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Touched by Tragedy

The horrifying news of the recent earthquake in Indonesia has shocked and saddened us all. Relief officials on the main island of Java, where the quake struck early on May 27th near the ancient cultural capital Yogyakarta (60 km from Solo), said that their top priorities were emergency field hospitals, hygiene and drinking water. More than 5,200 people were killed, many thousands more injured and as many as 200,000 left homeless when the 6.3-magnitude quake demolished homes across the densely-populated region. This is the worst disaster to strike Indonesia since the massive tsunami devastated the region in December 2004. As foreign aid, doctors and rescue workers pour into the stricken region to help the victims, the nearby Mount Merapi volcano, agitated by the earthquake, threatens to erupt at any time.

BCM missionaries in that part of the world, still ministering to victims of the tsunami and earthquakes that hit northwestern Indonesia more than a year ago, have now refocused attention to this latest disaster. Our Indonesia field director, Rev. Doddy Prasadja, who lives close to that region, reports: “I visited the villages in that region, talked to people (unbelievers) and strengthened the believers. We set up a BCM tent and everyday we cooked rice to feed the hungry. So many have lost everything, including their family. Three big disasters within three years – this means millions of people with tears. Please help us! We still need many, many things.”

To prepare to assist our missionaries when such events, large or small, occur near them, BCM has set up a Disaster Relief Fund to receive donations through our International Ministry Center here in the USA. This money will then be forwarded to our field leaders in these disaster areas to be used for food, water, medicines, clothing, building materials, travel expenses, administrative costs, as well as trauma centers, counseling services, Bibles and other Christian literature.

Please pray with us for the thousands of grieving and homeless families, and for our missionaries who want to do all that is possible to help in these situations. If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to this fund, please go to the donation section of our website, check off "Project" and type in Disaster Relief Fund for the Project Name, fill in your donation amount and complete the transaction. Or you can write a check payable to BCM International with a note attached that your gift is for the Disaster Relief Fund, and mail it to:

BCM International
P.O. Box 249
Akron, PA 17501-0249

Thank you!