Originally from the eastern coast of Sumatra, the Kerinci fled from local Muslim Sultanates in an ancient war and moved into their existing homeland high in the Bukit Barisan Mountains. They speak Kerinci and Bahasa Indonesian.

Most of the 260,000 Kerinci are farmers harvesting rice, potatoes, coffee, cinnamon, and even resin and rattan from the jungle areas. Those living near Lake Kerinci and other small lakes are fishermen. The Kerinci have been able to resist assimilation with the stronger lowland peoples.

Mass Relocations

Today their isolation is being changed by government-sponsored mass relocations of Jawa, Sunda, and Bali people for plantation projects on their rich soil. In addition, a world-class national park is being developed by the World Wildlife Fund to preserve the rainforest, flora, and fauna. Islam is the majority religion of the Kerinci, but they still hold to animism, especially as it is exhibited by their use of traditional healers and magic to bless their crops.

Testimony

A young woman from a conservative Muslim background is now a follower of Christ. Her brother heard of this, but was sure she would soon return to Islam. When he saw that she hadn’t, he demanded that she renounce her faith and say the Islamic creed. She refused, and he grabbed a metal rod and threatened to kill her. The family stopped him, but her mother sobbed and pleaded with her to say the creed. She finally did, but deeply regretted it afterward. When she shared her sorrow with another believer, her friend explained that the Apostle Peter also denied Jesus, but was forgiven and restored. She has now experienced this same grace and says, “I never want to deny the Lord ever again.”

Dreams and Visions

A recently baptized believer just out of prison was greatly troubled by questions which another person brought up about the reliability of the New Testament. He said he was full of doubts and fell asleep with a Bible next to his bed. In the middle of the night he was awakened by a man who pointed to the Bible and said, “Don’t be afraid. Read my book. I’m always with you.” Later, he realized it was Jesus who had spoken to him, and he was greatly encouraged.

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Prayer Starters:

• Ask the Lord to give wisdom and favour to believers going among the Kerinci of Indonesia.
• Pray for God’s wisdom and authority in dealing with the spiritual forces that have kept the people bound for generations (1 Cor. 1:30, 2 Cor. 10:4).

Listen to the Podcast - DAY 18 - The Kerinci People of Indonesia

Video: Church Planting Among Muslims (1:20)

Indonesia Trailer from Techinc Productions on Vimeo.

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Its beaches on the Java Sea are scenic and unspoiled, and the thick East Kangean forest contains many animals and beautiful birds. Monkeys, komodos, and snakes are in abundance. Local craftsmen sell wood handicrafts.

Kangean Islam

Although most Kangean people would call themselves Muslim, animism is at the heart of their faith. Many of the people practice cultural rituals, believe in supernatural numbers, magic, and so forth. This is their way of expressing Islam in their cultural context which is remote from the rest of East Java. Our prayer is that as more information is known about the Kangean people the Church will intercede and send more effectively.

The Drilling

Since 1993 the islands have been the site of natural gas drilling. They are connected to East Java via a 430-kilometre pipeline, most of which runs underwater. Other economic resources on the islands include teak, coconut, and salt. In spite of the pipeline-related development, a lot of non-developed areas remain, and travellers looking for outdoor adventures could easily find themselves at home here. The Kangean are one of the last 200 or so Muslim people groups of over 100,000 with no organised effort to establish a community of believers.

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Prayer Starters:

• May God make Himself known! (Luke 10:21-24).
• Proclaim Psalm 97:1 over the islands.
• Ask God to open doors of opportunity for the Good News to be seen, heard and demonstrated among the Kangeans (Mark 16:15-19).
• Pray for the Kangean people to have opportunities to read the Scriptures, see Gospel films, and interact with believers in their language.

Listen to the Podcast - DAY 17 - The Kangean People of Indonesia

Video: Getting the Bible to Indonesian Muslims (4:10)

Gunar from SGM Lifewords on Vimeo.

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Developments in Indonesia

Despite its long and ancient history, todays Indonesia is a young nation having gained independence in 1948 from centuries of colonialisation. Recent economic development has brought profound changes to Indonesian society. The inflation rate currently hovers at around 10% and the 1997 Asian economic crisis has left many sectors of the country crippled. Each year 2 million people enter the workforce yet only 3% will find employment. Even if they do find work the income is usually not enough to live on. A civil servant earns a mere US$20 per month, a factory worker will earn US$40 per month, a rice farmer will earn .17 cents per day.

