*Jul 05: Indonesia, Sumatra* operationworld.org/Jul05#prayer Geography Area: 1,919,317 sq km The Republic’s 17,500 islands (6,000 inhabited) stretch over 9.5 million sq km of the Indian/Pacific Oceans, with 33 provinces, 5 of which have special status. Includes the world’s second-largest rain forest and vast coral reefs. Population: 232,516,771 Annual Growth: 1.19% Capital: Jakarta Urbanites: 53.7% Challenge for Prayer *The creeping Islamization of Indonesia is eroding religious freedom and the long-prevailing communal tolerance.* Islam itself is remarkably varied – the santri puritanical Islam; the abangan, a more Sufist interpretation heavily influenced by pre-Islamic Javanese mysticism; the Islam of modern secular-moderate Muslims. However, it is generally the more conservative, aggressive, fundamentalist groups that continue to grow in power, partly by intimidating other Muslims into acquiescence. There are many reasons to pray: a) The Islamist vision of an Indonesia without Christians generates pressure and persecution, often yielding violence, destruction and atrocities. This is manifest through: i Domination by presence. Massive mosque-building programmes – paid for through petrodollars – introduce a Muslim presence on every corner of the nation and are usually associated with the more radical, aggressive splinters of Islamic practice. Transmigration programmes deliberately relocate Muslims into traditionally non-Muslim areas. This is ostensibly due to overpopulation, but demonstrably includes religious colonization. ii Domination by eradication. The aim is the complete elimination of Christianity in the country. An orchestrated Islamic jihad against Christians destroyed thousands of churches in the last decade, and some areas with large Christian populations (such as parts of Maluku) are subject to attacks. A Christian presence has been eradicated from whole towns and regions, with great loss of life and property.. Pray that these plans might be frustrated and come to ruin, that what some intend for evil God may turn out for good. Pray for their own religious hatred and violence to discredit Muslim extremism and cause many persecutors to become believers. Pray that these plans might be frustrated and come to ruin, that what some intend for evil God may turn out for good. Pray for their own religious hatred and violence to discredit Muslim extremism and cause many persecutors to become believers. b) The more than 45 million abangan Muslims and even greater numbers of moderate and nominal Muslims are often victims of extremist intimidation. Tens of thousands of abangan (still influenced by pre-Islamic animism and Hinduism) have been killed over the years by Malay- and Arab-influenced santri. Pray for many Muslims to grow disillusioned with the violence and oppression – so that they may seek a true relationship with God through Christ. c) The secular government and national leaders require great courage to actually oppose the excesses of the Islamist agenda. Pray that they would intervene to stop religious violence when it occurs; pray that they would be strong enough to withstand and even to limit the influence extremists exert over the country. d) The courts, legal systems and constitution still guarantee religious freedom and offer the foundation for a stable, diverse society. Shari’a-inspired laws are being passed in more and more communities and even in entire provinces. This imposition of such religious apartheid spells disaster for non-Muslims. e) The Christian response to Islamic aggression is as crucial as the aggression itself. Pray for Christians to respond with tact and love, but also firmness, and in all ways to commend the gospel. Pray that fear of witnessing might be replaced by courage to share about Jesus. Pray also for heartfelt repentance among all Christians for the ways they have damaged their witness by attitudes and actions of enmity and reprisals toward Muslims. *Sumatra* Challenge for Prayer *Christianity is strong among formerly animist peoples, the only areas where the Dutch colonial administration allowed mission work.* These are: a) The Batak-Nias people cluster consisting of 13 peoples and totalling 9.4 million, the vast majority of them in Sumatra. The Bataks (Toba, Dairi, Karo and Simalungun) are all 70% or more Christian. Most of the Angkola and Mandailing are Muslim with only a small minority of Christians. The Batak are a dynamic and successful people who have migrated all over Indonesia, yet their ethnic pride and strong adherence to old customs combine with frequent enmity with Sumatran Muslim peoples to hinder Bataks’ effectiveness as cross-cultural witnesses. The Nias and Mentawai live on islands off Sumatra’s west coast. Lutherans are by far the largest denomination, but sadly, nominalism prevails and animistic and occultic practices are widespread. b) The Chinese are in most cities, but in Medan, capital of North Sumatra, Chinese are up to 20% of the population and operate 60% of the businesses. There are Buddhists, Confucians, even Hindus as well as many Christians. Significant ministry still occurs among the Chinese. Pray that these Christians may experience revival and break out of their ethnic cocoons to become effective witnesses to the non-Christian peoples around them.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Jul 2014 01:56:45 +0000
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