Prayers for Lombok

Posted in Culture

Only a week after a magnitude-6.4 earthquake hit the Indonesian island of Lombok and killed 16 people, two more earthquakes caused more devastation. Registering as a magnitude-7.0, the first of the two earthquakes struck on the night of Sunday 5 August causing widespread severe damage to the northern section of Lombok and was felt by nearby, Bali. The second hit less than 24 hours later and registered as a 5.2 on the Richter scale. The death toll has since risen to 105 with more than 230 people seriously injured and many more still missing.

Rescue teams have found it difficult to provide aid and support due to road blockages caused by debris and power, communications being completely cut in some areas, thousands of homes and buildings destroyed, and damage from landslides. Most of the damage occurred outside the city centre in regional areas. Since the first earthquake hit, over 20,000 people have been left homeless and at least 18 remote villages in northern Lombok’s mountains have been cut off from relief teams due to damaged bridges and roads from landslides.

The Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management’s spokesman, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho has said that hospitals are overflowing and not everyone is able to be treated. According to reports from the ABC and the BBC, locals have been forced to tend to their broken limbs at home due to the overcrowded hospitals; one woman has even given birth at a temporary health station aided by the Indonesian Red Cross.

At this time of tragedy, Uniting Church SA Acting Moderator, Rev Dr Graham Vawser encourages members of the Uniting Church to pray for those affected.

“The Uniting Church members have always responded generously when alerted of the needs of people in Australia and around the world.  We are aware of people facing the drought in Australia, bushfires in Europe and the United States, and now the significant earthquake in Lombok (following on from the lesser earthquake last week). God’s gift of compassion rises in us as we see images and hear stories of destruction and struggle, particularly for our closest national neighbour.

We pray that God will show us ways to transform our compassion into action so that people who are grieving will be comforted, people who are injured will be healed, infrastructure and housing will be repaired and restored, and hope will be rekindled in each affected community. May God support and enable all those who use their skills and abilities to bring God’s blessing.”

UnitingWorld operate several aid programs in Bali, for more information on these projects or to donate visit unitingworld.org.au


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