Recent laws in Indonesia, such as having to carry an identity card, and the legacy of the trans-migration scheme, have done little to unify this vast and diverse nation. Indeed, many believe that these new laws have created ethnic tension in previously quiet regions.

Rapid urbanisation has meant that now an estimated 40% of the entire population live in massive cities particularly on the island of Java with Jakarta, Surabaya and Jogyakarta.

Indonesia is the Largest Muslim Nation

Today Indonesia is at a point of crisis. Recent leadership changes, scandals, student riots, ethnic murders and more, have created an unstable political scene. Indonesia is a difficult place to govern in the best of times with such huge cultural and ethnic diversity. Every major region of Indonesia has suffered. In March 2001 more than 500 Madurese were brutally massacred by Dayaks with more than 40,000 Madurese fleeing the area. Since 1975 independent Muslim movements in the province of Aceh have caused the deaths of at least 6,000 people. In the past two years clashes between Muslims and Christians in the Maluku Islands have left 500 dead and half a million people homeless.

As the largest Muslim nation in the world, Indonesia is one of the greatest challenges to missions today. There are literally thousands of villages and towns throughout Indonesia that are 100% Muslims with no Christian witness. Yet, throughout Indonesia, particularly in the cities, there are large churches and the Body of Christ is growing rapidly.

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Map of Indonesia

Prayer Guide for Indonesia

* Pray for those in leadership in Indonesia. For government officials, for police and military chiefs, for heads of tribes and households.

* Pray for those who have recently lost family members and homes, that God would bring comfort.

* Pray for those enduring economic hardship. Ask God to open doors for Christian workers to create employment opportunities.

* Ask that the Holy Spirit would bring conviction upon Muslim and non-Muslim ethnic groups who may be retaliating against recent massacres in the name of God. (Zechariah 4:6)

Background on Indonesia (World Factbook)

The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its colony. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state and home to the world's largest Muslim population.

Current issues include: alleviating poverty, preventing terrorism, consolidating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing financial sector reforms, stemming corruption, and holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations. Indonesia was the nation worst hit by the December 2004 tsunami, which particularly affected Aceh province causing over 100,000 deaths and over $4 billion in damage. An additional earthquake in March 2005 created heavy destruction on the island of Nias. Reconstruction in these areas may take up to a decade. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, but it continues to face a low intensity separatist guerilla movement in Papua.

Indonesia is an archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited)

Economy of Indonesia

Indonesia still grapples with persistent poverty and unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, endemic corruption, a fragile banking sector, a poor investment climate, and unequal resource distribution among regions. Declining oil production and lack of new exploration investment turned Indonesia into a net oil importer in 2004. The resulting inflation and interest rate hikes dampened growth through mid-2006, while large increases in rice prices pushed millions more people under the national poverty line. Economic reformers introduced three policy packages in 2006 to improve the investment climate, infrastructure, and the financial sector, but translating them into reality has not been easy. Unfortunately, Indonesia suffers new natural disasters all the time. Donors are assisting Indonesia with its disaster mitigation and early warning efforts. The government in 2011 faces the ongoing challenge of improving Indonesia's infrastructure to remove impediments to growth

About Indonesia

Population: 245,613,043 (July 2011 est.) World rank #4

Life Expectancy at Birth: 71.33 years. World rank #137

Ethnic groups: Javanese 40.6%, Sundanese 15%, Madurese 3.3%, Minangkabau 2.7%, Betawi 2.4%, Bugis 2.4%, Banten 2%, Banjar 1.7%, other or unspecified 29.9%

Religions: Muslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4%

Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese

Literacy: 90.4% -- Male: 94%, Female: 86.8%

School life expectancy: 13 years

Presenting Indonesia - Video

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A Christian man called out to a pedicab (a type of bicycle propelled rickshaw) that was passing. When it stopped, he stepped up into the cab and sat down carefully. "Please take me to the slum area," he said. "No problem," answered the driver, "However what are you going to do in the slum area? You know it's a dangerous place to go. There are many criminals living there." "I am not afraid," answered the Christian. "I am going there to encourage people. God has asked me to be an encourager to the handicapped, so I know that He takes care of me. I don't have to worry."

