Global Ministries

Dear Friends,

Grace to you, and peace, in the fifth month of the Time of Corona. As in the United States, places of worship here in Indonesia have been closed to public worship for several months now. 

In Makassar, the largest city in eastern Indonesia (about 1.5 million population), the history of religious relations has its ups and downs. In 2019, Setara Institute, a nationally renowned research institute, declared Makassar as one of the 10 most intolerant cities in Indonesia. This is supported by a number of aggressive actions of Islamic intolerant groups in this city. Islamic internal intolerance towards Shi'ites and Ahmadis is common. Also, intolerance towards other religious communities with cases of rejection of the construction or renovation of Christian worship buildings. There have been the closings of restaurants that sell pork as well as eliminating books at bookstores that are considered to teach communism or Marxism.

Greetings in the love of Christ,

We give thanks for the longstanding ecumenical fellowship between our churches, The Evangelical Protestant Church of Timor (GMIT), The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the United Church of Christ, through the Common Global Ministries Board. We feel blessed by the common work of GMIT and Global Ministries in many fields of ministry. Especially in difficult times, we have always been able to count on Global Ministries.

After two months of house worship and empty church buildings, the Synod office of GMIT (the Evangelical Protestant Church of Timor) encouraged households to observe a day of fasting, an uncommon practice among GMIT’s rich tradition of rituals.

Global Ministries has received several wonderful videos from partners expressing how they are experiencing and responding to COVID-19. These videos will be shared via Facebook, Youtube, Vimeo, and right here on this page. The most recently posted video(s) will be at the top.

We encourage you to share these updates with your friends on social media. You may also consider using them during your virtual Sunday School meetings. It would be a great opportunity to hear from a partner and then pray for them.

We pray these videos will provide new insights and inspiration.

Rev. Dr. Mery Kolimon

Moderator of the Synod of Evangelical Protestant Church in Timor GMIT, Indonesia

(Translated by Dr. Karen Campbell Nelson)

A contribution to an Online Discussion on the topic “Church and Government Synergy in Handling the Covid-19 Pandemic in Indonesia” on April 30, 2020.

The Southern Asia region, comprising of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam, is one of the most populous regions in the world. Although many of these countries have reported fewer deaths and confirmed cases, as per some analysts, it is hard to be definite about these claims in view of the limited testing and monitoring capacities. With the indefinite nature of the lockdowns, and with most services and industries shut, and with hardly any economic activity, millions of people who live on daily wages are now exposed to hunger and homelessness. Churches in this region, although small and many, are actively engaged in community awareness and in reaching out to the most marginalized sections with daily supplies.

The Southern Asia region, comprising of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, is one of the most populous regions in the world. Although many of these countries have reported fewer deaths and confirmed cases, as per some analysts, it is hard to be definite about these claims in view of the limited testing and monitoring capacities. With current indefinite lockdowns and with hardly any economic activity, millions of people who live on daily wages are now exposed to hunger and homelessness. Churches in this region, although small and many, are actively engaged in community awareness and in reaching out to the most marginalized sections with daily supplies.

The following was sent by mission co-worker in Indonesia, Karen Campbell-Nelson, in response to an email sent to all mission co-workers from Global Ministries Co-Executives, Rev. Dr. Julia Brown Karimu and Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson.

First, a story from Delhi that resonates with the sighs of millions in the region.

Baby Devi has already lost 80% of her monthly earnings to the spread of the coronavirus - and the worst in India may be yet to come.

The 38-year-old mother of four, who cleans homes for a living, lost jobs with two of her three employers. Like many relatively well-off Indians, they've begun social distancing to fight the highly infectious virus.

For Devi, who is now taking home about $0.67 a day, her diminished earnings are as much of a concern as her living conditions. As India races to break the chain of transmission of the illness known as COVID-19, her family - living in a cramped single room and sharing a bathroom and toilet with two other households - is among those most at risk.