An Adventist church member in Jakarta, Indonesia was confirmed to have died of the coronavirus. Information was confirmed by local health authorities, a week after his death on March 23, 2020. He was placed under PUI (Person Under Investigation) while confined in the hospital.
The reported member is the first Covid-19 casualty within the Southern Asia-Pacific (SSD) region. Earlier reports from the Adventist News Network and Adventist Review confirmed one Adventist member in China and another in London to be fatalities of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Currently, Indonesian government did not issue any lockdown in any of its cities. However, government strongly advised social distancing between individuals. Local health authorities also reiterated to the public the need to stay at home should there be any signs or symptoms of covid-19 and to personally conduct 14-day quarantine to avoid the spread of the disease.
Pastor David Panjaitan, Communication director of the Adventist church in West Indonesia region communicated that work from home was also implemented by the government and that social gathering including church services will be prohibited until April 19 in some areas of West Indonesia particularly in Jakarta.
Digital Evangelism comes into picture
The advent of the Coronavirus pandemic has brought Adventists members to come out of their comfort zones and think of creative ways to continue the mission online.
Local churches and Adventist groups going online spread like wildfire almost every day conducting bible study webinars, prayer chains, and live talks.
On March 21, the Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD) Youth Department initiated a one-hour prayer live stream. The live stream showcased different stories of faith, compassion, and persistence especially in times of crisis.
Pastor Ron Genebago, Adventist youth director of the Southern Asia-Pacific region, in one of his segments, invited everyone to take time to pray and commune with the Lord while we battle this disease.
“Now, more than ever, is the best time for all of us to pray,” Genebago said, as we pray together, we are reminded that through prayer, impossible things happen and it brings us to a realization that in good times and in tough times, our Lord listens.”
100 Days of Prayer
The Seventh-day Adventist world church launched the 100 Days of Prayer from March 27-July 4, 2020. This initiative has brought encouragement to church members that in the last days the Holy Spirit will be given as a gift to the church. This happens right in time when people are gripped with the fear of the coronavirus. This reminds everyone that through prayer, we acknowledge that it is the only avenue in which we can seek strength and leading to overcome this crisis. We
While social distancing prohibits us to come together and congregate in prayer, this 100 Days of Prayer can be done remotely in our respective households, together with our family or with our friends.