Faith of the Komering

"I see that you are a man of faith, a good Muslim," commented the pedicab man. "I am not a Muslim," clarified the passenger. "I am a follower of Jesus." "Oh!" exclaimed the driver, surprised. "So, you are a Christian. What exactly do you do with the handicapped in the slum area?" "I talk to them, and explain that Jesus can help them and give them hope. You know that He can help you and give you hope too. God is a God of love and he wants to take care of everyone."

Action of the Komering

The pedicap stopped as they arrived at their destination and the driver turned to his passenger, "What kind of help can your God give me?" "God sent Jesus to die for your sins. Through Him you can be purified. He is the Provider and He wants to take care of your everyday needs." "How could Jesus die for my sins? He was just a prophet." "Jesus was more than a prophet," said the passenger. "He was God's sacrifice provided for us. You know it's like the goat that Muslims sacrifice so that they will be purified. Jesus was sent by God to become a perfect sacrifice and take all our sins. Please take this booklet called 'Holy Sacrifice'. It is in the Komering language and it will explain what I am trying to tell you. You know, I need a pedicab everyday. Why don't you become my pedicab driver? In the morning you can wait at my door and then take me where I need to go. That way, we can keep in touch." "That's a good idea. I will do this." The Christian saw the pedicab driver regularly and led him to Christ. The driver is now part of one of the two Komering home churches. There are only a handful Indonesian Christians ministering to over a million Komering people most of whom who have not yet heard the Good News.

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Prayer Guide for the Komering of Indonesia

* Pray for more Indonesian and foreign Christians to be sent to minister to the Komering.

* Pray for the Lord to reveal Himself through His word and supernatural events.

* Pray for the small number of Christians to grow in their faith and become spiritual leaders that can lead their people to Christ.

* Pray for the protection of those ministering to the Komering.

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The 22,000 Kaili Unde live on the west coast in the province of Central Sulawesi in Indonesia. Most Kaili Unde are dedicated Muslims. They are convinced that they will eventually be judged according to their way of life. However, heir religious life is mixed with ancient animistic beliefs too. Many of them regularly seek help from the local Dukun (shaman or magic priest) to be cured of illness or evil spirits. When a new house is built, the Kaili Unde always give gifts to both the good and evil spirits. The bigger the house, the bigger the gift. Only a few Kaili Unde have come to the Messiah. Unfortunately, there is no Bible or Christian material in their language.

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Map of Indonesia

Prayer Starters:

• Pray for an openness and a willingness to obey the Gospel among the Kaili Unde (Romans 1:5 and 16:26).
• Pray they can hear and see the Indonesian Christian radio and TV and thus find the way to Christ.
• Pray the power of darkness and enslavement to spirits be broken and their eyes opened, so that the Kaili Unde can be freed (Acts 10:38 and 26:18).

Testimony

Jesus in the workplace: Aisha

“Aisha” is another believer in Jesus who rises early to sell fish at the local market. Prayers that resulted in blessing on her business were what first attracted her to follow Jesus. Now she has faithfully participated in a home-based community of Jesus-followers for over three years. Gatherings are simple: Scriptures are read, stories shared and prayers offered for one another. Earlier this year Aisha decided that she could start a similar gathering ... at the market! So most late afternoons when the market has quieted, she gathers with up to six others. “We are God’s creation,” she says. “Sharing with each other and praying together will help us stay close to God.” In recent weeks this small group has enjoyed readings from Genesis and from the life of Jesus. Jesus is with Aisha as she loves others in His name. Boldly proclaiming authority and blessing through Jesus the Messiah, Aisha and Ahmad are seeing the Kingdom of God established in places where people naturally gather. Thank you, Lord!

Jouma

I was a practising Muslim when I believed in Jesus the Messiah in June 1999. At that time I was also married but my wife left me because of the persecution which followed my turning to the Messiah. My larger family also encouraged my wife to leave me, disowned me and confiscated my possessions.

My pastor also tried to bring my wife back into my life but in vain. I remained faithful to the Lord despite all these events and their threats. Some even tried to keep me from worship meetings which I could only attend after walking seven kilometres from my village. Finally I had to leave my family for three months in order to be strengthened and encouraged in my faith. I eventually became a pastor myself.

