Border Baptism Marks Milestone for Mission

A baptism in a border community between Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Indonesia has marked a significant milestone for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, with a young couple becoming the first Adventists in their village.

The baptism took place on June 6 at the Sota Seventh-day Adventist Church in West Papua, Indonesia. The couple are from Indorodoro Village on the Papua New Guinea side of the border.

According to Obed Yamasombi, a pastor who is Sabbath School and Personal Ministries director for the South Pacific Division, the occasion represented the fruit of years of relationship-building and mission work in the region.

“The young woman is the firstborn daughter of a respected village elder who also serves as a pastor in another Christian denomination,” he said.

Yamasombi recalled a visit to the village in 2023 by a bicycle ministry team comprising more than 100 riders. During that visit the village elder welcomed the group and organized a traditional reception.

“He mobilized the entire community to receive the team through a traditional welcome ceremony and graciously hosted the ministry team overnight with a special welcome feast,” Yamasombi said.

The village elder and members of his family attended the baptism to support the couple as they publicly committed their lives to Christ. “Their presence was a powerful testimony to God’s leading and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.”

Following the baptism, the village elder informed the pastors he would donate land for his daughter and son in-law to build an Adventist church in Indorodoro Village.
Yamasombi said the baptism highlights the impact of ongoing ministry among communities living along the PNG-Indonesia border, where missionaries continue to serve on both sides of the frontier.

“We praise God for the remarkable way He is working among the border communities of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, drawing people to Himself one life at a time,” he said.

“We also thank God for the faithful ministry of our PNG missionaries who continue to serve on both sides of the border, building relationships, sharing hope, and planting seeds of faith.

“This baptism is a beautiful reminder that while many people may contribute to the mission, it is God who changes hearts and brings the harvest.”

The original version of this story was posted on Adventist Record.