Indonesia (MNN) — Buildings collapsed after a powerful
7.6 earthquake rocked Sumatra, Indonesia yesterday.
The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center indicated that the
quake stemmed from the same fault line that caused the December 2004
tsunami. That disaster claimed over
200,000 lives across the Indian Ocean region, most of them in the northwest of
Sumatra Island.
The recent quake also
severed power and phone connections. Emergency personnel and aid groups are having
a tough time getting into the region. Roger Thomas with AMG International says, "We do have church planting work going
on in Sumatra; we don't know yet whether this work has been affected at
all."
It could be days before communications are restored, which
makes it difficult to assess the scope of the damage. Landslides triggered by the earthquake have
cut off road access to some areas.
The disaster is bringing back memories for their Indonesian
staff on Nias who survived the quake and tsunami of 2004. "Our folks on
Nias Island were hit really hard by the tsunami. Three months later, there was
a massive earthquake that destroyed buildings and killed people again. And now,
here they face it again."
In March 2005, following another disaster, we spoke with AMG
President Paul Jenks. To meet the needs
of the younger survivors of two deadly earthquakes, he said their teams were developing
a counseling outreach specifically for them. "Even after the damage has
been cleared away and new buildings have been placed, these children who have
been traumatized need to have help."
Although they work on many different islands throughout the
country, AMG is mobilizing a relief response for the survivors on Sumatra. It's likely the efforts will be coordinated
from the headquarters in Solo. Funding is needed.
Thomas hopes the crisis enables the hope of the Gospel to
penetrate in areas that would otherwise be closed. Pray "that God will hear their cries and
provide the means to those that are there to assist–folks like us and many
others who are trying to do what they can to provide food, and then later on,
to help them rebuild." You can
help. Click here or here.
