Indonesia tsunami crisis: it gets personal for UnitingWorld

Posted Oct  3, 2018 in News

Over the weekend and the following days, you will have seen in the news that the cities of Palu and Donggala in Central Sulawesi were hit by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake. The earthquake triggered a tsunami along coastal areas in Palu, killing at least 1200 people, injuring and displacing thousands and affecting tens of thousands.

The event has been very personal for us. UnitingWorld staff and our partners in Indonesia have lost friends and loved ones.

More than 4000 vulnerable people in Central Sulawesi who are clients of a microfinance project supported by our partners, Tanaoba Lais Manekat (TLM), have been affected by the disaster. TLM are in the process of evacuating their team there but it will be some months before they are able to locate and assess the impact on the people they serve. They have reported that the situation in Palu is chaotic and desperate as people have no food or water and medical help is limited for the many injured.

We have supported projects implemented by TLM for many years and grieve with them during this time.

Our Bali partners, Gereja Kristen Protestan Bali (GKPB), are also connected to the area through the Balinese communities who live in Sulawesi. They are still waiting to hear from many of them.

Our Southeast Asia Regional Office staff have lost family members and are waiting for news from friends. They are based in Bali and talking with GKPB about how they will respond.

Friends, we are asking you to pray for our staff and partners during this time. We are walking with them as they assess the impact and determine how they are best placed to serve.

If one part of the body suffers, all suffer together with it - 1 Corinthians 12:26

If you would like to support our partners as they respond to this tragedy, please donate here.

Rev Dr Apwee Ting has offered a prayer in Indonesian and English. You can read here.

In love and hope,

Sureka

Dr Sureka Goringe
National Director
UnitingWorld

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