Remembering the Tsunami
The province of Aceh in Indonesia was dramatically affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami on December 26, 2004. There was no tsunami warning system. The time of arrival of the tsunami was between 15 and 30 minutes after the deadly earthquake. The waves were 20 to 30 feet high and swept in with a force that crumbled buildings, trees, and everything in its path. The area closest to the sea was wiped clean of every structure. Within 30 minutes everything changed forever. Around 130,000 people died and 37,000 were missing. The UN estimated that 655,000 people were left homeless.
In March / April 2005, my husband, Bob, and I went to Indonesia for the express purpose of bringing in relief aid and helping the people of the area. Before going to Indonesia, we prayed for divine connections. God was gracious and granted us favor and the connections we needed to get into the area and conduct the things He had put on our hearts to do. Upon arriving in Jakarta, we met with the leadership of the Jakarta International Christian Fellowship and found out that they had a team leaving to go to Banda Aceh on the same day we were planning to go. When we told them our intentions, they graciously invited us to join their team and travel with them. This was a tremendous blessing because they had already worked out transportation, accommodations, and had some projects and activities lined up. Amazingly, their projects and activities were exactly what God had put on our heart to do! God answers prayers!
Banda Aceh was known as the “Porch of Mecca”. Muslims who wanted to make a pilgrimage to Mecca but couldn’t often traveled to Banda Aceh as a significant place for religious observances. The people there lived under strict Sharia Moslem law. Women must cover their heads when they leave home or be publicly punished. All the women on the relief team had to dress appropriately with longer sleeve tops and head coverings.
One area that we visited previously had 7000 people living there in substantial two-story cement homes. There were only 200 survivors in that area: 160 men, 20 women, and 20 children! Most of the survivors were injured in some way. We were told that it was like being in a blender with debris from collapsed buildings, crushed vehicles, trees, and bodies. Over one thousand bodies found on the streets were placed in mass graves without waiting for identification as officials quickly tried to keep the sanitation situation from worsening. Sadly, finding the bodies of loved ones was impossible for many. The area looked like an atom bomb had exploded. The survivors were initially given tents to live in but were soon moved to wooden barracks according to their community groups.
We spent some time in Banda Aceh seeing what little was left of the city but because there were so many Aid Organizations concentrating on this main area, we found it best to help out in an area three hours down the east coast of Sumatra in a city called Sigli that had not been targeted for help. During our time there, we were able to help build a house and invest in a boat building project. The majority of people affected in this area were fishermen and their homes and boats were all destroyed. We were also able to visit some of the camps where the survivors were living and pass out supplies to the people, do some weaving projects with the women, and play with the children. At one camp, we helped hand out Samaritan’s Purse Shoe Boxes to children. It was very touching to see their joy and excitement at receiving gifts after having lost literally everything (including some parents and siblings). These people had been taught that Christians were “infidels” (evil and wicked people) and yet they understood that the Christians were the ones coming to their aid at this time of unbelievable loss. It was a privilege to be able to represent the body of Christ in way.
Thankfully, this area is now regaining its original beauty. The coastline is now cleared with some new houses perched near the beach. Lush mangroves have been planted to help withstand high waves. Fishermen are back at sea and farmers are able to once again work their rice fields. The city has been rebuilt, and the Museum Tsunami Aceh serves as a somber reminder of the devastation of December 26, 2004. Lasting impact has been made in that area for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, than the mighty waters of the sea.” Psalm 93:4
