Jalan Bukit Barisan

Bukit Barisan is an area of Pekanbaru off of Jalan Sudirman near the airport. This is a fast growing area, with lots of new housing developments.

Pray for new housing developments to quickly become caring communities.

Pray for young families to grow together both physically and spiritually.

This mosque is being renovated.

Pray for spiritual renovation and renewal among the people of the Bukit Barisan area.

Pray for those working on construction projects to be safe and to work with excellence.

Pray that short cuts are not taken in all the building projects in the area.

This is one of the government run high schools in the area.

Pray for students to be diligent in their studies.

Pray for teachers to have creativity and insight to invest in their students.

Pray for sufficient resources to conduct the work of the schools in this area.

This is a barber shop. Many times fathers will take their sons to get their hair cut.

Pray for the fathers in Bukit Barisan to invest time and energy into the lives of their children.

Pray for men to take their responsibility as the spiritual head of the household seriously.

This is a kaki lima. Small mobil businesses like this one are common in Indonesia.

Pray for energy, excellence, and fruitfulness for those starting up businesses in Pekanbaru.

Pray for wisdom for business owners to manage inventory and income in a way that will allow the business to flourish.

This building has an English Center. Learning English is one of the ways that people here can get better jobs.

Pray for the people of Pekanbaru to take every opportunity to better their skill set and improve their lives.

Pray for resources to be available to help promising students from low income families to succeed.

"Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises his ways will die" (Proverbs 19:16, ESV). 

Pray for the people of Pekanbaru to understand the connection between obedience to God and a good life.

Pray for spiritual leaders in Pekanbaru to give an example of godliness and obedience.

Jalan Riau 1

This hospital is for military veterans. This is the equivalent of a VA hospital.

Pray for the men and women serving in Indonesia's armed forces.

Pray for the doctors and nurses in this hospital to have wisdom to bring healing and relief to their patients.

This business sells all kinds of canned and bottled drinks.

Pray for family celebrations all over Pekanbaru to be festive and problem free.

Pray for the Lord to set people free from alcoholism in Pekanbaru.

Pray for business owners and office workers to be diligent, honest, fruitful, and to seek after God to honor Him.

Pray for those working in radio and TV broadcasting to be diligent, honest, fruitful, and to seek after the Lord.

To the right there is an automotive repair business. Down the street there is a high school.

Pray for mechanics to be skilled, honest, fruitful, and to seek after God.

Pray for teachers to be creative, sensitive, effective, and live pleasing to the Lord.

"Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 18:18, ESV).

Pray for people of faith to take prayer seriously so that God's will is done in Pekanbaru like it is in heaven.

Pray for unity amidst diversity.

Jalan Khadijah Ali

This narrow road is what would be called a "jalan tikus" which is literally translated as a "mouse street." It is a cut through to avoid a busy market intersection.

Pray for all the communities in Pekanbaru that are on "cut-through" streets with heavy traffic like this one.

Pray for city planners as Pekanbaru is in the midst of several infrastructure improvement projects.

The black boards with the colorful writing are called papan bunga which translates as flower boards. They are used to mark important life events - normally for funerals and weddings.

Pray for families in Pekanbaru as they celebrate joyful events and as they mourn sorrowful events.

Pray that in the midst of all of life's circumstances that the people here will come to know and trust God.

This man was selling an iced coconut drink on the side of the road. No matter how narrow a road is, if there is traffic, there will be somebody selling something.

Pray for small business owners like this man.

Pray for them to do well enough to meet the needs of their families.

Pray for them to make room in their lives to worship and honor God.

It is amazing to see how close buildings are built to the edge of the road. This door literally opens out into traffic!

Pray for better zoning laws to create streets that are safer for both motorists and pedestrians.

You can see an old political poster on the wall.

Pray for political leaders in Pekanbaru to be dedicated and honest.

