Investing in Faith: Donations to Papua Churches

Child ministry is widely recognized as a vital service within the Church. Faith is a fundamental need for every child, shaping their understanding of a God-fearing life as they grow. Spiritual growth is an integral part of a child's well-being, and the Church serves as a crucial community that nurtures children alongside their families. 

However, churches in remote Indonesian villages face pressing challenges related to the resources and facilities required to support children's ministry, particularly Sunday School. Operating on limited budgets, these churches struggle to meet these facility needs. Sunday School teachers have expressed that the lack of resources such as chairs, musical instruments, and projectors significantly hinders the smooth running of their ministry. The availability of these resources is essential for creating a meaningful learning environment and spiritual experience for children. 

Thanks to the support of donors and sponsors of Wahana Visi Indonesia, the resource needs of several churches in Biak, Papua, have been met. This collective support has been immensely beneficial to children who have always been eager to attend Sunday School. 

Following the distribution of resources by the WVI team in Biak, children can now sit comfortably during Sunday School services. Guitars and ukuleles have encouraged children to sing joyfully, increasing their enthusiasm for worship and developing their musical talents alongside the church's music group. Projectors have facilitated the screening of videos during services, creating a more interactive atmosphere. With the addition of a printer, Sunday School teachers can prepare more engaging and enjoyable materials for the children. Donors and sponsors have also provided loudspeakers, making Sunday School services more conducive. 

"The provided facilities support the comfort and togetherness of the children. The children are now more motivated to attend Sunday School. We, as Sunday School teachers, are very grateful," said Imelda (31). "Previously, the children sat on the floor. With the availability of adequate chairs and ukuleles, the children are now more eager to come to Sunday School and sing. Going forward, the children's enthusiasm will be continued with ukulele practice together," echoed Mama Lis (56), also a children's ministry volunteer at the church. 

The children feel a sense of joy being able to sit comfortably together. The service feels more lively with the accompaniment of guitars and ukuleles. With an adequate number of ukuleles, children can even try learning to play the instrument. The children's singing sounds more beautiful and melodious when accompanied by instruments. 

This donation has had a positive and significant impact on both the children and Sunday School teachers. The churches feel that this blessing can be used to increase children's participation and serve as a first step for the church in creating a child-friendly environment. 

Author: Biak Area Programme Team Members 

Editor: Mariana Kurniawati (Communication Executive)