Kasih’s Journey

Hi everyone,

an update on information about Kasih’s family.

Bless Indonesia Medical Clinic staff have just gotten back from visiting with Kasih’s family.

Kasih is actually from Kira, the neighbouring village to Duma (in this area, a village is like a suburb, one house will be in one village, and its neighbour could be in the other village).

The violence and story of Duma below, is the story of Kasih’s neighbours, not her own village.

We will leave the story up, as it gives some indication of the travails that many of these people have encountered or had happen around them, however please note that it is not as closely Kasih’s story as we had believed initially from the communications received.

Regards,

Lisa and Nicole.

April 26, 2008

DUMA,  is a small neighbouring village to Kasih’s home of Kira, on the edge of Lake Galela in the northern part of Halmahera region of Indonesia.  It’s about 90 minutes travel by road - or 70kms - from the medial clinic where we met Kasih and her parents. 

During the violence and conflict of 1999-2000, DUMA was attacked some 21 times. It was eventually destroyed after the 20th and 21st attacks when over 200 people (many women and children) were killed whilst trying to shelter in the local church. The final attack was in June 2000. Another 80 plus Duma residents died when a boat they were fleeing in sank (there were over 500 people on the boat and only a hand full survived).

Whilst the village has now been almost totally rebuilt physically, its people carrying emotional and spiritual scars and hurts that will take many many more years to rebuild and restore.

***********************************************************

This article is adapted from  a 2005 article by John M Linder of ASSIST News Services  (full article at http://www.christiansincrisis.net/news/06292005_2.htm)

A small village in Indonesia has experienced two events–one divine and one horrific–that have each changed history and civilization in the region.

 Duma, a small village on the island of Halmahera in the Province of North Maluku, was the village where the gospel was first brought to that region in 1866 by the Dutch missionary, Rev. Van Duijken. From this village the gospel spread throughout the region, also known as the Moluccas or Spice Islands. By the late 20th century, virtually all the 1,500 people in Duma were Christians and met in a large church structure that had taken 12 years to complete.

The Fall of Duma

In mid-2000 a violent attack on the village abruptly changed the face of society in that region. On June 19, 2000, Duma was attacked by Islamic jihad forces for the 21st time. Always before local Duma defenders had been able to fend them off. This time the jihad forces were accompanied by an Indonesian military unit.

The village was overrun. As the attackers passed through the village they fire-bombed the church where over 600 women, children and elderly had taken refuge. Those attempting to flee were shot at. 211 in the church were massacred, another 140 badly wounded and in need of urgent medical treatment. (Pictured left is the church before the violence)

More tragedy followed. Over 100 villagers tried to escape by crowding aboard the Cahaya Bahari, an already overcrowded ferry headed for Manado in North Sulawesi. The boat, licensed to carry 250 passengers, sank in rough water with about 500 passengers on board. Rescuers found only 10 survivors three days later.

In August 2000, Bless Indonesia Today (Yayasan Berkati Indonesia) led by Jeff Hammond began helping Duma survivors as they arrived in Manado.  Hammond, an Australian citizen, was born and raised in the islands and he and his wife have lived there for over 30 years and speak fluent Indonesian.

The first group of 112 refugees needing medical attention was housed in a church hall in Kleak Campus, Manado.  Others were taken to the Malalayang Hospital. BIT extended its care to another 1100 Duma refugees who were housed in makeshift refugee camps in Tobelo, and elsewhere on Halmahera Island.

The Restoration of Duma

In October 2002, the villagers were determined to return home and re-occupy the village where the gospel had first entered their world. They did so slowly.

At first some came only during the day time. Snipers and nighttime attacks against people walking alone killed and wounded several more of the community. Then the believers began staying there a few days at a time. Finally some of them moved back permanently, though living there was still not without risk. Today 80% of the houses in Duma have been rebuilt.

In June 2003 the bodies of the 211 slain martyrs of Duma were moved from their mass graves and reburied in a Martyrs’ Cemetery beside the ruins of the old church. In October 2003, a monument to the loss of 100 more on the Cahaya Bahari was completed at the cemetery. (the photo may not show it clearly, but so many of the headstones share the same fateful date 19 June 2000).

The rebuilding of the new church began in April 2005. It is 15m (47 ft) wide and 40m (130 ft) long, large enough to accommodate the whole community. According to Hammond, the mayor of North Halmahera gave US$25,000 to help start this project, and the governor of the province has promised another US$28,000. Another $10,000 has come in from another source, leaving a remaining need of US$107,000 to complete the construction of the new church building.

Simultaneously steps are underway to turn the remains of the old church building into a memorial. The plan is to construct a new structure inside the remains of the old church building with the new roof extending out over the old walls to preserve them from the elements as a memorial. A mural will be painted on the inside of the new walls depicting the history of Duma: its early days in heathenism, the coming and spread of the gospel, the tragic massacre in 2000, and the return of the people back to their village. The structure will create five prayer rooms, which Hammond calls “a House of Prayer for all nations.”

END of EXCERPT ARTICLE ***********************************