Maluku Utara
Gebe
Today we're going to brave the clouds and fly the breadth of Halmahera Island to the "Outpost of West Papua", Gebe Island. They don't get many tourists there. Let's show them what they're missing.
Sofifi. Currently the capial of North Maluku since taking over that function from Ternate in 2010.
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And now it's overland for a bit.
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Looks like about it for Halmahera.
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And the start of Gebe Island. The Joshua Project, an Evangelical Christian organization which maintains a huge database of Unreached Peoples in order to coordinate the work of like-minded missionaries, lists Gebe Island as being "Partially Reached" with a score of 4 out of 5. This is due to the fact that, in spite of being 95% Muslim, there are 5% Christian, and more importantly, 3% Evangelical Christians amongst the 3,500 people calling this place home. 2% Evangelical is the minimum acceptable level for a place to be considered Partially Reached.Sadly, almost no one calls this place home for any length of time. It is a mine. There are many more migrant workers than inhabitants. All of the figures likely have to be routinely updated, possibly through some kind of declaration at the airport. Still have to admire the determination of the Project though. Closer to home, they identify deaf people in Canada as being Superficially Reached - in great need of spiritual renewal and commitment to biblical faith, a 3 out of 5. A somewhat lower score than the Muslim people of Gebe enjoy. This is because, while almost three quarters of Canadian deaf people identify themselves as being Christian, there are very few evangelists who speak sign language. And, as I say, the minimum is 2%. I find it odd that there aren't more evangelists who speak sign language, because in my experience they all talk with their hands. I think that would put an interesting spin on an old timey revival meeting, if everyone who is repeating the last few words of what the guy up front has just said, or are interjecting somewhat random beatitudes, had to do it silently with their hands. Interestingly, many Muslim scholars hold that Joshua, the organization's namesake, was exceptional amongst the Israelites for being a faithful follower of Allah, although he is not specifically named in the Qur'an (he is referenced though, and specifically named in other Islamic literature). Currently, the project is looking for 79 volunteers to work in Aceh Province, Progress Score zero, whose population is 99.88% Muslim and practices Sharia Law. Under Sharia Law, conversion to anything can be considered treason, punishable by death (although this is not often carried out, the condemned merely being considered Apostate, and receiving their punishment in hell). It is unclear what the Law says concerning the Missionaries involved, but I imagine the crime would be sedition, and likely carries a stiff fine and a stern lecture. So if you're in between jobs and have a somewhat cavalier attitude towards danger, consider working in Aceh. Seriously, though, the religious tension in this country isn't going away anytime soon. |
That can't be good. The open-pit scar, I mean. Religious tension too, but right now we're talking ecological disasters. BTW, this is us crossing the equator.
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The town. Of sorts.
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Welcome to the mine!
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