Story number 1 for 21 Jan 2000

We begin today’s newscast in strife torn Indonesia where the Muslim and
Christian conflict continues. After three days of rioting Christians are fleeing the
Island of Lombok (lohm-bahk). Clashes there have claimed two-thousand lives over
the last year. Guy Sire with New Tribes Mission says we’re seeing a fundamental shift
in the country. “Indonesia has always been a Muslim country with an attempt to keep
the government secular. But, what we’re finding now is without a strong powerful figure
in the presidency, Islamic elements are making their bid for control of the country.”
According to Sire, because many New Tribes missionaries are in safe areas of the
country, their work has slowed. “We have a tremendous core of Indonesians that have
gone through our training program there. We still have two families still in the Moluccas
and have not evacuated out. But, we sincerely need more Indonesians, challenged to
reach their own people.”