JAKARTA, Indonesia, Mar. 12 — Food, clothing, blankets and medicine — as well as Bibles — are being distributed to flood victims on the island of Java.
"We are working with local communities and churches to collect and distribute medicine, blankets, Scriptures, basic food - especially babies' and children's food " said Mr. M A Supardan, General Secretary of the Indonesian Bible Society. He added, "we also plan to provide free Scriptures specifically for church members whose Bibles were among the possessions they had lost."
PHOTO: Indonesian Bible Society
At least 300,000 people were forced to flee their homes when torrential rain caused severe flooding. Jakarta, Indonesia.
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The flooding, which began at the end of January, is thought to have caused the deaths of at least 25 people in and around the capital and at its height it forced an estimated 300,000 people into makeshift shelters in schools and mosques.
Many people were asleep when the danger came, among them the Hubarat family, who took refuge in a church. "That night the water suddenly reached the height of a grown-up's chest," said Mr Hubarat. "We only thought how to save our children and therefore did not have a chance to bring our Bible or our goods."
Bible Society staff member Mr Pandelaki and his family survived for nearly a week on the roof of their house after being caught unawares by the speed with which the nearby river was rising during the night. The sheer number of people awaiting rescue prevented help from reaching the family any sooner.
Now Mr Pandelaki has nothing except the clothes he wears, nevertheless he is so grateful that God has saved him and his family.
Acting on information sent out by the humanitarian team of the Indonesian Christian Church Synod, the Bible Society went to evacuation shelters and distributed nearly 900 Bibles and Scripture Portions.
Source: United Bible Societies
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