By Linda Jones
12/14/2017 Washington, DC (International Christian Concern)- Christians in Indonesia face severe persecution at the hands of radical Muslims, sometimes the government, and even their family members. Many of them live in fear of attack or harassment because they have chosen to follow Christ. This was the case for Supriyani, a recently converted Christian woman, who was kicked out of her house by her parents after she decided to convert to Christianity.
She comes from a Muslim background, but married a Christian man who shared the Gospel with her. The family agreed to let her marry him with the condition that she would not convert to Christianity and that the couple would live with her parents. However, when the family discovered Supriyani’s decision, they forced both of them out of the house, did not let them take any of their belongings, and severed all ties with the couple.
Supriyani’s husband was a ship crew mechanic, but his contract ended and his employer decided not to renew it due to his age. Therefore, Supriyani and her husband began to struggle because they did not have a place to live or a source of income to support their family. When International Christian Concern (ICC) learned of the situation, we immediately decided to assist them. First, we helped them find a place to live and covered their rent for a couple of months. Then we helped them set up a general store in their new house.
ICC was able to provide this type of assistance because of the faith and generosity of donors who constantly pray and care for the persecuted. Supriyani and her family have been blessed with this aid and they are all very grateful to be able to cover their expenses.
“This house is an answer to our prayers. When we were kicked out of our house, we were very shocked, confused, and sad. We didn’t know where to go, but we realize that God never leaves us. We believe this is not a coincidence. His faithfulness amazed us. Our heart is full of gratitude. We say thank you to ICC. We know this rescue comes from Heaven. We never regret following Jesus! Even if the help didn’t come, we decided to keep trusting in God. We know [we have] our life only by His grace. Thank you for your concern about our condition. We pray God to always be with ICC. God will give it back to you. Keep praying for us so that we can stand in our faith in Jesus name,” said Supriyani.
Please remember to keep Supriyani and her family in your prayers as they continue to face the hostility of their family and some of their neighbors. Pray that God will give them the strength they need in their spiritual walk with the Lord and that they can become a testimony to others. Pray that God would continue to provide for them in this new chapter of their lives and that they would be good stewards of God’s blessings. Finally, pray for Christians in Indonesia who are often oppressed and discriminated against because of their faith.
