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Lutherans Help Rebuild Indonesian Fishing Town

CHICAGO, March 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Kuala Bubon, a fishing town in North Sumatra, Indonesia, can no longer be called a "sunken village." Washed away by a tsunami that struck three years ago, Kuala Bubon has risen again with concrete homes built on "pilings over water."

The Dec. 26, 2004 earthquake in the Indian Ocean produced a tsunami that killed more than a quarter of a million people in east Africa and south Asia

-- with about 170,000 people dead or missing in Northern Sumatra alone. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) raised more than $11 million to support the immediate needs of people and long-term recovery efforts of ELCA "companions" working in tsunami-struck areas. About $1 million went to support a massive rebuilding project in Kuala Bubon.

The ELCA helped build 118 concrete houses there, and people started moving into the homes in February, said the Rev. Joseph Chu, program director for Asia Pacific, ELCA Global Mission. "The houses, built on pilings over water in exactly the same spot where the previous village stood, are designed to withstand future storms," he said.

The building project in Kuala Bubon is much more comprehensive than the building of houses. "It involves the prospect for a better life, sustainable and long-term enhancements, not just immediate relief," Chu said.

"As villagers organized the project, they created new health and education programs," said Chu. "The project included building an elementary school, fish market, community center, and a new system for waste disposal," he said.

The rebuilding of Kuala Bubon "is a remarkable story of collaboration among many -- members of the community, local government, Christian

non-government organizations, Christian companions outside of Indonesia, and others" said Chu.

For Sigit Wijayanta, the rebuilding of Kuala Bubon is an example of the "impossible becoming possible." Wijayanta serves as executive director for the YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU), an Indonesia disaster response organization.

A partner of the ELCA, YEU has been rebuilding communities affected by the tsunami in Indonesia, said Chu. "We rely on trustworthy companions on the ground with a deep understanding of local communities. Our companions lead the project, and the ELCA supports it. We also choose companions who go far beyond relief into improving the community," said Chu.

Source: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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