In early November, Asia-Pacific Navigator leaders, along with the International Executive Team, commissioned Agung Purnomo, 57, to serve as the new regional director. A Javanese Indonesian, Agung will be taking the mantle from Chee Hoe Koay, who officially becomes an international vice president of The Navigators in January 2020.

“Agung brings an amazing ability to step into the different religious and nonreligious contexts of Asia, and to perceive the needs of the work,” said Alan Ch’ng, an international vice-president of The Navigators. “He and his wife, Wiewiek, bring a relational warmth that quickly bonds hearts together.”

The Asia-Pacific Leadership Team is serving Navigator works in 20 countries. Advancing the Gospel in such a large, diverse, and heavily populated region is a huge challenge. The region spans from India to China, across Southeast Asia, and then south to Australia and New Zealand. Within these nations, billions of unreached people follow major religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Western philosophies. Many unreached people are poor and marginalized.

Agung said he and Wiewiek will be working closely with Glen Morris of New Zealand and Yoon Yong Sub of Korea. He added that the team plans to recruit additional regional leaders in order to build capacity.

“Looking back at the [selection] process, we have so much to be grateful for,” said International President Mutua Mahiaini. “The sense of ownership within the work and the unity around the final decision provide Agung with a wonderful launching pad for this new responsibility.”