#Solider4Palu
Palu, 7-8 November 2018
Donggala
While our Medical Team was preparing the medicines which we would use in the afternoon, I took the liberty to survey a few things in Donggala. If you often played the Indonesian version of Monopoly game board during your childhood, then the name of this city would sound familiar to you, wouldn’t it?
It is a supporting city, located about 40 km from Palu. We surveyed some places to see the condition of some church buildings and schools, as part of our consideration for the possibility to enter the rebuilding stage.
We looked at the State’s High School Building (SMAN 1) that suffered terribly. Out of 24 classrooms and labs that this school has, only 8 classrooms are “possibly” safe to be used again. The damage was really painful.
For the time being, the students are located to study in the temporary school (using tents at the field in front of their school building). Indeed we know that education plays a very important role in raising up the next generations. Furthermore, this particular school is one of the oldest State’s High School in town. We can imagine its role all these years in raising up leaders who studied in its classrooms before, but now those classrooms are no more. If this school can be restored, we believe it will further support the development of our young generations.
Petobo Refugees Center
On the second day of our operation, we reached out to the refugees at Petobo Refugees Center. We know that Petobo is one of the areas most affected by the Earthquake and Liquefaction. All the victims who survive have lost their homes permanently; many lost their family members as well.
Before we started our Medic and Distribution, I took the opportunity to express our deepest sympathy to them. I told them that the people in Palu are not forgotten, that so many people care for them even though they cannot be present. We hope that what we give them can bring a glimpse of hope, so the people of Palu will have the courage to rise up again. I told them that God loves them, and that’s why God sent us there to care for the people of Palu. I also thanked them for their warm welcome. I encouraged them to make the best use of our medical team, to register themselves so we can check their health, and we can get to know one another.
At this distribution, we met an elderly man who was almost drown by liquefaction. Praise be to God, there was a wooden log passing by in the mud, as if the hand of God was extended to him; so he grab the log and came to safety. Well, I guess in the midst of disaster like this, we would always be able to see how the foot prints of the goodness of the Lord.
To all friends and partners of Anugrah, Thank You for allowing God to use you as His instrument, so we can synergize to reach out and bless the people of Palu.
God bless!!
In His Service,
Ps. Daniel Hendrata & all Anugrah Team in the field.
This post is also available in: Indonesian
