Taking action in solidarity
There are many reasons to be frustrated over worsening political tensions in the world. Mennonite World Conference member churches in each continental region are calling for prayer and solidarity. Many are affected by corruption or violence in their countries.
As peacebuilding Anabaptists, what do we do?
“In such a time as this, we should pray. In private and as a community. Make our anger, frustration, lamentation, hope and anguish known to God,” says Nindyo Sasongko. He is theologian-in-residence at Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship, USA, and a minister with Gereja Kristen Muria Indonesia (GKMI).
To him, such a time was late August 2025. Widespread protests occurred in Indonesia when critics of steep tax rises were silenced. An incident where a police armoured vehicle struck and killed a motorcycle taxi driver in front of the protesting crowd raised anger.
“The government’s dismissive remarks about the voice of people who struggle to make ends meet, and their indifference to the death of an innocent man left me in emotional turmoil,” Nindyo Sasongko says.
So on 5 September 2025, Nindyo Sasongko read his prayer representing Christianity (one of six recognised religions in Indonesia) in front of the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in New York. The peaceful protest was witnessed by the General Consul Winanto Adi.
(Note: this is an abbreviated version of the prayer)
Tonight, we gather before You,
sincere in our plea
For the people of Indonesia.
United in one voice:
Not out of rebellion,
But because their groans can no longer be restrained.
We mourn!
No—Let us be bold before you:
We are aggrieved!
Not with envy or spite,
But with a righteous fury born of anxiety,
And of love and hope as children of this land,
Wandering across foreign seas.
We ask: How much longer, O God?
Open the doors of your mercy,
That all caught in turmoil can see there are greater interests:
Not indifference, but kinship,
Not insensitivity, but compassion,
Not greed but hope for each of the nation’s blood.
Open paths of reconciliation,
Such that each person may rebuild trust
torn apart by suspicion and strife.
Bind the wounds of this nation—
the wounds of flesh from conflict,
emotional scars of loss,
and the deep, silent anger within.
May this pain be transformed
into the birth of a new era,
marked by justice, integrity,
and abiding peace for all the people of Indonesia.
O you whose steadfast love knows no end,
May the cries of the poor not go unheard,
May their suffering be eased,
And may their tomorrows be assured.
The prayer ended with a call for the current administration to return to the constitution, have the humility to hear the cries of the crowd, and lay the path to more justice.
Persisting even when we do not see changes
Since the wave of protests, unfortunately, nothing has changed in Indonesia. Half a year after the protests, things seem to have become worse. So why pray for the nations?
“Because prayer changes us first. It softens our hearts, reshaping our desires and binding us to the sacred trust to the Lord and the community around us,” Nindyo Sasongko explains.
“I believe in a God who actively chooses solidarity with the vulnerable and protects the widows and orphans,” says Nindyo Sasongko. “Jesus taught peace and non-violence not just as concepts, but as a way of life. I remain convinced that non-violence is the most potent weapon for dismantling societal inequality.”
“Secondly, my optimism is fuelled by a generation of young people [in diaspora] who possess a profound concern for Indonesia. In their critical eyes and in their demand for truth, I see the hand of God – the God of peace – working behind the scenes to restore Indonesia.”
“In this truth, I find courage and optimism to face the challenges ahead. My hope is that more believers join hands in prayer,” says Nindyo Sasongko.
MWC facilitates communal prayer for nations and churches through its bimonthly prayer network e-mail and Online Prayer Hour. Join us.