Muara Sipongi, a former mission station of the Dutch Mennonites on Sumatra, opened by the missionary Nikolai Wiebe (1862-?) on 26 September 1890, three hours distant from Pakantan. The region, which was inhabited by the Ulus, "a poor, deeply deteriorated, apathetic, insensitive, and sleepy people," suffered a terrible earthquake in 1892. With a wide participation by the native population the church was dedicated in October 1895. In 1901 Wiebe was followed by Johann Thiessen, who made Muara Sipongi a main station beside Pakantan. In 1911-1927 Peter Nachtigal worked there with untiring faithfulness. In 1927 the station was turned over to the supervision of a German missionary society and was served by native workers.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 764. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

©1996-2013 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.