Indonesia: Bible college still waiting for a home

Bible college staff and students who were driven out of their premises in Jakarta by violent protesters ten months ago are a step closer to finding a new home.

The Indonesian authorities have inspected a site in Bambu Apus district as a potential new campus for the Arastamar School of Theology and have promised to issue a building permit. College staff would, however, still need the approval of local residents before they could begin construction.

Some 1,200 staff and pupils from the college have been living in temporary accommodation since a mob brandishing machetes raided their former campus in Kampung Pulo in July (Prayer Alert, September 2, 2008). Some have been living in tents and holding classes in the open air under trees. About 500 have been housed in an abandoned office that lacks even basic facilities such as running water and toilets.

In mid-March, officials promised to buy the original campus from the college – but made clear that they would only pay for the land, not the buildings.

(Source: Compass Direct)

Thank God that a new campus has been identified for the Bible college. Pray that neighbours will not voice any objection to a new college being built there.