Day 12

It's difficult to summarize our team's experience in Banda Aceh. God and the warm people of Indonesia have allowed us to "enter in" to their pain and suffering. We have had a rare opportunity to serve and love those who have been devastated by an apocalyptic experience.

To help you better appreciate the tsunami, let me tell you a little about what we heard and saw. First, on the morning of December 26th, 2004, the people of Banda Aceh, Indonesia experienced a 12-minute earthquake. Twenty-eight minutes later they saw a black wave, measuring 100 feet high that was followed by two more gigantic waves. These waves struck over 300 miles of their coastline and leveled everything in their path, up to 3 miles inland. In addition, up to 1,000 yards of their coastal land was sucked into the sea. Today, their coast looks like it was hit by an atomic bomb. Everything has been flattened as far as the eye can see. The human loss is in excess of 300,000 lives (100 times greater than 911) and everyone we met had loss members of their family. The Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, housed people who on the average loss 25% of their immediate families. Unbelievable loss and destruction is everywhere.

Yet in a land that is the most populated Muslim country in the world, a door has been opened where we were able to bring medical care, public health, counseling, a hug, a smile and the touch of the Lord. We were very privileged to share in their suffering and bring some help and healing to those who had great need. We were moved to tears as we saw the faces of the children who lost their parents, and the adults who lost their spouses and children. We were honored to bring some hope to those who had none. For many who we served, we were told that having American Doctors, Nurses, Counselors and Support people, was beyond their wildest dreams and that they would never forget us.

We too, will never forget them! Our hearts were broken, as God's heart is broken, for his children who have faced major destruction and pain. He allowed us to bring a little light into the darkness - physically, emotionally and spiritually. We were honored to serve Him, to represent you, and to be transformed by this experience. To God be the glory and honor for what He has done and will continue to do!