Update from Samoa and Indonesia

Samaritan's Purse has continued its response to the recent disasters in Samoa and Indonesia, with UK staff and volunteers as well as funds raised by UK supporters being sent out as part of the emergency response.

Samoa
People across Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga have been gathering in churches and community halls to commemorate the 170 people who died when a Tsunami struck the Pacific Islands on Tuesday Sept 29th.

Timothy Holmes and Ralph Spriggett from the UK have joined a global Samaritan's Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), who arrived in Samoa on Sunday. The team is working with churches and Christian groups to provide emergency support, such as help with water storage, shelter and basic medical care, to families affected in the south of the island.

One such church is the one pictured above, overseen by Pastor Isaraelu.  His church was in the worst hit area of Southern Upolou. The entire village has had to move to a new location higher up the mountain because they now fear the sea. 

"Pastor Isaraelu and his village need our prayers and our support," says Timothy Holmes, Projects and Programmes Manager, Samaritan's Purse UK. "A dozen people in his small village alone were killed in the tsunami with some still missing.  While the holidaymakers in the north of the island worry about their massages, people on the south of the island have lost everything.  The contrast couldn’t be more heart-wrenching."

Indonesia
Relief efforts are being stepped up in Sumatra, Indonesia, following the earthquake near Padang which has killed over 1,000 people with thousands more thought to be missing.

Two representatives from the UK have joined a seven-man Samaritan's Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) in Padang. The team have been liasing with local partners to identify areas with the greatest need and begin the distribution of emergency kits. These kits food, tools, equipment for shelter, tarpaulin and blankets.

One member of the team writes:

"We've just returned from a drive around this shattered city, which seems already to be picking itself up from the devastating earthquake that hit last Wednesday morning. There are signs of people trying to get back to some normality within the chaos.

The team are now working on plans for our response. And of course that is a huge challenge to know how best to target limited resources. Please pray that the Lord would lead and direct as we make connections and discern the right way forward."

Please continue to support our work in these places by:

Praying for the people there and for our DART teams and their work

Giving towards our Emergency Relief fund online

Telling other people about the situation there and our response