The normal family vehicle in Pekanbaru is a motorcycle. The people here are more accustomed to being on two wheels than four. This picture seems to be a family portrait of two-wheeled transportation!

Pray for strong families in Pekanbaru.

Pray for parents to have wisdom to raise God-fearing children.

The power-lines in front of the Mosque remind us that God is the true power-source for life.

Pray for people to faithfully plug into a place of worship and for them to find a meaningful, life-changing relationship with the Lord.

Pray for the people of Pekanbaru to learn that there is no substitute for God.

A row of shop houses like these are a common sight in the downtown area of Pekanbaru.

Pray that crime, drug trafficking, and human trafficking will decline in Pekanbaru because of God transforming lives to His glory.

Pray that domestic violence will also decline as people here seek after God.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden in light."(Matthew 11:28-30, ESV).

Pray for the people of Pekanbaru to find rest for their souls.

Jalan Simbilang

This area will be developing and growing over the next few years as a new bridge is being built to connect Jalan Sudirman with Rumbai.

Pray for this community as they go through the growing pains of additional traffic and construction as new businesses are built.

Pray for the bridge project to go smoothly and for those working on the project to be safe from injury.

Pray for the administration of funds for this project to be administered with honesty and integrity.

Pray for the peoples of Pekanbaru to hear the call of God and respond with faith and repentance.

Pray for openness between peoples of different faiths so that sharing can happen without offense or anger.

Pray for a hunger to know God and to follow the truth that He has revealed.

This is a fishing pond. Many neighborhood men like to gather here to fish and chat.

Pray for strong relationships between neighbors.

Pray for understanding and unity within neighborhoods in Rumbai.

Pray for a decline in criminal activity in Pekanbaru.

These trays are used to transport eggs to market or to other retail points. It is not uncommon in neighborhoods to see people with chickens and ducks being raised for eggs and meat.

Pray for families still trying to transition from a rural lifestyle to an urban reality. In many places small livestock are being banned.

Pray for economic opportunities to grow in Pekanbaru.

Many older citizens use bicycles to travel from place to place. This can sometimes cause safety issues on the roads.

Pray for safety for older people using bicycles on the roads of Rumbai.

Pray for safety for all the people of Pekanbaru as they share the roads of the city.

A large road leading to the new bridge is already in place. It seems odd to see a wide road like this with no traffic on it in the middle of the day.

Pray for the completion of this construction project.

Pray for wise development of this area.

These are good examples of traditional Riau Malay homes, raised on stilts, next to a river.

Pray for the Riau Malay to be able to maintain their sense of culture and community in the midst of a rapidly changing environment.

Pray for cultural understanding between the different ethnic groups that live in Pekanbaru.

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!" (Psalm 51:1-2, ESV).

Pray people in Pekanbaru to turn from sin to God and allow Him to wash them clean.

Factories

Pekanbaru is an industrial town. There are many types of factories in the city and in the outlying areas. Many of the jobs in Pekanbaru are manufacturing jobs.

Pray for safety for workers in the operation of factories here in Pekanbaru.

Pray for business owners to have wisdom and integrity to balance the need for profit and to look out for the needs of the families who work for them.

This factory processes raw rubber. Rubber trees are one of the main crops in Riau Province.

Pray for farmers and companies that are growing rubber in Riau to do so with integrity and ingenuity.

Pray for those working on the plantations to be able to meet the physical needs of their families.

The Siak River is one of the major avenues for shipping raw products to the factories where they are processed. This boat carries raw rubber to the factory from the plantations.

Pray for those working on the river transporting goods to be safe and to earn enough money to meet the needs of their families.

Pray against criminal activity on the Siak River.

Many times workers live near the factories where they work, because they cannot afford transportation to and from the factory.

Pray for healthy communities to grow around factories.

Pray for safety from environmental dangers of living near to a factory and from working in a factory.

Indonesian people are enterprising. Many people have several small business revenue streams. This motorcycle with a sidecar called a becak is advertised as being for rent.

