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Furthermore, as CRS had noted Thursday, the timing of this disaster at the start of Ramadan has added to the challenge of a recovery effort, which will involve many Indonesians working long days in tough conditions and on empty stomachs.
During the Islamic month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world will be fasting, praying, giving to charity, and putting more effort into following the teachings of Islam. From dawn to dusk, Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercourse.
Most of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims celebrated the start of Ramadan on Thursday as Indonesians prayed for the victims of a huge earthquake.
According to Agence France-Presse, Muslims in some quake-hit areas were unable to attend their regular evening prayers on Wednesday night as emergency teams assessed the damage.
"The imam had prepared for it but we cannot go to prayers as the mosque is damaged," resident Slamet Purwanto told the Detikcom online news agency from a village in Bengkulu district, among the areas worst hit.
Hundreds of miles away from the epicenter in Medan, Indonesia's third-largest city in North Sumatra, blackouts forced Muslims to pray by candlelight, kerosene lamps and light bulbs rigged to car batteries, AFP reported.
Prior to the quake, Christian leaders had been urging believers to pray for Muslims during Ramadan as it is a time when they are “fasting and more geared towards spiritual things.”
“And it’s out of a sense for God – a thirst for God and a hunger for God," said evangelist Sammy Tippit, according to Mission Network News, which has organized a Muslim prayer effort. "And during these times of Ramadan, many will have dreams about Jesus.”
"[T]he time is now to begin praying that God would draw Muslims to Himself,” wrote MNN executive director Greg Yoder for the campaign.
Currently, Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim nation.
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