Pray for Indonesia

Indonesia is an island nation in southeast Asia
It is made up of over 17 thousand islands.
6000 islands are inhabited

The main islands are:
Borneo
Java
Sumatra
Sulawesi
The Lesser Sanda Islands
The Maluku Islands
New Guinea

The islands stretch between Thailand and the northern tip of Australia.
The country is is bordered by Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Malaysia.

The population is over 238 million.
Jakarta is the capital.

FACTS
Indonesia is the world's 4th most populous country.

Over 700 different languages are spoken.

DEMOGRAPHICS
40.6% Javanese
15%   Sundanese
3.3%  Madurese
2.7%  Minangkabau
2.4%  Betawi
2.4%  Bugis
2%    Banten
1.7%  Banjar
29.9% Other/unspecified

86%  Muslim
6%   Protestant
3%   Catholic
2%   Hindu
3%   Other (Animsm, Buddhism, Chinese, Non religious

HISTORY
Some of the earliest inhabitants of Indonesia were Melanesian people.
Austronesian peoples, migrated to Indonesia around 2000 B.C.

By the 1st c. A.D. Indonesians had established many small kingdoms.

For centuries there was extensive inter-island and international trade with India
and China and this spread both Hindu and Buddhist influence.

Muslim populations were established in the 13th century in northern Sumatra.

The first regular contact with Europeans began in 1512, when Portuguese traders.
Dutch and British traders followed and in 1602 the Dutch became dominant.

In 1800 Indonesia became a Dutch colony.
For most of the colonial period, Dutch control was tenuous outside of the coast.

Japanese occupation during World War II ended Dutch rule.
During this period over 4 million died as a result of famine and forced labor.

Two days after the surrender of Japan in August 1945, Indonesia declared independence.

The Netherlands tried to reestablish their rule, through both armed and diplomatic struggle.

In 1949 the Dutch formally recognized Indonesian independence.

In 1975 Indonesia invaded and occupied East Timor.
They relinquished control of it in 1999.

CONDITIONS
Indonesia's largest revenues are in industry, agriculture and services.

The country has extensive natural resources, including crude oil and natural gas.
Its major exports are oil, gas, electrical appliances rubber, and textiles.

Indonesia is troubled by deep racial divides.
The situation recently worsened in the north of Sumatra.

There are strong movements for independence in many of the islands,
especially in East Timor (Timor Lorosae).

The country was badly affected by the Asian economic crisis in 1997.
Nearly half the population now live under the poverty line.

Indonesia is plagued by natural disasters.
The 2004 tsunami resulted in thousands killed and hundreds of thousands displaced.

Poverty is rampant in many island villages.

SPIRITUAL CONDITIONS
Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world.

Over the last 40 years, evangelicals have grown from 1.3 to 11.5 million.

The government requires people to carry identification cards that include their religious status.
All religious groups must apply for permits to establish and operate places of worship.

Anyone may follow Christianity but Muslims receive preferential treatment.

Sharia-inspired laws are creeping into civil policies and regulations.

Persecution mostly takes place in West Java.
In Java churches are torched, damaged and closed down - and building permits
revoked or delayed.

Many recent troubles have come in the form of closing churches or prohibiting expansion.

To avoid inciting hostility from locals and village leaders, churches barely reach
out to Muslim-background believers.

Believers are ostracized both by their natural and spiritual families.
Because of this believers are discouraged and struggle to grow spiritually.

Over 200 groups in Indonesia are still unreached.


PRAYER NEEDS
Pray that the country be protected from natural disasters.
Pray for those who lost loved ones during the tsunami.

Pray that the economy be improved and strengthened.

Pray for those suffering from poverty.

Pray that racial divides be healed.
Pray that their be reconciliation between different ethnic groups.

Pray that independence issues be settled peacefully

Pray for pastors and believers whose church buildings have been closed.

Pray that Muslims be exposed to the Gospel.
Pray that Muslim-background believers be encouraged and discipled.

Pray that Hindus and Animsts be exposed to the Gospel.
Pray that occult and generational spirits be bound.

Pray for Christian children who face discrimination at school from teachers
and students.

Pray for believers who face harassment and persecution.

Pray for additional translations of the Bible to be made in the many various langauges.