Pray for those who are honest and hardworking to experience the rewards of their labors.

Pray for example of corruption being punished so that people will avoid laziness, greed, and dishonesty.

The white building to the right is a furniture factory. Ten workers are employed by this facility, and it is currently being renovated.

Pray for factories to renovate regularly to keep equipment and structures safe.

Pray for the process of renovation to be smooth and to have a minimum of delay so that workers will continue to have work.

"Seek the LORD and live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel, O you who turn justice to wormwood and cast down righteousness to the earth!" (Amos 5:6-7, ESV).

Pray for all the people of Pekanbaru to seek the Lord.

Pray for them to pursue righteousness and justice as they serve the Lord.

Siak River

The Siak River runs right through Pekanbaru. Many people in Riau Province make their living on the river. Some work as fishermen. Others work transporting goods up and down the river.

Pray for the health of the Siak River so that people can continue to make their living on the river. Pollution and chemicals are always a danger to the life of a river.

Pray for fishermen in Riau Province to be able to make a living to support their families.

One form of pollution is garbage being dumped into the river.

Pray for the people of Pekanbaru to guard the health of the river by not dumping garbage into it.

Pray for authorities to have wisdom to manage the sanitation issues of a million plus population city.

A favorite destination for those dating is a row of grills that serve corn on the cob.

Pray for purity and honor for those dating in Pekanbaru.

Pray for young people to have dreams and goals that inspire them to seek God's best.

Many children play and bathe in the river. Many people still wash clothes in the river. The river is a community place.

Pray for harmony and peace for the people living along the banks of the Siak River.

Pray for children to grow in size and in character in Pekanbaru.

This fisherman was using a net to troll for fish.

Pray for godliness and kindness to be taught and caught on the Siak River.

Pray for safety for fishermen as they go about their work.

The police patrol the river to monitor for any criminal activity.

Pray for the police to be diligent and to catch any criminals on the Siak River.

Pray for safety for the police as they go about their duties.

This stair case is an example of things getting run down because their are no safety codes that are enforced in Pekanbaru.

Pray for public safety in areas that are not always maintained for safety.

Pray for diligence to keep areas used by the public in good repair.

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:1-2, ESV).

Pray for the people of Pekanbaru to delight and meditate on the Law of God in order to do it.

Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport

The airport in Pekanbaru is one of the newer and more modern airports in Indonesia. Many business people regularly fly into Pekanbaru to from Malaysia and Singapore.

Pray for the airport staff to be diligent and efficient.

Pray for business travelers to be safe and law abiding.

Pray for security personnel to be diligent and alert.

Air travel is a class divide between the rich and poor. You can tell that most of the people flying are more affluent. Most people travel by bus because it is more economical.

Pray for the divide between the rich and the poor to be narrowed in Pekanbaru.

Pray for more education, training, and work opportunities for people in Pekanbaru.

Pray for people to be diligent to improve themselves in every way they can.

Pray that people in Pekanbaru will break out of a poverty mindset.

Just as many people carry baggage to the airport, there are people in Pekanbaru carrying burdens too heavy for them to bear.

Pray for people to be willing to bear each others burdens.

Pray for people to have wisdom to discern the difference between a burden and a load. Everyone ought to carry their own load.

Recently, a man was found murdered in the airport parking lot. Murder is very uncommon in Pekanbaru.  Many people here were shocked by this news.

Pray against violent crime in Pekanbaru.

Pray that murder remains a rare occurrence in Pekanbaru.

This is the information counter at the airport.

Pray for people in Pekanbaru to have access to the information they need to live wisely in a way that is pleasing to God.

Pray for the people here to be able to discern between true and false information so they can make good decisions.

"Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. For there is a time and a way for everything, although man's trouble lies heavy on him" (Ecclesiastes 8:5-6, ESV).

Pray for people in Pekanbaru to keep the commands of God.

Pray for them to know the proper time and just way to accomplish every activity.