Mentawai Islands MinistryRebana Indonesia Foundation

Mentawai Islands, West Sumatera-Indonesia

Indonesia is a country made up of over 17,000 islands.

The Mentawai Islands are located off the west cost of Sumatera.

Sumatera Island

Mentawai Islands

Mentawai People

The Mentawai island chain consists of 4 big islands: Sipora, Siberut, North Pagai, and South Pagai and many smaller islands and islets. The local government operates under the West Sumatera Province with religious demographics of Islam 98%, Christianity and Catholic 1.6%, Hindu 0.0032%, and Buddhism 0.26%. However, for the 75,000 Mentawai people 85% of them embrace Christian faith. This demographic difference presents a challenge for them to face.

Sumatera Island

Sipora

Siberut

North Pagai

SouthPagai

For years these islands have been trapped in a series of health, economic, and education problems. The islands are isolated. As a result they are deprived from many of the qualities of life. Diseases like acute respiratory infection, malaria, diarrhea and birth complications are common in their daily lives. Malnutrition is highly visible among children and adults. Natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis add to the challenge of improving their health and well being.

Mentawai People

Fault Line

The Mentawai Islands Ministry currently focuses on 6 villages on South Pagai:

Bulamonga, Kaute, Mabola, Mapinang, Pasibuat, and Taikakohulu.

South Pagai

North Pagai

21, 000 souls

North & South Pagai

Sikakap (capital)

43 miles

13 miles

Mentawai People (continued)

The worlds largest earthquake struck the western coast of Sumatran island, 8.4 Richter scale, on September 12, 2007. The earthquake shifted the Mentawai islands southwest which was followed by a Tsunami wave, 4.3 feet that hit the southern part of this island chain.

Emergency Response Training Earthquake Simulation

Mentawai People (continued)

The Christians on these islands also face a serious challenge from other faiths and from their own cultural heritage of animism-dynamism. This causes them to be trapped by hazards of immorality and false beliefs.

Teaching the Truth

Mentawai Children (6 villages with up to 500 children)

After implementing a one year project on the island (February 2008-March 2009), the work is not over. Although there has been success in showing, performing, and planting God’s love in their hearts through good deeds, our brothers and sisters still need and long for the continuation of these efforts.

Providing Shoes and Clothing

(uniforms)

Mentawai Children (continued)

Education is not a primary consideration for Mentawai parents. It is very common to find 12 year old children who are still unable to read or write, not to mention simple addition and subtraction and other basic mathematics. Health issues are very common. With limited resources the Rebana Foundation is trying to cope with these situations by assisting the community, especially the children, through the Children Ministry (Study Group). Within this program there are steps to give children high nutrition food supplement, basic mathematic courses, and reading and writing courses. Self sanitation and emergency preparation curriculums are also included.

Providing Education

Mentawai Children (continued)We hope to start a Children Transit House. Many children from the outer island and remote villages are brought by their parents to the capital, Sikakap, to have further studies in Junior High School. Their parents build very simple wood and straw huts for them and then leave them without any supervision. As a result they are susceptible to having malnourished and unhealthy bodies with an extreme chance of falling into sexual practices. The Transit House can provide them a better community to achieve their dreams and live in purity.

Ministering to the ChildrenProviding Love in Many Ways

Games

Recreation

Ministering to the ChildrenProviding Health Care (how to brush their teeth)

Ministering to the ChildrenProviding Nutritional Care

Ministering to the Children & YouthProviding Bible Teaching

Prayer Request from Maria EndangTraslated by Dr. Charles Cole, 04/11/2009

Hello, this is Maria Endang,

I just returned from my supervisorial ministry trip to the Mentawai Islands. It was with a heavy heart that I went to the Mentawai Islands. The purpose of my trip was to temporarily stop Rebana’s ministry on the Mentawai Islands. The ministry must be closed down until funds are received to continue the ministry.

When I announced to the children and their parents that Rebana’s ministry to the children of the Mentawai Islands will be stopped, both the children and the parents broke down crying. They cried because Rebana’s ministry is the first time ever that a non-profit organization has served the spiritual needs of the Mentawai children.

Teachers, church elders, and government officials asked me why a ministry that is serving the needs of the Mentawai people must be closed down? Why must a ministry that is serving the spiritual needs of Mentawai children and even Mentawai adults must be closed down? Rebana’s ministry is leading children and adults to personally know Jesus as Savior. (The typical Christianity found in the Mentawai Islands is a traditional Christianity that regards all Mentawai people as being Christians.)

They also asked why Rebana would close down its ministry when the ministry has brought radical change in the lives of several hoodlums. As hoodlums they had disturbed the peace but now they were busy serving the people of Mentawai.

Rebana’s ministry has resulted in changed lives as Rebana workers have taught the need of a personal relationship with Jesus. Many now have a personal relationship with Jesus.

Prayer Request from Maria Endang (continued)

Every person who has been touched by Rebana’s ministry is asking, “Why must it stop”? I (Maria) have been encouraged to expand the ministry. The head of a village asked, “Why is Rebana limiting its ministry to the southern Pagai islands and not expanding it to the northern islands”? All the villages of the Mentawai Islands are requesting Rebana’s ministry.

One reason that Rebana is so popular is because Rebana has been the only organization that has been able to work with the Mentawai Protestant Christian Church. Rebana has gained the respect and confidence of the Protestant Church because Rebana has trained Junior High students to serve their churches by training vocal groups and choirs.

The ministry of Rebana has really touched the Mentawai people because NO ONE before has ever cared for the Mentawai elementary, junior and senior children. The Mentawai children are mischievous and an embarrassment because they have been neglected by their parents and the church.

I cannot understand why Rebana’s ministry in the Mentawai Islands must be closed down. Please pray that the Lord will send donators to help sponsor Rebana’s ministry in the Mentawai Islands.

I just could not close down the ministry. I told two of the workers, Wiwik and Andre Gendut, to continue to work for another two months with the junior and senior high students. Those students can be taught to serve the Protestant church by teaching the Bible and by leading prayer groups. At the end of two months I don’t know what will happen to the ministry.

Often, I (Maria) do not know how to continue the ministry of Rebana. All that I do is for Rebana. Why does it have to be me and not someone else?

Prayer Request from Maria Endang (continued)

When I get tired and discouraged I turn to the sermon from Psalm 13 that pastor Cole gave. The sermon gives me renewed strength to continue my ministry.

What must I do now?

Why must I face so many obstacles?

Obstacles often come from church leaders. Once I was told by a church leader that I was not qualified. I had not graduated from a seminary. I had not even been a student at the Baptist seminary in Semarang.

I answered that church leader by telling him that all I want is to serve the Lord with a pure heart and not seek personal gain or recognition. My heart’s desire is for the children I serve to fear the Lord and serve Him with all their heart.

My response stopped their mouths. I added, “I serve with a certainty that there will be fruit among the children whom I serve.” I then asked, “Why are not the wise and educated church leaders serving the refugee children in Kupang since 1999?”

I do not understand why there are people who make an issue of my education. Why must I face so many obstacles and so much opposition? Why are so many Christians dishonest and insincere in their ministry?

Please pray for me.

Thank you for your prayers,Maria

“And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them.  But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, ‘Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.’ And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.” Mark 10:13-16

“Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.”

Rebana Indonesia Foundation

Project Name Mentawai Islands Ministry

Project Coordinator Ms. Maria Endang

Budget Required $45,671 USD

Project Time April 2009 – March 2010