On 11 May, Islamic extremists killed four Christians in a village in Indonesia. It was the second such attack in the Central Sulawesi region in six months.
A witness reported that the morning of the attack, he saw a group of five extremists walking towards his village. As he fled home, trying to warn people about the extremists, he passed by two of his friends and told them to run away.
Sadly, these friends did not find safety and, along with two other men, were killed by the extremists.
These believers, aged between 42 and 61, were members of local church communities within the area.
The attack took place in the same province as a similar attack last November, where four believers lost their lives. With those attacks, and the recent Palm Sunday church bombing, believers in Indonesia are afraid of escalating violence and persecution.
Open Doors’ local partners are trying to reach out to the families and churches of the victims. But travel is much more difficult due to the pandemic.
One partner, Brother Ari*, said, “As long as these terrorists are not caught, the threat is lingering. People are afraid to go to their field, therefore they cannot work and produce crops.
“Pray for the peace of God to cover this area. Fear and intimidation are trying to take over people’s hearts. But God’s power is more powerful. May the heart of His people be reminded of that truth.”
Pray For Indonesia:
- Communities of faith are fearful that these attacks will continue. Pray for the peace of God to cover this area.
- Pray for the families of those who were killed – that God will provide comfort in their grief, and provision for their families as they have lost their main source of income.
- Pray that our local partners will be able to support the victims’ communities spiritually and practically.
Stay updated with the latest prayer requests from the persecuted church.
*Names changed for security purposes.
