Schooling and literacy are unfamiliar to the Sekadau people, but despite the lack of cultural precedents, Sekadaus are sticking with it.

Missionary Naomi Christenson watched her co-worker, missionary Bella Gervasi, teach a writing class recently to Sekadau mothers, fathers and young women. One father struggled for a while on writing a lower case a, but “by the end of the class could write a, e, i, o, u and was beginning to recognize the corresponding sounds,” Naomi wrote.

The Sekadau lifestyle focuses mainly around rice farming and rubber harvesting. “Many young kids don’t get the chance to go to school because they help their parents in the rice fields,” wrote Naomi.

“It was exciting to me that this small group got over their embarrassment and joined the literacy class. And I personally am looking forward to the day when they are able to read the Word of God for themselves!”

Literacy is an important step to growing mature believers. Please pray for these Sekadau students as they learn how to read, that they will keep with it and not grow frustrated by all there is to learn.