At least twenty-one people died and many more were injured when two carefully timed bombs exploded in the market of the predominantly Christian village of Tentena on the island of Selawesi, Indonesia. The first bomb exploded at 8:10 a.m. on May 28 at the south end of the village market. Twenty minutes later as people rushed to the scene, a second more powerful bomb exploded killing those who came to help. The most recent reports confirm twenty-one dead and forty-two injured; some critically. A list of those killed and injured is available here.
While those responsible for this horrific attack have not been identified, it is believed that Islamic militants are responsible. There is concern that this may have been an attempt to revive tensions between area Christians and Muslims which has settled significantly in recent months. VOMC sources in Indonesia report that emotions are high in the area, particularly among the youth. Retaliation is a concern.
Pray that peace will reign in the hearts and minds of Christians in Tentena. Pray for Christian leaders, as they shepherd their congregations through this disaster.
For more information on persecution in Indonesia, click here. A twenty-minute video report on Indonesia entitled "Island Jihad" is available online in the Video section of VOMC's multimedia website, https://www.vomcanada.com/.
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