Jul 05: Indonesia, Sumatra
Indonesia
Republic of Indonesia
Asia
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Geography
Area: 1,919,317 sq kmThe 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%
HDI Rank: 111 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 784 (26% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia). Its increasing use is unifying the nation and lessening the importance of smaller languages to the younger generation Languages: 722 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Muslim| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 36,853,908 | 15.85 | 1.6 |
| Evangelicals | 13,010,751 | 5.6 | 2.8 |
| Muslim | 186,734,219 | 80.31 |
Challenge for Prayer
The mass displacement of people within, and out from, Indonesia is massive and has many causes.a) The Transmigration Scheme was one of the world’s largest planned resettlements of people ever organized. Vast areas of virgin territory in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua were opened for migrants from overpopulated Java and Bali. Over eight million were relocated. These new settlements have been difficult for the newcomers and have caused notable violent clashes between migrants and locals. Yet, among these migrants, there is an openness to the gospel.
b) Natural disasters – earthquakes, tsunamis and flooding – since 2001 have killed close to 200,000 and rendered millions homeless or displaced. Sumatra is the hardest hit. Indonesia lies in a geologically volatile region, which, combined with high populations and poor infrastructure, make future tragedies inevitable. Pray that Christians, both national and expatriate, may use these disasters as opportunities to demonstrate the compassion of Christ.
c) Victims of communal violence and religious persecution, most notably Christians from Maluku and central Sulawesi. They total more than 500,000 and must deal with profound personal loss, bitter trauma and the loss of their ancestral homelands.
d) Migrant workers from Indonesia to other nations, numbering 400,000 legal migrants and many more illegal ones. While there are highly educated and skilled migrants among them, many workers provide mostly unskilled domestic labour; they number over 80% female. Though their remittances garner for them the title of “foreign-exchange heroines”, they often are paid poorly and are subject to abuse. Their lonely and often difficult situations open them up to loving witness by Christians.
For an additional 11 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
More Information
The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Indonesia.Sumatra
Indonesia
See Prayer Information
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.
For an additional 3 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
