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Eviction looms in Jakarta [video and letter]

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Dear Praying Friends,

This afternoon our community received a second notice that the land on which we live is under eviction notice. Today was the first we had of anything more than rumor regarding a timeline and the time they gave for moving is short...12 days. According to the letter, after November 30th those who refuse to move will be dealt with by the authorities.


With almost 1,500 people in the affected area, everyone is stunned by the idea of being "shooed away" like unwanted animals. 12 days is certainly not enough time for all these people to find viable housing options. Particularly for those who own their homes and are being offered a pittance for "moving cost" (and only that) the news hits hard. The folks that own our house, for example, will lose their home and our home (an important source of income). The wife is one of three sisters who lives in the affected area, so not only are they looking for a new house but they are trying to find a way to still live near her sisters and their families. Now competing with hundreds of other families for limited housing in the area (so their kids won't have to change school mid year) their options are expensive and nearly non-existent.

 

We too, being in the area under eviction, will be pounding the pavement looking for a new place to call home. Please pray with us. Pray for calm heads to prevail in a very stressful time. Pray that God would provide just the right home for us and for our friends here. There are, in particular, a few families that we have developed close relationships with and would be very sad to be separated from. We are all hoping to move close by and maintain those relationships but with so many people and so few vacancies we recognize this will actually take an act of God. Pray for peace and safety. Pray that those who hold the power would be moved to show mercy on the weak and not take advantage of their position. Pray that in the midst of all this that we may be good ambassadors of Christ's love to so many hurting people.

 

"He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them."
Psalm 72:12

 

Jakarta_Slum

Our neighbors vacated their house about 2 weeks ago and it was torn down
the next day to make sure no one else moved in.

 

[Written by a member of the Servants team in Jakarta]

 
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