Two children were injured after a group of Muslims attacked a building where a Sunday school class was being held at Padang Sarai Village in West Sumatra province, Indonesia on Sunday 27 July.
“Some 30 children attending the Sunday school were left traumatised by the sudden attack,” said Pastor Fatiaro Dachi.
Video footage captured a group of men entering the building armed with knives and sticks. The assailants ordered the children and their accompanying parents to disperse, shouting, “Destroy everything!”
A police officer guarding the building where a Sunday school was disrupted in Padang Sarai, West Sumatra [Image credit: Antara/Iggoy el Fitra]
Two children, aged 11 and 9, were hit with wooden sticks, and were taken to hospital for treatment.
Pastor Dachi described the damaged to property caused. “They smashed glass windows, broke chairs, and damaged items inside the prayer house.”
Dachi explained that the Sunday school was established to provide religious education to Christian children attending local state schools.
Members of his congregation were mostly from the Christian-majority island of Nias, west of South Sumatra.
Yutiasa Fakho, a legal advisor to the Nias Community Forum, confirmed that the attack was reported to the police on 28 July. “We have forgiven what happened, but the legal case will continue. We are currently gathering evidence,” he said.
Brigadier General Solihin, the deputy chief of the West Sumatra Police, announced that they have so far arrested nine suspects, all of whom were identified from the video of the attack that was circulating on social media.
In recent years the government of Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, has declared its intentions to promote religious tolerance and combat Islamist extremism.
The incident took place exactly one month after police detained seven Muslims accused of disrupting a retreat for 36 Christian students in West Java province, further south.
How you can pray
Pray that Christian children injured will receive complete healing and that all those attending the Sunday school will recover from the trauma of the incident. Pray that Christians in Padang Sarai will draw on the Lord for strength and resolve at this unsettling time. Ask that those responsible will be held to account and come under conviction that leads to repentance.