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Lina is a young Minangkabau woman from a large family, all of whom are proud of their culture and religion. They do everything that Islam requires of them, but they are also involved in other traditional practices. Instead of going to a doctor when someone is sick, they will often visit a dukun (a traditional healer). Lina especially believes that evil spirits are everywhere and she is very interested in all things supernatural.

Because of these beliefs, she is often tense and is afraid of almost everything. Even sudden loud noises make her jump, and she sleeps with a light on at night. Muslim’s say, “Bismillah i-rahman-ir-rahim (in the name of God, most Gracious, most Merciful)” before they eat; Lina says it before practically every bite of food she takes.

Religious Attitudes

This life of fear even affects Lina’s attitude toward her religion: she sees God as a faraway figure and she tries to do all her religious duties not out of a desire to be faithful and obedient, but because she is afraid of going to hell when she dies. She seems resigned to the idea that she will never be in paradise, because her good deeds never seem to be enough to outweigh her sins.

Even though Lina has had many conversations with some followers of Jesus about the forgiveness of sins through Isa Almasih (Jesus the Messiah), she is still too afraid to even consider the possibility that it is actually truth. Unfortunately she only believes that Jesus is simply a prophet, and that He cannot protect her from evil spirits. Millions of other Minangkabau have never had the opportunity to learn about Jesus.

The Minangkabau People

The Minangkabau, numbering about 8,659,000, are the fourth largest ethnic group in Indonesia and exercise significant influence in the country. While some Minangkabau are scattered across the country on various islands, they originate from the province of West Sumatra.

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Prayer starters:

* Pray that the Holy Spirit will open the hearts of the Minangkabau to the truth that only Jesus can bring salvation, and that He can free them from a life of fear.

* Pray that Minangkabau people, including Lina and her family, will no longer look to the dukuns to solve their problems but rather they will look to Jesus for help and healing.

* Pray that whole families of the Minangkabau will come to a trusting reliance on Jesus.

Folk islam

In many countries popular “Folk Islamic” practices are often even more important than orthodox Islam in the daily life of millions of Muslims. Orthodox Islam does not usually have a real expectancy that Allah will actually intervene in difficult situations. He is basically inaccessible. Therefore many people search out Muslim holy men for help. In some countries the tombs of various Muslim holy men are reputed to be places of blessing where people can also seek help. Various things including talismans and the “Hand of Fatima” are often used against the “Evil Eye” and evil spirits.

Video: Home of the Minangkabau People [2 min]

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The vast majority of the Bugis in Indonesia (over 3.5 million) live on the south-western peninsula of Sulawesi Island. For the Bugis people, Islam is part of their ethnic, as well as, their religious identity. They have a reputation of being fanatical Muslims with a history of violent persecution of the Christian minorities. In addition to following Islam, many Bugis people are involved in animistic spiritual practices such as seeking power from spirits of the dead, seeking help from dukuns (shamans), and using amulets and charms. Due to their links to dark spiritual forces, the Bugis people present a great challenge for those who seek to reach them with the love and truth of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah (Isa Al-Masih).

Gospel Workers:

There have been very few Gospel workers among the Bugis people. The few who have been working among the Bugis often invest years of time to win a single convert, or perhaps just a handful. If just 500 to 1,000 Bugis were won to the Lord this year, it would be an incredible miracle.

Testimony:

“Pramana,” a pseudonym, is a local believer in the Messiah from a predominantly Christian people group. He grew up in Makassar (provincial capital of South Sulawesi) and studied at university. Through his involvement in a group of believers at university, he understood the need to reach out to the Muslims around him. After graduation he enrolled at Bible school and eventually joined a group reaching out to Muslims. He took a local job to provide for his family of four. Workers such as “Wally” from other ethnic groups often face prejudice from the Bugis. Pray that God will cause Bugis Muslims to listen to these “outsiders”.

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Prayer Starters

* Pray that the barriers of Islam and occult practices among the Bugis will be overcome by the Holy Spirit.

* Pray that the Good News will spread powerfully and that Jesus will be honoured among the Bugis people.

* Pray for more Indonesian workers who demonstrate great sacrificial faith to build God’s kingdom. May financial matters not become a distraction to their ministries.

