vision
We envision churches in East Asia glorifying God by partnering with the global Church, SIM and our supporting constituencies in sending missionaries to the least reached, while also receiving missionaries in certain countries of East Asia. Together, as God’s people, we commit ourselves willingly and joyfully to be involved in furthering the cause of the Great Commission through praying, giving, mobilizing, going and receiving missionaries.
ministry
The staff of the East Asia Office coordinates and supervises the efforts of constituent sending and receiving entities, and provides services in the areas of:
- promotion
- strengthening partnerships with churches
- mobilization of churches and individuals
- involving our countries more in candidate screening and selection
- mentoring and orientation
- information coordination
- church-mission partnerships
- administration, supervision, and development of receiving contexts
- crisis management and contingency planning
- care for children of cross-cultural workers
Communities where He is least known
Members of Bugis, the largest tribe inhabiting the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, have long been known as tough sailors and tenacious traders. The Bugis, with an estimated seven million people, can be found throughout Indonesia and even in Malaysia, Singapore, and the southern Philippines.
Islam is the main religion of the Bugis tribe. However, the Bugis also believe in the tradition of the ancestors and the power of occult spirits. Mission work has been done amongst them since the beginning of the 19th century, primarily by Dutch missionaries, but with little success. The number of Bugis Christians is estimated to be less than one per cent.
