Islamic Forces Surround 50,000 Indonesian Christians
More than 50,000 Christians are in "grave jeopardy" as they are surrounded by Islamic jihad terrorists on Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province according to Christian Aid. "Since Saturday night (local time), the Poso district of Central Sulawesi has been under attack," said Christian Aid's contact in the area. "The situation is very critical. Unless there is a miracle, many lives will be lost." The contact said people are crying out for help. "They are desperate for food, medicine and protection," he says. "They are completely surrounded and request our prayer support. If the jihad terrorists break through local defenses there will be great massacres." The jihad forces are reportedly well organized and well equipped-sometimes better equipped than the army, he says. Additional reports shared by Jubilee Campaign said that jihad terrorists attacked Pantangolemba village, near Poso, at 2 a.m. on Saturday. They burned 68 houses and looted 1.5 tons of rice that had been gathered by the churches in Palu to feed the 7500 refugees there. Later that day they attacked Rononuncu village. Sources in Indonesia said the jihad army was well equipped with AK-47s and other military-grade weapons-in places better armed than the local police and army units-while the Christians had only hunting rifles, spears and machetes. Christian Aid's contact said he had just talked with Christian leaders in Tentena, a city in central Sulawesi, and they are crying out for help. "They are desperate for food, medicine and protection. They are completely surrounded and request our prayer support. If the jihad terrorists break through [local defenses] there will be great massacres. We must pray that the hand of the Lord will stop these disciples of bin Laden from doing their evil deeds." Please bring this to the attention of as many intercessors as possible. Call your friends, prayer groups and churches and ask them to pray, as these Christians are in imminent danger. Some suggested prayer objectives:
That Indonesia's president, Megawati Sukarnoputri, will have wisdom, courage, and backing to be able to stop the jihad movement. So far strong militant Islamic elements have hindered the government's full response to this entire jihad crisis.
That God will send a spirit of confusion among the jihad movement and that it will self-destruct.
That Christians in peril will stand steadfast in their faith.
That God will intervene.
That equal justice will be administered to all persons. (One report says that Christians typically are given a 3-year sentence for possessing a machete, but a Muslim gets only a 7-month sentence for automatic gun possession.)
Christian Aid (along with International Christian Concern and others) is still receiving contributions to rescue and relocate Christians trapped by jihad terrorists as the Lord makes it possible to do so. So far 2791 Christians have been rescued from the fate of jihad terrorists. They extend their profound gratitude to those whose prayers, gifts and efforts made their rescue and relocation to a safe place possible. The effort to feed and house them continues. Article from Intercessors Network Mailto:Intercessors.Network@Telia.com