ing religious devotion. Undoubtedly there is a great potential of service among these followers of Mohamme danism. The Indonesian churches re port a few converts from Islam, but most attempts to evangelize them are met with considerable opposition. Roman Catholic Sponsored by the Dutch Colonial Government, the Catholic church gained a firm foothold in Borneo. In addition to their numerous churches, they have control of most of the hos pitals and clinics in Kalimantan Ba- rat. Their educational system en lists hundreds of Dyaks, Chinese and Indonesians, since there are very few government or Protestant schools available. Near Singkawang is a newly established theological semi nary from which they hope to sup ply well-indoctrinated workers for all of Borneo. Seventh-day Adventists There is one small church in Pon- tianak, but much literature is com ing from their printing press in Ban dung, Java. Types of Evangelical Ministry Gospel teams comprised of both missionaries and national workers are the main means of evangelism in all of the areas we visited. Traveling by boat, bicycle or foot, these teams penetrate deep into areas otherwise untouched. In Pontianak and Sing kawang police permits have been granted to hold open air meetings. Tracts and literature are not ex tensively useful because of the il literacy of the people, but for those who can read, it is an important means of instruction. Radio reception from the Far East Broadcasting Company in Manila is good in most areas. The programs are quite effective, but there are too few of them and the number of re ceivers is definitely limited. In every area we found extensive and effective use of phonographs and records made by Gospel Recordings. Missionary records will soon be reach ing many more Indonesians in their own dialects. Elementary s choo l s are being planned for every mission station visited. Government support is avail able for such projects, but most so cieties choose to refuse aid other than textbooks. Bible schools are functioning in several areas. Vocational training, especially sewing and farming, is be ing offered in one or two areas. Nurses’ training is being offered in connection with the hospital work. Medical clinics are operated on sev eral stations and first aid treatment
is offered on all. These services prove to be an effective way of gaining an audience for the gospel. One mis sionary reports eight conversions in one month as a result of her witness to patients. A farmers co-op for the social and economic betterment of the Dyaks has been started at Sungai Batung. Types of Ministry Needed There will always be a need for evangelistic teams. We made an in teresting experiment by combining the preaching and distribution of tracts and gospel records. We would teach the people of the village a song and give them a message based on the truth of that song and leave a piece of literature appropriate to the sub ject. This could be done for every record available from Gospel Record ings. Those who can read will keep the message alive by reading the tract aloud and the record stays in the village to repeat the message in song. Elementary s choo l s are sorely needed everywhere and provide an unequaled opportunity to win the children. The great need is for con secrated national teachers. It is generally agreed that the un usual problems of West Borneo make it desirable to have small Bible schools in each area rather than at tempt a large inter-mission school. Certainly the need of Kalimantan Barat can be met by a large com pany of trained national leaders. There is much to be desired in the field of adult literacy. There are many Christian Dyaks who are at a spiritual standstill because they are unable to read the Scriptures. Many missionary parents express their need of a school for missionary children. The time used and frus tration caused by parents trying to instruct their own children is some times not equal to the joy of having them at home. Then too, the child can make more normal social adjust ments in a school situation. Most of the parents feel they would rather not send their children to some dis tant school and some feel there are enough missionaries in the area to make such a school practicable in Kalimantan Barat. Our Prospect and Program The immediate possibilities for ministry include evangelism, educa tion and medical aid. We have suf ficient ability in the language to preach. We will supplement this by an extensive use of gospel records. We are not equipped for elementary or Bible school teaching as yet, but we have an open field in adult literacy. The local medical ^ authorities have MORE W
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