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FPC Youth and Adults Respond to Tsunami Disaster
Days after the devastating tsunami that destroyed, killed and injured in Indonesia, First Presbyterian Church responded. Youth from our church acted quickly by gathering money for relief efforts. The youth raised $5,675.90, which was matched by the church and was combined with $32,187.71 of private donations. The total? $43,539.51!
The Reverend Sandra Randleman inquired through the Presbyterian Church (USA) how the money would be best used and learned that the PC(USA)'s Presbyterian Disaster Assistance organization had a person in Indonesia who had been in place for six months coordinating the work of all of the partners in Indonesia. That worker, Becca Young, is now stateside and will speak at FPC on Sunday, March 19, from 9:45-10:45 a.m. during the Sunday School hour in the Chapel.
Becca Young, Liaison for Tsunami Recovery, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, reported on relief efforts on the island of Nias, which was hit by a very severe quake a few months after the initial quake. Becca and other relief workers found an unusually large number of people paralyzed, or with severed limbs from the falling rubble on Nias. They initiated a rather expansive program to care for these folks medically, providing prosthetics, rehabilitation therapy and family counseling. The pictures and the stories from Nias not only show the devastation that followed the quakes but the hope and possibility that our funds have created.
Hear more about the ongoing work in Nias and throughout Indonesia as FPC welcomes Becca Young on March 19.
Damai: A Story of Hope on Nias
American David Barnhart is a video/photo journalist for PDA who spent a few days with "Damai," a Christian woman who was paralyzed when her house collapsed on her and is currently working through the physical rehabilitation process with her Muslim nurse, "Ika." "As you can imagine, the disaster has created unique opportunities in Indonesia that have brought Christians and Muslims together," Barnhart said.
Damai was able to take some major steps in her rehabilitation, in the short time Barnhart was with her. "She was able lift herself up under her own power into her wheelchair," he said. And through physical rehabilitation the feeling in her hands has returned and she is able to play the guitar again.
"Thank you for your congregation's prayers and support! Rehabilitation is about change and transformation over time. Your support makes this possible."
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