Quick Statistics

• 17,508 islands
• Population: 234,694,000
• Largest Muslim population of any country around the world: 86.1% Muslim
• Ethnic Groups: Javanese 40.6%, Sundanese 15%, Madurese 3.3%, Minangkabau 2.7%, Betawi 2.4%, Bugis 2.4%, Banten 2%, Banjar 1.7%, other 29.9%
• Primary language: Indonesian Bahasa

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How Islam Arrived in Java

In the 16th century Islam was spread on the island of Java by traveling religious teachers. A group of nine men called the Wali Songo (The nine ambassadors of Islam) were important religious teachers who supposedly did powerful and unusual miraculous acts across the island. The histories of these men are not always clear but their tombs are often visited by local Muslims seeking supernatural help and blessing (especially the tombs of Sunan Kalijaga and Sunan Jafar Shodiq). It appears that the famous Chinese Muslim admiral Zheng He visited the island with his great fleet in 1405. It is possible the the name of the city of Semarang originated from the Chinese words "Sam Po Lang" meaning the city of Sam Po (Admiral Zheng He). The city has a significant Chinese population and a temple dedicated to Admiral Zheng He which is also considered a significant shrine by Muslims.

Semarang City

By its size and the number of its inhabitants, Semarang is the fifth largest city of Indonesia (At least 1.5 million inhabitants). It is situated on Java's northern coast just about halfway between the eastern and western extremities of the island. From the Candi hill in Semarang one can see striking panoramas in all directions: the port and the sea, the lowlands and green rice paddy fields, the city itself and several volcanic mountains in the distance. In the older part of the city, close to its ocean harbour, one can still find buildings dating back to the Dutch colonial era. Yet the heart of the city has moved to the area around the Simpang Lima Square which hosts a beautiful modern shopping centre, a huge mosque and cinema complexes. Events, activities and changes in Semarang affect the entire region.

Occultism among the Jawa

In and around Semarang live the Jawa Pesisir Lor people. They are only one of the hundreds of ethnic groups found in Indonesia but they are a very significant group because of their numbers and Islamic commitment. The Jawa Pesisir Lor number about 18,600,000 split into two main groups west and east of the coastal city of Semarang. Many Jawa Pesisir Lor view traditional Javanese culture as backward and are proud of what they consider to be their more modern world-view and stronger Islamic commitment. The vast majority of them are Sunni Muslims though there are also some Sufis among them. Unlike many other Javanese ethnic groups, they traditionally tend to prefer Islamic music to Javanese music and Qur'an readings to watching traditional shadow puppet plays. However the younger generations are being greatly influenced by the global youth culture. Occultism is still frequently practised by many Jawa Pesisir Lor, along with syncretistic elements of Hinduism and animism.

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Map of Indonesia

Prayer Requests:

* It is a point of spiritual pride locally that Islam was first established in Java in this region. Pray that appropriate humbling would take place so that people could see the glory of the Lord Jesus and live in awe of Him, the true Lord of all the Earth.

* Pray for men and women of peace to open doors into the Islamic community in Semarang and among the Jawa Pesisir Lor people. While Indonesian Christians live among large populations of Muslims actually the two communities are largely separate and many Christians are fearful. Literally hundreds of church buildings have been burned and thousands of believers persecuted in Indonesia in recent years. Unfortunately Muslims often associate Christianity with the immoral behaviour of some nominal Christians. Pray that real believers would become more evident and find favour with the Muslims (Acts 2:42-47).

* Pray that more religious leaders and teachers will come to the Messiah, influencing their followers for the kingdom of God (Acts 6:7).

* Pray that the love and grace of our Lord Jesus the Messiah (Isa Al Masih) would become more and more evident tearing down the proud arguments falsely set up against the Lord and His followers (2 Cor. 10:4-5 and Matthew 10:16).

* Pray that believers will be protected from curses sent from dukuns (practitioners of black magic). Spiritual darkness is very present (Ephesians 6).

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Wiped Out

Throughout Aceh province, entire coastal towns and villages were wiped out, with more than 220,000 dead and thousands more left homeless and without employment. Certainly this terrible event will forever bring spiritual and social changes to Aceh province. One should not say the earthquake and tsunami were "judgment" from God (as do many Muslims). The natural geological forces involved in this type of event are well known.

Happily relief aid has poured into Aceh province from all over the world, but it will clearly take many years of hard work and social adjustment before things will return to normal. One positive result though has been that the prolonged armed conflict involving the Indonesian security forces and the Aceh rebel movement - a conflict which caused tens of thousands of deaths - has at least temporarily stopped. Numerous aid workers have flown in from many countries to areas formerly inaccessible because of the war.

