Bonai Malay People Group Profile

“For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done” (Matthew 16:47, ESV).

The 14,000 Bonai Malay live in the western part of Riau Province. Until recently they were considered “foreign” by their own government because of their refusal to enter into the modern world. But in this generation, all of that has changed. The Bonai Malay have embraced a more modern way of life. They are sending their children to school. They are welcoming electricity and other tools into their villages for the first time.

Prior to this generation the Bonai Malay lived as hunter-gatherers. They worshipped nature and followed animism as their religion. Today, most Bonai Malay have received Islam. Many credit the advances in the villages to their acceptance of the Muslim religion.

Because the Bonai Malay, unlike the other Malay groups on Sumatra, just recently received Islam they struggle more with syncretism. They often default to the religious experiences of their forefathers. There are no known believers among this group. There is no indigenous church.

The Bonai Malay have great needs for continuing education and community development.

Pray that:

God will call, equip, and send workers to share the Gospel with the Bonai Malay.

The Holy Spirit will break the powers of darkness forged through generations of animism.

The Holy Spirit will convict the Bonai Malay of sin and show them the hopelessness of works-based salvation.

Believers will engage in community development projects among the Bonai Malay to show the love of Christ.

Professional believers will use their businesses to help develop the Bonai Malay area while sharing the Gospel.

The Bonai Malay will see Jesus in His glory with His angels, and will come to know Him as the way of salvation.

Bonai Malay believers will be won to Christ, grouped, discipled, and encouraged to grow in Christlikeness.