Enabling the Ministry in Indonesia

Summer 2021 UPDATE | COVID-19 and Compassion Indonesia

A year ago, the COVID-19 pandemic caused shutdowns and work stoppages in every country where Compassion ministers through local churches. More than 280 new church partners had to halt registration of children they had identified for care. Therefore, the children were not available for sponsorship and the churches projected insufficient income to provide for them — in the midst of a historic health crisis. Thanks to your decision to stand in the gap to provide the funding the churches needed this past year, thousands of children who were not eligible for sponsorship received lifesaving benefits.

Although Compassion is not a relief organization, you helped these churches respond quickly, enabling them to fulfill their commitment to children — and families — in their communities. In Indonesia, staff have provided regular food packs, hygiene kits, access to medical care, educational assistance and spiritual support to children and families in desperate need, many of whom lost their incomes and faced hunger and illness.

Because of your gift, two churches – Gereja Toraja Jemaat Rante Bone and Gereja Toraja Jemaat Siloam Teteuri – have been able to be a vital resource to families in their communities in the Sulawesi Selatan region of Indonesia.  Both have been able to register children and monitor their health and treat malnutition. Staff have provided supplemental educational lessons to children and helped families with income-generating skills training.

Aventura Equips Churches in Indonesia

Church: Gereja Toraja Jemaat Rante Bone
Location:Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
Registered Children: This center has registered 100 children, 3-8 years old. Twelve children have been sponsored. 

COMMUNITY PROFILE

• The church is located in a village that is home to approximately 9,000 people.
• The primary language is Indonesian.
• Typical houses are constructed with cement floors, wood walls and tin roofs.
• The primary regional diet consists of rice and sago (a common local starch).
• Employment opportunities are day labor and subsistence farming.
• The unemployment rate is approximately 55%.

A Message From the Pastor at Gereja Toraja Jemaat Rante Bone

Praise be to him, the Owner of Life, who always bestows His Grace on all of us. His real presence continues to enable us all to experience His mercy in carrying out the duties and ministries where He has placed us to serve, and because of His blessings we can all still exist as we are today.

Herewith, as the person in charge of child devevlopment center, Tali Kasih Rante Bone, I would like to thank you for your support of 100 children. The support is very beneficial for the sustainability of our children’s activities by providing some basic necessities, medical equipment, and school equipment.

Some of the programs we can provide an update on are:

1. Growth Monitoring: We monitor the growth of the child every month, in the form of weighing and measuring height.
2. Malnutrition and stunting interventions: A total of 27 indicated malnutrition and stunting. Therefore we make various efforts such as providing nutritious food ingredients.
3. Food Security: We distribute various vegetable seeds so that they grow vegetables for them to consume.
4. Tutorial lessons: A total of 45 school age children cannot read, write and count properly. We did reading and writing lessons and counting.

The children are very enthusiastic and happy. Hopefully this will bring them to feel the presence of Christ in them through the support of the hands of all fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters.

There is nothing we can do to repay your kindness. While giving thanks and prayers to Our Lord Jesus Christ, may His love and grace always overshadow us all in carrying out our respective duties and responsibilities. Once again we say thank you, Lord Jesus Bless. Amen

Letter edited for clarity.

Church: Gereja Toraja Jemaat Siloam Teteuri
Location: Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
Projected Registered Children: This center has registered 100 children, 3-8 years old. Fifteen children are sponsored.

COMMUNITY PROFILE

• The church is located in a village that is home to approximately 4,100 people.
• The primary language is Indonesian.
• Typical houses are constructed with cement floors, wood walls and grass or thatch roofs.
• The primary regional diet consists of rice and sago (a common local starch).
• Employment opportunities are day labor and subsistence farming.
• The unemployment rate is 70%.

Staff from Gereja Toraja Jemaat Siloam Teteuri packaged supplies for delivery to families’ homes. 

Thank you for making a difference

“He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward him for what they have done.” — Proverbs 19:17, NIV

Thank you again for choosing to partner with Compassion to reach children living in the most difficult circumstances. Your support has prevented hunger and illness, it has provided hope for the future, and it has demonstrated the power of Jesus’ love. We hope you feel blessed to read of the great difference you have made.