The Caritas emergency response covers both the work of our national member and the activities of our international members. CRS is a Caritas member in the US with a long record of supporting vulnerable communities in Indonesia. Debbie DeVoe, CRS regional information officer, reporting from Padang, gave us a look inside the CRS team. Every [...]
Entries Tagged as ‘Sumatra quake’
October 14, 2009
Sumatra quake: On the road to recovery
By Debbie DeVoe Irwan Etendi’s family had never experienced anything like the earthquake that hit West Sumatra, Indonesia, on September 30. “We were all inside when we felt the shaking,” he says. “We all ran out—even my father-in-law who hadn’t finished his [daily] prayers.” The extended family of 22 members lives on a large compound [...]
October 13, 2009
Sumatra quake: small contributions, global efforts
By Loretta Ishida, CRS Here in Padang, I’m sitting with a mixed team of over 30 people from all over the world and around Indonesia who work for various Caritas entities from different countries (CRS is part of that international network of Catholic charities devoted to reducing poverty and campaigning for social justice). We are [...]
October 12, 2009
Sumatra quake: a nervous wait – part 2
By Christina Grawe, Caritas Communications Officer Little Mitra waits in her village of Sikabu Bukit. All the houses here were destroyed by a quake on the 30 September. Her home and her school were destroyed. She waits for the Caritas trucks to arrive with tents for her and her family. Her mother says, “Today our [...]
October 12, 2009
Sumatra quake: a nervous wait
By Christina Grawe, Caritas Communications Officer Fabian Tritschler is nervous. A plane load of tents for the survivors of the Sumatra quake is due in at 5.30, but he and the Caritas team have been up all night sorting out landing permission.
October 9, 2009
Sumatra quake: Hospital in need too
By Tim O’Connor, Caritas Australia By Tim O’Connor, Caritas Australia Caitas Fr. Laruffa Aldo has been living in Padang now for 52 years. Although originally from Italy, he now says, “I’m an Indonesian”. “This hospital started as just a one room clinic”, he said. It is a remarkable achievement seeing the current sprawling three level [...]
October 9, 2009
Sumatra quake: Distributing aid to the grassroots
By Tim O’Connor, Caritas Australia The centre at St Francis of Assisi in Padang Baru is refilling with aid as fast as it can be distributed. Fr. Agus is involved in coordinating the team of 25 volunteers here who are warehousing and distributing to needy families. “The aid is coming from the community as donations. [...]
October 9, 2009
Sumatra quake: Beyond the call of duty
By Tim O’Connor, Caritas Australia Helen is a nurse at the Yos Sudarso Catholic Hospital. While taking a short break from her grueling workload, she stopped to talk to the Caritas communications team. She said, “It is mainly earthquake victims we are treating here. A lot of people have been badly injured, the majority thankfully [...]
October 9, 2009
Sumatra quake: Feeding the sick
By Tim O’Connor, Caritas Australia In Padang, Caritas local parish partners are working hard to keep the hospital running. We visited Padang Baru Parish where teams of 25-30 volunteers per shift are cooking food for the hospital patients and staff and assisting those in their own local community with aid distributions. Lia, who speaks fluent [...]
