Indonesia was built on a promise: Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. Unity in Diversity. A nation of over 17,000 islands, 700 languages, and hundreds of ethnicities and faiths, choosing to stand as one.

That promise lives in communities like Tana Malli, West Sumba, where neighbors of different backgrounds have built a life together, honoring their differences while sharing the same ground, the same struggles, and the same hope for their children.

When one community loses its place of worship, all of Indonesia loses something. When we help rebuild it, all of Indonesia rises together.

CAMPAIGN STORY

In the village of Tana Malli, Lamboya, West Sumba, Indonesia, a Catholic community has gathered for over 70 years. Through decades of sacrifice, faith, and growth, St. Augustine Parish has become the spiritual heart of an entire region, serving 5,644 members across 17 stations and three districts covering 420 square kilometers.

At its center, the main Parish Church stood as the anchor of this community. Where children were baptized. Where families mourned and celebrated. Where neighbors became one.

That building is gone now. Condemned and demolished after years of damage left it unsafe to stand, the congregation was left without a home.

They still gather. They still pray. But they deserve a place worthy of their faith and their future.

The community has not waited passively. Farming families, who make up 90% of the congregation, are already contributing what little they have, Rp. 150.000 per month (≈$8.35 USD). Civil servants are giving Rp. 300.000 per month (≈$16.70 USD). For an entire year they have carried this burden together. And still they fall far short of what is needed.

The new church will measure 18 x 30 meters, built from the ground up to serve this congregation for generations to come. The total cost based on the construction proposal is USD $135,000.

The Indonesian Diaspora Foundation is stepping in to help close that gap. Every dollar raised goes directly toward construction costs, materials, and local labor, keeping resources within the West Sumba community.

Your donation builds more than walls. It restores the heart of an entire community.

WHY THIS MATTERS

St. Augustine Parish is classified as a daerah 3T by the Indonesian government — Terluar, Terpinggir, dan Termiskin: Outermost, Most Remote, and Most Impoverished. The people of Tana Malli face daily challenges that most of us will never know. Yet their faith has never wavered.

Fr. Yohanes L. Ngongo, the parish pastor who has dedicated his life to this community, put it simply: they need a place to praise God. It is the very foundation of who they are.

WHAT YOUR GIFT DOES

Every dollar raised goes directly to construction. No administrative overhead. No markups. Just walls, a roof, and a future for 687 faithful people who have already given everything they have.

Give today. Share this page. Help us bring this community home.

Rebuild St. Augustine Church — Tana Malli, Sumba

A congregation of over 5,400 has outgrown their church. Help us give them a place to pray.