school children still have difficulty reading and writing. They and their families also do not own a Bible. Therefore, they have no source of information and guidance for their growing faith.
Not only in Ninati district. We also experienced the same conditions in Yetetkun Village, which is located about 4-5 kilometres from Indonesia's border with Papua New Guinea. To get to this village, we walked for almost 2 hours, through a path in the middle of the forest. When we arrived at the place and distributed the Bibles they were overjoyed, some of the women in the place were crying with joy. They said the visit from LAI and its partners was like cool water in the middle of a long drought. Yetetkun's remote location makes it difficult for pastors to visit church members there. When we were about to return to Ninati, many children and mothers were crying because they didn't want us to rush home. The one and two hour meeting had united our hearts. All because of the same passion to share the Good News with each other.
This year, through the One in Love (SDK) programme LAI will distribute 155,000 Bibles to 155,000 people. The SDK programme bridges the need for Bibles and parts in remote areas that due to geographical, social and economic conditions are unable to purchase and own Bibles. The SDK programme also supports the first publication of Bibles and portions into local languages.
Thank you for the support of partners who have faithfully sustained LAI's ministry to sow the word to the corners of the country. It takes a collective heart to fulfil the thirst for faith formation in rural areas. Isn't a person who always reads and meditates on God's word like a tree planted by a river? (cf. Psalm 1). We certainly hope that in the future there will be no more assumptions or the term "KTP Christian", when everyone can joyfully read and meditate on God's word in a language that is understood and comprehensible. It takes all of our care for the Bible to reach those who desperately need it.
For partners who want to find out more information about the SDK LAI Programme, please visit our website: satudalamkasih.alkitab.or.id, or contact us via WA at 0811-1925-400 (Anggun). Bible greetings for all.
