Indonesia

Indonesian, Javanese, Sundanese, Acehnese, among others

735,358 sq mi

Area

Languages

Population

Religion

Approx. 270 million

88% Muslims, 9% Christians, 3% Hindus and Buddhists

Life in Indonesia

Life in Indonesia, a country known for its cultural and religious diversity, presents unique challenges in day-to-day living for its population. Across its vast archipelago, Indonesians grapple with issues common to many developing nations. Economic disparities are a significant concern, with rural areas often lacking the same level of access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities as urban centers. Infrastructure, while improving, still struggles to keep pace with the rapid population growth, especially in cities like Jakarta, leading to chronic traffic congestion and inadequate public transportation. Environmental challenges, such as deforestation, air and water pollution, and natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis, further complicate daily life. Additionally, political and social dynamics, including regional disparities in governance and occasional inter-religious tensions, add layers of complexity to the Indonesian experience. Despite these hardships, many Indonesians exhibit resilience and a strong sense of community, navigating these challenges with a blend of traditional values and modern adaptability.

A Little History

The huge island kingdom of Indonesia consists of 17,500 islands, which are spread over 3,200 miles from east to west - that's the distance from Madrid to Moscow! – and from north to south over 1,100 miles. With almost 270 million inhabitants, Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world, almost 90% of which are Muslims. Although Sharia, Islamic law, is only fully valid in the province of Aceh in North Sumatra, it still shapes life throughout the country and makes it difficult for people of other faiths. There is often discrimination against Christians and the building of churches is made more difficult. A law against “blasphemy” provides for up to 5 years in prison. Unfortunately, this law is often applied arbitrarily - for example against the former Christian governor of Jakarta, Ahok, who was sentenced to 2 years in prison in 2017. But despite the difficulties, God is building his church in Indonesia and Muslims are coming to faith in Jesus Christ.

Our Work in Indonesia

For over thirty years, Call of Hope has been able to operate in the most populous Islamic country in the world to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to Muslims. Radio broadcasts in particular have proven to be a suitable means for this. Our evangelistic programs tailored specifically to Muslims can be received on dozens of radio stations in this huge island state - be it in Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan (Borneo) or Papua. Radio listeners then have the opportunity to contact our radio evangelists with their questions. Many Indonesians have been able to get to know Jesus Christ. The province of Aceh in the north of Sumatra is special. Sharia rules here - strict Islamic law. Therefore, Call of Hope does not receive permission to broadcast its radio programs there. Nevertheless, Call of Hope operates two radio boats that travel along the coast of Aceh to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Muslims there via radio in Acehnese. Since 2006, Call of Hope has also been running a high school in which young Christians are actively trained and instructed in missionary service among Muslims.

Our work includes:

Personal Evangelism and Literature Distribution
Radio evangelism on around 70 radio stations
Answering the numerous letters from radio listeners
Radio boats for Aceh Province evangelism
Christian high school

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Call of Hope Projects in Indonesia

The heart of our work is the scriptural mission. We distribute numerous evangelistic writings and books in over 40 languages, in which we address the important fundamentals of the Christian faith.
For many years, evangelistic radio broadcasts have been a wonderful additional means of spreading the message of God's love to Muslims. The radio does not stop at national borders and can be received freely and at any time by interested Muslims in the respective regions and via the Internet.
God's love extends especially to children, the most vulnerable members of our society. A good school education lays an important foundation for children to have a good start in life and to be able to stand on their own two feet later. But our employees can not only contribute to the good education of children.