This month, as we continue to explore TWR’s mission to Reach the Last, we look at the Sundanese people of Indonesia.

“Praise God for the many blessings I have received, and I am very grateful for the spiritual program in Sundanese language that has been accompanying me.

I hope many more people can access this program too. And praise God my child has accepted to follow Jesus. God is great.”

The Sundanese people represent the largest unreached people group in Indonesia. Their homeland lies in the province of West Java, where they have lived for generations.

They are known for their strong devotion to Islam, which Joshua Project estimates as comprising 99.4% of the 39 million population. Only 0.06% of Sundanese people identify as evangelical Christian.

During the years of Dutch colonialism, a division was formed between the Europeans and the Sundanese, who came to view the good news as foreign.

To become Christian is to become like the colonizers. In traditional Sundanese society, following Jesus is synonymous with deserting one’s Sundanese identity.

Ministry among the Sundanese is undeniably arduous, but not impossible. It is often when they experience the love of Christ in real, practical and culturally relevant ways that they learn that the gospel is for them, too.

But for those who embrace the gospel, the road ahead is far from easy. It is a journey marked with opposition, persecution and intense pressure from their families and communities to renounce their newfound faith, as there is almost zero tolerance of family members who do so.

“Praise the Lord! Our family has been deeply blessed by the program and I learned a lot from Hebrews 13:5-6. Living in a village where many question our faith and treat us with disdain, it can be challenging. We’re often isolated and rejected, but I hold tightly to God’s promise that he will never leave us. God is our helper, and we will not fear others. His faithfulness and mercy sustain us, and we continue to trust in his promises every day.”

TWR’s national partner in Indonesia reaches the Sundanese through FM radio broadcasts of programs such as The Way of Righteousness (Sundanese); Women of Hope (Indonesian); and The Story of Jesus as well as pre-evangelistic programs that provide health awareness and education.

In addition to the radio broadcasts, outreach is also done through audio players. These devices are essential for listener groups in areas where radio broadcasts are not an option.

These small groups of five to seven listeners gather regularly to listen to the programs, fellowship and pray for one another. By partnering with local Christian leaders, the listeners are shepherded in their faith and TWR’s national partner manages to gather feedback on the programs.

TWR’s national partner in Indonesia hopes to expand the outreach to the Sundanese people and forming additional listener groups, distributing radios and audio players to those who need them the most. God willing, more programs can be produced in the Sundanese language so this people group may richly encounter God’s good news of hope and salvation.

Five ways to pray for the Sundanese people of Indonesia

Besides reaching the Sundanese with the gospel, here are an additional five prayer points for this people group:  

1. Pray for God's protection

Pray for God's protection over the people of West Java, especially those in areas prone to floods and landslides. In 2024, the region has experienced over 800 natural disasters in the first seven months of the year alone, affecting hundreds of thousands of residents. Ask God to strengthen disaster response systems.

2. Pray for those struggling with poverty in West Java

Ask the Lord to open doors of opportunity and resources for those in need so families can live better lives.

3. Pray for infrastructure

Pray for better roads, clean water and electricity in rural areas of West Java so that communities may experience improved quality of life and greater economic opportunity.

4. Pray for the children

Pray that every child in West Java can go to school and get a good education. Ask God to provide teachers and resources, especially in rural areas. The frequent natural disasters also affect the children and make it difficult for them to attend school consistently.

5. Pray for better access to healthcare

Pray for better access to healthcare services in West Java, especially in areas where it’s hard to find doctors and medicine. Ask God to help everyone get the medical care they need for a healthy life.

[photo_footer]TWR MOTION's animators and illustrators lent their talents to the 2024 Advent Prayer Guide, providing a rich visual companionship to seasonal devotional content and people group highlights..[/photo_footer] 

Advent prayer guide

TWR has prepared a Reach the Last Advent Prayer Guide 2024 that is available for download. Each week begins with a thought-provoking devotional followed by profiles of people groups from around the world.

Learn how TWR is reaching “the last rows” with Jesus’ message through media and how you can be in prayer this season.

Leanne Tan serves as a marketing and communications executive with TWR out of its Singapore office.