Keeping in Step

These Junior High School girls are participating in a regular exercise at their school. They march through the streets of their town and sing together as they march. The purpose of the exercise is exercise, but it’s also meant to build unity within the school and community. Being out of step with the values of the school and community are highly discouraged.

Community pressure to stay in line is one of the tools to keep the young from rebelling and falling into negative behaviors. The idea of being part of something bigger than yourself is indoctrinated into the thinking of Indonesian children from a young age.

Religion is a key part of community identity. Anyone deviating from the norm will receive pressure to fall back into line. Those who refuse to fall back into line are often persecuted by family and community. The cost of being different is often too much for individuals to bear. It’s perfectly okay to be nominal in your adherence to religion, just don’t break ranks with the rest.

Pray for new believers who are being persecuted for breaking ranks.

Pray for more Sumatrans to understand the value of the Gospel so that they are willing to pay the price of being a follower of Jesus.

Pray for workers to have wisdom, courage, and access to help new believers in the midst of persecution. When persecution starts, workers often lose contact with new believers.