The Sola Gratia congregation of the Bethel Indonesia Church meets in various homes in Jalan Banuaran, a village located in Padang, Indonesia. As the Christians were gathered for worship in the rented home of Juni Anton Zai on the evening of August 29th, a hostile woman in the community broke the windows of the house and demanded that those inside stop worshipping. According to Pastor Hiatani Ziduhu Hia, the woman, who was later identified as Liza, claimed to be the owner of the house.
Shortly after this incident, Liza's husband came to the house, along with two of his brothers. Armed with a machete and a wooden club, the men demanded that the worship meeting stop, and then threatened to kill the Christians if they refused. The believers continued to pray while the pastor tried in vain to calmly diffuse the situation.
Pastor Hiatani explained to the assailants that the landlord already knows the house is occasionally used as a place of worship, and that the head of their Indonesian community is also aware of the church's activities. It was eventually ascertained that the woman is a relative of the owner and lives in the back of a nearby house.
Although the police detained Liza, they are referring to the incident as a "misunderstanding." Pastor Hiatani hopes that the authorities will take the situation seriously, particularly because of the death threats, and endeavour to resolve the issue fairly. To read about further incidents of opposition towards Christians in Indonesia, go to our country report.
Pray that there will truly be a peaceful resolution to this volatile situation, allowing the church members who are renting the home to continue living there safely, despite the opposition. May God work mightily in the hearts and minds of the opposing community members, as well as the authorities involved in the case, so that harmonious relationships can be built between the tenants and the landlord's family.
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