8.9 quake hits S. E. Asia

Thanks for the update Ray and glad al is wekll with you!

 

I want to come back on this and report or update. The situation in Aceh (pronounced acheh ... c here is a ch sound, the h is asperated, eh as in "hey". ) is sad. Yes, many of the people there live on the coastline, except for those who are working for Japanese logging firms or are poaching lumber again for the Japanese logging firms. Anyway, the northern part of the island of Sumatra is the area refered to in the news as Aceh, and is normally in the news for the sectarian violence. Now this.

If you feel the urge to give, please give through a church, not the UN and I advise against UNICEF because they are UN affiliated an while only minorly corrupt, still there is a lot of $$$ siphoned off along the way. Mostly because the kids they are suppose to help don't know any better and don't know to complain.

Anyway, the north part of the island of Sumatra took it badly. It will be the last area where the final tolls will come from. I was a bit callous before, but it is truely sad how much is simply no longer.

Otherwise, Indonesia was spared. Java, the next island in the archepeligo, was untouched, as well as all the following islands. The 1000 Islands (I think there are something like 149 of them) were untouched. A lot of SWF and coral collection took place around Sumatra, I think for the near term, that will take place in the 1000 Islands and farther east. And it will cost more.

Well, now the Embassy is busy supporting all the US NGOs going into Aceh, an area off limits until now because of the sectaritan violence, so I am a busy camper these days.

But I'm safe and alive.

Cheers,
Ray

 

Ray, thanks for the update on things. I'm so glad you are safe and alive. This has all been so upsetting for everyone. The people involved will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. As you suggest, I will give through my local church so the funds can be used in the best way possible.

Take care!

Cindy

 

Thanks for the update Ray. Here is a link to the best relief organization in the world. The Church has been around for 2000+ years providing aid to the needy around the globe.

http://www.kintera.org/htmlcontent.asp?cid=41794

 

Or this one...

http://www.er-d.org/newsroom_55997_ENG_HTM.htm

We were discussing in Church today about this and the ERD has termed this a 10 year effort, with added emphasis on development after relief. These people have nothing left. Entire families are gone...so tragic.

In any event, I agree with Ray that the religious orgs. are probably the best at providing the most relief per dollar collected.

Even the Red Cross International is very shoddy at the relief per dollar (how much of each dollar actually provided direct help, as opposed to overhead expenses etc.) They are also tied into the UN red tape/corruption.

That is not the Red Cross in the US, just the international branch. Apparently they are two entirely different groups.