Veranda to Mecca or "Aceh Nanggroe Darussalem"

The province has long been called the "Veranda to Mecca" because of its strict adherence to Islamic law, not unlike the Arabic city of Mecca itself. Before air travel, Indonesian seafaring pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia often stopped at Banda Aceh (Aceh harbour) before continuing their pilgrimage, making this province a "gateway" to the Muslim "Holy Land".

A few years ago the province became the only region of Indonesia where Islamic sharia law was officially in effect. The Acehnese (current estimated population 3.5 million) have striven for independence for many centuries, including during the Dutch colonial era. Since the introduction of sharia law, many local churches have been closed down. Like in post-war Afghanistan, so much has to be done in this stronghold of Islam to win over the hearts of the people.

Resources

The province is rich in resources such as oil and wood products; there are other resources that have never been tapped. Let us pray that sustainable development will take place in Aceh. Respect needs to be given to the Acehnese desire that decadent Western moral values be kept from infiltrating and polluting their society. May the gospel of Jesus the Messiah (Isa Almasih) be proclaimed and demonstrated in a relevant, non-threatening and culturally sensitive manner. The Acehnese need such an approach so that they may eventually come to the Prince of Peace, who has long wanted to embrace them and grant them His divine protection.

Since the downfall of former Indonesian President Suharto, Aceh has been much more than just Indonesia's most fundamentalist Muslim province. As the country's only province under Islamic sharia law, it has been an inspiration to the extremist movements that are attacking Christian villages on the islands of Ambon and Sulawesi. It has equally been a safe haven for the Taliban-style training of Indonesia's own insurgency.

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Map of Indonesia

Prayer guide for Aceh, Indonesia:

* Pray that Aceh province benefits from long-term recovery efforts, including the rebuilding of lives, infrastructure and social organisation.

* Pray that Muslims see the love and concern of Christians through the relief efforts (Matt 5:16).

* Pray that the imperishable hope of Christ reaches Indonesia's people even through the present crisis (1 Cor 13:13).

* Pray for God to open doors for the gospel to be communicated despite opposition (1 Cor 16:9).

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What are the Deli Malay beliefs?

Islam came to the Malay during the 15th century, and has proved to be central to their identity: "to be Malay is to be Muslim". For many, however, their faith is not an intellectual one. Customs and habits are handed down through the generations, and animist beliefs are also incorporated into their culture. There are currently around 50 Christians among the Deli - most of these conversions have been by marriage, and the converts have since had to move outside the Deli community.

How do the Deli Malay live?

The Deli are known for being fishermen, working the Malacca Straits between Sumatra and Malaysia. As a result of large-scale commercial fishing, there is less and less room for individual or family fishing activities. This has contributed to the Deli becoming the poorest of the poor. They have large families, often with six or seven children: the whole family shares one room in a house made of wooden planks, usually by the sea. Most have no electricity, and few have access to clean drinking water. The river and shore is used for drinking, bathing and washing clothes. The Deli have a reputation for being lazy, and most children will have left school by 10-12 years of age. Deli cultural values come from their Islamic beliefs, which focus on living in peace and harmony with those around them.

What do the Deli Malay need?

Most importantly, the Deli need to know the truth of faith in Isa al Masih (Jesus Christ). They need people to come alongside them and chat to them in a context which is relevant to their understanding and worldview. If the Deli are to come to faith in Isa al Masih, it is vital that there are well-trained national workers to live alongside them and share the gospel with them in an appropriate way.

They also need opportunities to earn a fair wage doing jobs which are tailored to their level of education, so that they can provide a better standard of living for themselves and their family. Their culture needs to learn to value education, so that children will stay in school longer and be able to compete for better jobs. They also need better access to basics such as clean water and electricity.

Flag of Indonesia

Map of Indonesia

Prayer for Indonesia:

* Plead for God's mercy and intervention on behalf of the Deli.

* Pray that the few Delis who have received the Spirit of the Messiah would be faithful in witnessing and sharing in a way appropriate to a Deli context.

* Pray that God will thrust more workers, both local and foreign, into the Deli harvest field.

* Pray that God will establish many more small business platforms for witness in Deli areas.

* Pray that God will raise up strong local communities of believers among the Deli in the near future.

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