Indonesia (MNN) — An earthquake struck Indonesia’s island of Java last week, killing 321 and injuring 2,000.
It wasn’t strong as earthquakes go, registering only a magnitude of 5.6. But the epicenter was near the surface and in the middle of inhabited land. Loose soil caused landslides that buried entire villages.
Brian Dennett with AMG International says about 73,000 people have been displaced from their homes. “It’s been very challenging to get aid into the area and to distribute goods, as many of the areas have been isolated by the earthquake. So any relief is going in by trail bikes or four-wheelers.”
Religious tensions
After the quake, Christians donated some tents to shelter victims. Local Islamic groups ripped the labels off and dismantled some of them. Dennett says, “There is really a fear that evangelicals or non-Muslims will be proselytizing and sharing their faith.”
But most people across Indonesia found the incident highly upsetting. Dennett says it even rankled some local authorities. “I saw a post from the governor of West Java, who was quoted as saying, ‘Even though we are not brothers in faith, we are still brothers in nationality and humanity.’”
“So there is recognition there by most people that Christians want to help.”
Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country. Some Muslims fear losing this status if more people become Christians. These groups tend to blame Christianization for many ills of society.
AMG works with local churches in the area, distributing aid to those who need it. Pray many people will see the love of Jesus through this work. You can support it at amghelps.org.
The header photo shows houses damaged in the earthquake. (Photo courtesy of National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
