Indonesia
(MNN) — May marks the one-year
anniversary of a deadly earthquake in Java, Indonesia.
The 6.2 magnitude temblor hit the island, decimated 250,000
homes, injured approximately 30,000 people, and left another 6,000 dead.
Among the damaged structures, Universitas Kristen Immanuel (Immanuel Christian
University or UKRIM) in Yogyakarta. UKRIM
sustained severe damage from the earthquake, with two dorms nearly destroyed
and the roofs of several other buildings unstable.
Wycliffe Associates' Bruce Smith says supporters have given
funds to reconstruct earthquake-resistant facilities at the school. Their
students represent hundreds of potential national translators who could work
all over this vital region of Indonesia.
"We're mobilizing a team to continue ministering in this particular area
to be specifically impacting this Christian
University. Many of the students are thinking about, or
are planning to be involved in Bible translation in various ways. It's a great way to sort of 'link arms' in
this sort of a task."
Their purpose is two-fold: 1. help with relief work and 2.
develop long term relations between Wycliffe Associates and Indonesian
ministries that are engaged in evangelism and who support Bible translation.
What makes this team unique is that Wycliffe wants college
students ministering to college students.
"It just boils down to people opening their hearts and minds to the
possibility of God using them in a unique way this summer. This particular team
is going to be focused on college-aged students. It's a great opportunity to
see what God is doing in other parts of the world to complement their own
college studies, here in the United States, and have a clearer sense of where
God is leading them in their own walk of faith."
Wycliffe
Associates has begun a campaign to raise additional funds to rebuild the 20
churches, the two dorms and hundreds of homes destroyed by this earthquake,
requiring over $1 million and thousands of volunteer hours.
Wycliffe
Associates plans to send more than 1,500 volunteers to 40 different countries
this year to build and renovate facilities, construct roads and airstrips,
teach Vacation Bible School, help with language development and office work,
oversee projects, use their computer skills, and much more.
Click
here for more details on how you can help.
