Indonesia

Indonesia’s national motto is “unity in diversity.” The people are proud that despite having 370 ethnic groups with different languages, traditions, cultures, and religions, they are united as one nation. The official language is Indonesian, but 583 languages and dialects are spoken throughout the islands.

Indonesia’s many different cultures have their own customs. Most rural people do not celebrate birthdays. Also, it is quite possible your sponsored child will have an arranged marriage, as this is a common practice in Indonesia. The minimum legal age to marry is 18 for girls and 21 for boys.

The families of most sponsored children work in agriculture and fishing. In some remote villages, schools are scarce and many children are unable to attend until they reach 10 years of age.

Sometimes villages lack enough good land for farming, so families move to the cities in search of a better life. But urban poverty is even more desperate, sometimes leading to drug addiction or prostitution. Through income-generating projects and education, your sponsorship is helping families to stay in their own communities.

With 17,000 islands and islets, Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. It has 100 active volcanoes, and its interior mountains, lush forests, and numerous rivers are a beautiful backdrop to your sponsored child’s home.

Indonesia’s climate is hot and tropical. It has a dry season from April to October and a rainy season from December to March.

The rainy season sometimes brings severe floods that inundate roads, schools, and houses in the villages. It is normal for communication with your sponsored child to be delayed during this season.

After four decades of authoritarianism, Indonesia is now a democracy. Since the resignation of former President Soeharto in May 1998, a continuing wave of separatist movements has swept through several provinces.

Nearly half of the country’s workforce is engaged in agriculture. Once the world’s largest rice exporter, Indonesia was self-sufficient for years thanks to this staple crop. During the last few years, however, rice production has dropped due to severe drought, forcing the country to import a substantial amount of rice.

• Pray that your sponsored child might respond to God’s love and grace.
• Ask God to guide your sponsored child as he or she learns, grows, and moves toward a future full of hope and possibilities.
• Pray for God to protect the health of your sponsored child and his or her family.