Indonesia will be our last stop on the race before we head back to the states to apply all that we have learned and experienced over the last year. I am already so ready for Indonesia and serving the diverse population wherever we land in our ministry over the island nation. 

Map:

Flag:

Language: The official language is Indonesian, but over 700 languages are spoken throughout the islands!

Religion: 87.2% Islam.

While Indonesia's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, there are only six official religions recognized by the state, and people may only identify as one of them (Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism)

Population:

• Over 269 million

• The median age is only 28.3 years

Unique Animals:

• The famous komodo dragon is native to Indonesia

• The Cendrawasih: The delicate-looking bird is found on the island of Papua. Feathers can range from yellow and brown to blue and violet

• Helmeted Hornbill: the hornbill's "helmet", called a casque, accounts for 11% of its body weight and is used for head-to-head combat

Special Foods:

• Nasi Jaha; made of sticky rice, ginger, pandan leaves, coconut milk, and lemongrass and lime. It's cooked slowly in bamboo tubes and slices thinly to serve with fish.

• Gado-Gado (lotek); literally means mix-mix. It is a salad made of slightly-blanched veggies, hard-boiled eggs, boiled potato, and fried tofu. Served with a side of peanut sauce.

• Kerak Telor; this spicy omelette dish is made of sticky rice and egg, shaped into a pancake or omelette. It's topped with shredded coconut and fried shallots.

Cool Geography:

• Indonesia is an archipelago of over 1,800 islands!

• It is a intersection for numerous tectonic plates, which is the cause of its mountainous landscape.

• Mount Tambora, the former highest peak, is a currently active volcano whose eruption in 1815 is the largest in recorded history. The effects of the eruption were so widespread, there was no summer in Europe that year.

Fun things to do:

• Borobudur Buddhist Temple; religion is deeply-rooted in Indonesia, so there are many temples to visit. Borobudur is now a UNESCO Heritage site.

• Tanah Lot; this ancient Hindu pilgrimage temple is built on a rock and surrounded by water. At high tide, waves flood the causeway, making it impossible to cross.

• Madakaripura waterfall; this beautiful 200m waterfall's stream cascades down like rain. It is the tallest waterfall in Java.

Prayer: Religion is deeply rooted in Indonesia, as the state is based on the belief in "the one and only God." This makes it fertile soil and, since most of the nation practices Islam, please pray that our squad can both show people by our actions and the Spirit would guide our words to help them understand that Jesus was not just a powerful prophet but the son of God.

This is our last stop on the Race as well! Please pray that we finish strong, rooted in the power of the Spirit, and that our travel back to the USA would be smooth.