2 October 2018 Kind attention PCT Partners in Indonesia Gereja Toraja (GT) Toraja Church Gereja Kristen Indonesia (GKI) Indonesian Christian Church Persekutuan Gereja-Gereja di Indonesia (PGI) Communion of Churches in Indonesia Dear Friends Please find attached on behalf of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) a letter of condolence following the recent tragic Sulawesi, Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami (28 September 2018) With our prayers and concerns. Sincerely yours in Christ Rev. Hsieh Pao-Tsan Moderator, PCT 63rd General Assembly Rev. LYIM Hong-Tiong PCT General Secretary
No : 533/PGI-XVI/2018 Update Information and Appeal from the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) due to the EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI IN CENTRAL SULAWESI, INDONESIA The 7.5 earthquake hit the areas of Palu, Donggala and Sigi in the island of Sulawesi on Friday, September 28, 2018 at 17:02:44. Vice General Secretary of PGI, Rev. Krise Gosal flew to Palu on September 30 by Military Hercules Aircraft, the only emergency aircraft that can reach the area at that time. The intention is to express our solidarity with the people affected by these calamities. Soon after arrived there, she directly tried to communicate with the church leaders in the area and made effort to coordinate the emergency service to the people. In Central Sulawesi provinces there are 2 synods of PGI member churches, namely Gereja Protestan Indonesia di Donggala, GPID (Indonesia Protestant Church in Donggala) and Gereja Kristen Sulawesi Tengah, GKST (The Protestant Church in Central Sulawesi), and many other congregations and denominations. The affected areas are so devastating. More than eight hundred people have been killed, hundreds more feared buried in landslides and dozens of people are thought to be trapped alive under the rubble. When Rev. Krise arrived in the city of Palu it is very hard to communicate with the church leaders as all communication networks and facilities were damaged. Electricity was broken which left people in dark. Fuel was scarcely and quickly disappeared. People were hungry due to lack of food and water. Babies are crying for milk. Shops have been closed and people cannot withdraw money from ATM as the whole communications systems are broken down. Moreover, many of the pastors are still busy looking for their families’ and church members, as well as their neighbors, and buried the dead. Slowly she was able to get in touch with a few pastors. The GKST had opened an emergency shelter at Immanuel High School, one of the schools under the GKST, coordinated by Rev. Nurna Tokede, Rev. Frida Gintu and Rev. Ones Kambodji. This shelter becomes the first center of the churches in Indonesia responding to humanitarian situation. The people who were served in this center prefer to sleep outside the building under the trees or simple tents as they have been in trauma with many aftermath shocks which are still going on. The tents which are supposed to be prepared by the National Board for Disaster Management were not yet arrived. It has been difficult to bring any goods to the location due to the land slide and the broken road. Aftermath shocks happen until now, made people living in trauma. Many are trying to find ways to get out of the affected areas and find refugee places in more stable areas. However, it is still difficult to transport people due to the lack of fuel and many roads are seriously damaged. The facilities of airport were damaged making it difficult for public aircraft to transport the materials and people. Few urgent issues that need to be tackled immediately including the evacuation of the victims including those who are trapped alive under the rubbed; people needs for foods, water, cloths, cooking gas and fuels; tents for refugees, the buried of the death; the repair of electricity and communications facilities. Meanwhile, Military Resort Command coordinated the distribution of the logistics directly as there are apparently people who grab anything to get foods and drinks. Yesterday Rev. Krise Gosal visited the Sigi region and told us that the area was horribly smashed. The roads in this area are totally destroyed, the bridges were broken. Around 8 baton electrical poles felt down and hit the houses, offices and roads. The church building of GPID in Jono’oge was moving away and disappeared. Also the retreat center of GPID drawn in mud, left only the roof. At that time there were about 140 young people were in Bible camp activity. Many of them were swallowed by mud, only around 40 of them survived. In Toboli area, according to the information she got, after the huge earthquake and tsunami, suddenly along the road around 300m lengthappeared a small mountain from the earth which sucked the people and the house in that area including a maternity clinic. PGI Executive Board calls the church members and partners to pray for the people who are affected by these calamities. In addition, it was also suggested to share the burden of the sufferings regardless of their socio-cultural and religious backgrounds, by donating foods, tents and other supplies as well as funds. Many neighboring churches such as from Poso, Toraja, North Sulawesi and South Sulawesi were able to collect contributions from their members and from the interfaith communities, such as water, dry-foods, rice, clothes, babies’ needs. However it has been difficult to deliver it immediately, as some parts of the roads were broken. After hours of difficult trips, some trucks of the churches from Poso (Central Sulawesi) and Toraja (northern part of South Sulawesi) were able to reach the location on October 1. Many more churches from South Sulawesi and Western Sulawesi are on the way to bring foods and various needed supplies to support the life of the victims. The churches in Indonesia are in one heart to express their solidarity with the people in Palu, Donggala, Sigi and their surroundings who terribly suffer from earthquakes and tsunamis, and continue to collect contributions in-kinds and in cash. Following are the information provided for the churches in Indonesia and global partners. Your donation can be transferred to the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), with the following bank account: Account holder: Persekutuan Gereja-gereja di Indonesia (PGI) MANDIRI BANK (MATRAMAN BRANCH) Account Number: 006.006.000.034.0 Swift Code: BMRIIDJA or BANK NEGARA INDONESIA (MATRAMAN BRANCH) Account Number: 008.893.266.1 Swift Code: BNINIDJA In-kinds contributions can be sent and distributed through: 1. Communion of Churches in Indonesia (CCI/PGI) Office Grha Oikoumene, Jalan Salemba Raya 10, Jakarta Pusat CP: Debby Manalu, Staf BKP-PGI 2. CCI/ PGI in South, West and Southeast Sulawesi Region Jalan Racing Centre (Basalamah) No. 59. Panakukkang, Makassar. CP: Rev. Adrie Massie, Chairman 62 85399543257. 3. SAG North and Central Sulawesi Jalan Sam Ratulangi Winangun Manado 95011. CP: Rev. Dina Werat, Vice General Secretary 62 85340354040. Whatsapp:62 8124424490 PGI will try to send it immediately to the location and distribute it under the coordination of churches’ center for humanitarian assistance located in Palu. In addition to coordinate the responses of its member churches, PGI is also trying its best to collaborate with some other Christian institutions (such as Pelkesi and Yakkum Emegency Unit), various denominations, inter-faith institutions and government institutions which are working in the field. October 2, 2018 Rev. Gomar Gultom General Secretary Communion of Churches in Indonesia |