Pastor Iswanto and his wife head a children’s rescue ministry and school they started about 20 years ago in Bali, Indonesia, a Hindu-majority island within a Muslim-majority nation. They currently care for 32 children and youth. The Project Philip Bible studies you help provide are an important part of their ministry.

The work was not easy, but they persevered. Leaders in their community often opposed them, once even ordering them to immediately close their school. Local authorities even detained the pastor at the police station at that time.

But God intervened. After putting the pastor and the ministry through a long and complicated investigation and survey, the police and the local leaders recognized that the school and its work contributed to the social good and were neither harmful nor dangerous. Praise God! Today they have permits for their church and school activities.

According to Pastor Iswanto, “Ninety-five percent of those we serve find it difficult to meet their basic daily needs. I can never expect them to have the extra money to buy Bibles.”

One of their colleagues, Mr. Moody, introduced Bible League’s ministry to them. Church members took part in training to become Project Philip Bible study leaders. Mrs. Iswanto wept during the online training when she saw so many people who want to use God’s Word to make disciples.

Today, thanks to Bible League’s Project Philip program, Pastor Iswanto and his wife report that most people in their congregation now have a Bible. In addition, those they serve now have Bible League study aids they can use for their personal study or in small groups at any time.

They are grateful that Project Philip Bible studies are also available to reach children. One of their primary focuses is to teach the children in their community, as early as possible, to know the truth of God’s Word.

Pastor Iswanto notes, “By faith, God enables us to help these children find their future. Our prayer is that the children who are with us will continue to live in the truth of God’s Word and rely on God all their lives.”

Thanking donors like you, they say: “We express our gratitude to Bible League and to donors who have faithfully supported God’s work through the provision of Bibles and other materials. We send greetings from our congregation in Bali, and from the foster children at our rescue homes.”

In addition to Bali, the couple has introduced and is running the Project Philip ministry in two towns on the island of Sulawesi, where they are serving at least 17 small local churches.