July 13 - Pray for: Indonesia

Papua and West Papua:

• Missionary numbers are on the increase again - both expatriate and indigenous Indonesians and Papuans. Most work in towns and coastal areas and serve in a wide range of ministries. More are needed who can pioneer unreached rural areas and transmigrant communities. Other pioneer areas have opened up as well in recent years.
• Christian aviation is essential in this land with few roads. MAF has 22 planes here. WT-Tariku, Yajasi (a SIL-JAARS partner) and Helimission also have flying programmes in some of the most rigorous conditions in the world. Pray for safety; there have been bad accidents. Pray for more to be called to this ministry and for its funding. Flying costs can be high, but inland economies often depend on this.
• The transmigrants continue to arrive (5,000 every week from Java alone), to multiply and to dominate. They have often gained land and privileges at the expense of the indigenous Papuans and care little for the injustices suffered by the people onto whose land they are moving. Transmigrants already dominate the few urban centres. Pray that God may call some Christians to boldly and lovingly bring the gospel to these people, who themselves are in a new and foreign land. The Free Papua Movement has introduced uncertainty and threats of violence against these transmigrants as well.