Cambodia
The Cambodians are beautiful people, emerging like budding flowers after the Khmer Rouge regime murdered a generation. Sadly, all these years later, many Cambodians are still oppressed – under the fear of evil spirits. I’m meeting people set free of all that, as they come to know Jesus and are baptised into the family of God. It’s an exciting time to be involved in God’s mission in Cambodia.
Indonesia
The people of Indonesia have a strong sense of community and a gentle nature. The 8 million Lutherans in a predominately Muslim country have learnt how to work together in their communities and have a deep passion for serving Jesus. In partnership with the churches in Indonesia we have much to offer and even more to learn!
Malaysia East (Sabah)
The people of Malaysia are unevenly distributed between Peninsular and East Malaysia, with the vast majority living in Peninsular Malaysia. The population shows great ethnic, linguistic, cultural, and religious diversity. Within this diversity, a significant distinction is made for administrative purposes between indigenous peoples (including Malays), and immigrant populations (primarily Chinese and South Asians).
Malaysia (Peninsula)
The people of Malaysia are unevenly distributed between Peninsular and East Malaysia, with the vast majority living in Peninsular Malaysia. The population shows great ethnic, linguistic, cultural, and religious diversity. Within this diversity, a significant distinction is made for administrative purposes between indigenous peoples (including Malays), and immigrant populations (primarily Chinese and South Asians).
Myanmar
Among the ethnically diverse nation including the officially recognised 135 distinct ethnic groups, the beautiful people of Myanmar are living in a country which has gone through vast changes in the recent past. It is only under reforms introduced since 2011 by a new government, that strict state controls imposed after the 1962 military coup have eased.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea is a truly beautiful country. Outside of its key cities, the people are subsistence farmers living off plots of land scattered throughout spectacular mountains. Over 600 couples and individuals representing the LCA have worked among the people in PNG over the past 100 years. These numbers have declined since independence 40 years ago. Now we have only two people working full-time in PNG. While the Lutheran church in PNG has over 1 million members, the teaching of the gospel faces many challenges.
Singapore
The population of Singapore is diverse, the result of considerable past immigration. Chinese predominate, making up some three-fourths of the total. Malays are the next largest ethnic group, and Indians the third. None of those three major communities is homogeneous. Among the Chinese, more than two-fifths originate from Fujian province and speak the Amoy (Xiamen) dialect, about one-fourth are Teochew from the city of Shantou in Guangdong province, and a smaller number are from other parts of Guangdong. Linguistic differences are less pronounced among the Malays, but the group includes Indonesians speaking Javanese, Boyanese, and other dialects. The Indian group is most diverse, consisting of Tamils (more than half), Malayalis, and Sikhs; it also includes Pakistani and Sinhalese communities.
Thailand
The Thai population is largely homogeneous, with most being ethnic Thai who profess the character of a devout Buddhist society. They are gentle, humble and non-confrontational people who enjoy relaxed and pleasant interactions with one another.