Tsunami Disaster

Survivor Stories           Partners' Efforts 

An overwhelming disaster that rendered top news writers around the world speechless, in the US our most famous retired General, Colin Powell could not comprehend what lay in front of his eyes. We were blessed, this small organization that longs to serve those desperately in need. The Lord opened doors for us to begin working in Banda Aceh while much larger aid organizations were still in a bottleneck of red tape. Your support allowed us to provide food, water filtration systems, infant formula, medical, immediate trauma care, clothing and much more. We are very excited about the future, we didn't just pop in for a quick drop off, we have rented the Partners House for at least a year and will provide on-going care and training in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, medial doctors and of course, the tens of thousands of tsunami orphans in this "politically closed" province of Sumatra.

Not to be forgotten, our Thailand team went immediately to provide care and support in Southern Thailand! And most definitely not to be forgotten, the fact Burma is not posting the correct number of deaths from the tsunami - they haven't mentioned the very high death toll of the Karen last known estimate, 2,000 dead.

Thank you for your support and allowing us to physically go to these places to serve.

Sharon Totten, Director Partners USA

Being in Banda Acheh has stopped my world from turning. I have forgotten all that I am, all that I desire, and all that I require. The eyes of our adopted refugees betray their ravaged souls. Their eyes are filled with horror and hunger. God help us help them!

Douglas Graham, Fairbanks Alaska

There are so many hopeless cases but somehow joy still surfaces. The children's faces smile endlessly thought they seem to have nothing left to smile for. A man today was holding the most beautiful little girl. She was 2 years old and her mother, father, and 2 siblings are gone. She certainly doesn't understand - but her smiles gave me hope. God has placed this camp of us at the front of this mosque to try to help and to teach us things only He can understand.

Greg Bradley, USA

As I sit here this evening in Banda Aceh, my thoughts are racing and difficult to process and convey.

Four days ago we arrived in Jakarta and then Medan. In the airports I was constantly looking at people, thinking of terrorism. Now, only 4 days later, I see my wife, my son and my daughter. I see people that God really loves, but who have no knowledge of that love. I pray that our limited actions convey our love and God's.

Finally, I must comment on the quality of my co-workers. I feel like a bat-boy at the all-star game. Aussie, Indonesian, American, I could not have dreamed of a more dedicated and professional group of servants.

It is foremost an honor to convey the love that God has put on my heart, it is another honor to serve with such wonderful people. - January 6, 2005

Tom Robinson, Fairbanks AK

I was in the house when an earthquake came. The owner of the house ran quickly towards me and then towards the door. He said, "Tsunami, tsunami!" The fear in his eyes was horrendous. The fear the tsunami has instilled into these people is huge. We can treat cuts and broken bones, hunger and no clothing, but how do we treat this fear?

God is here! God is working! Muslim country. Muslim people. But God is here and working! Muslim people were building something. At the end there were 2 logs of wood left. There were thrown onto the ground to waste. However, they landed into the form of a cross. I believe that's God's way of telling us that He's here with us and He's at work with these people. How much does God rock!!!

Jeremy Hancock, Australia

I struggle to process this experience. I watched the news and couldn't get the people suffering out of my mind, and knew I had to go somewhere to help in some way. Being here is a struggle in some ways. The two days it took us to finally arrive in Banda Aceh. Fear driving across the border area, entering Aceh Province and wondering if our convoy would be attacked and needed supplies lost. Seeing our driver's nervousness also was unnerving. Starting to meet people who have lost all of their extended family. One man said 43 people in his extended family were "all gone." I wanted to hug the man and cry with him but it didn't seem he could let his emotions fly.

We drove through the devastation and mud was everywhere, building collapsed, body bags stacked, people looking through the rubbage for something to find of value. We turned a corner and I saw 2 body bags the size of infants. We arrived at a refugee camp and started to organize things and treated the injured, distributed food, and still we found laughter and hope.

-Boys cleaning up a mangled motorbike.
-A man who was the only survivor of 5000 people still can laugh as he tells of being on top of a roof.

I'm frustrated wanting to do more for people who have lost everything. But also understanding that just being here is an encouragement to the people.

Randy Bevis, Chiang Mai Thailand

In the clinics we set up, one of the problems that is hardest to address with the language barriers is post traumatic stress. One lady I saw (a young woman around 19 years old who'd lost her husband and baby) had been in the water for a few hours and had lost 40 family members and friends. She said she couldn't eat or drink and she was too afraid to sleep because she might need to run away again. She was having headaches and difficulty breathing which, when we discussed, she and I both felt it was stress-related. Unfortunately, the limitations we had meant it was hard to address the problem. When we said she should talk with someone, she said they were "all gone, there is no one." This was not an uncommon story, lots of people were the only survivors they knew.

Rebecca Kerr, Australia

In the clinic we have seen people who are the victims of circumstances outside of their control. It has been said that many of the health problems in the developing world relate to poverty, powerlessness, lack of access to resources and lack of access to education. As volunteers supported by Partners resources, we have been able to address these aspects of these refugees' life experience.

Nathan Willis, Australia

We have set up two clinics in the two days of being here. Seeing 156 people in the second day, and about 60-70 on the first afternoon. The main problems have been upper and lower respiratory infections, diarrheal illnesses, dehydration and wound care. The people are unsure about what to do and where to go. We have been able to help some to get to the hospital for emergency treatment. One baby was severely dehydrated and would have died had we not taken her to the hospital for treatment, she had 4 bags of IV fluids. There are many children that have lost their parents and families. Children are being cared for by people they don't even know.

There are so many stories that could be told about pain or suffering. What stands out is how many people we saw had conditions that could be treated easily with simple medication. The need for access to primary healthcare and free medication became obvious as more people came to the clinic.

Kathyrn Kennedy, Australia

When we first arrived in Banda Acheh, we did not know where to go, so we parked our caravan along the side of the rode. In order to assess the amount of food that we had to distribute, I had the tarp that was covering the back of the food truck pulled back. Within moments a crowd had gathered around our truck. We were in the heart of Banda Aceh. We did not have enough food for everyone. We did the only thing that we could. We drove away from the hungry people that we had traveled thousands of miles to feed.

The Acehnese men that came with us to help their people were tireless workers. They multiplied our effectiveness and performed thankless tasks, like crowd control, that a Westerner could only have made a mess of. As I watched these men minister to their people, I was humbled by the faithfulness of our Lord who provided us with resources that we didn't even know that we would need.

In order to distribute food efficiently and fairly, we only gave food packages to heads of households. Sometimes the heads of households were adults but oftentimes they were children. These children are now the heads of what remains of their families. In many cases they are all that remain of large extended families. They have no one left.

While handing out food packages, I saw a man standing in the crowd of refugees who, if my grandfather had been Acehnese, would have been this man. I lost my grandfather to cancer in May. No one will ever replace him. Everyone in Aceh province has lost someone that they love. When I saw this dignified Acehnese man standing before me, I felt that the Lord was telling me, "As much as you love your grandfather, so too do I love these people". Pray for Aceh, where an entire generation is grieving.

With the help of social workers from the nearby university, we distributed food packages to over 500 families. We also installed water purification systems. On the day that we left, people we were coming to the Mosque where we were camped from all over the surrounding area to fill containers with clean, drinkable water. The water system of Banda Aceh has been inundated with salt water and other things that have rendered it unsuitable for human consumption. Our small team brought much needed aid to thousands of thirsty people.

Micah Irvine, USA

Related Links

Australian Donations

Canadian Donations