As the search continues for survivors and victims of the deadly tsunami in Indonesia, the Indonesian-American community in San Diego on Sunday is praying for their homeland.
Just a couple of days before Christmas, worshipers at the San Diego Woori Community Church are looking forward to time with family, but it is also a somber day, as they pray for tsunami victims in Indonesia.
“I was shocked because it’s close to me,” Pastor Kalvin Budiman said. “I know some people who went to the area and were victims."
He received news last night that members of his home church were vacationing in the area devastated by the tsunami.
“They told me that there were four people who perished because of the tsunami that happened,” he said.
The tsunami hit on Saturday night during a busy holiday weekend. Scientists believe it was caused by an underwater landslide at the Anak Krakatau volcano.
On Sunday morning, the extent of the damage was clear: homes destroyed, cars swept away, hospitals filled with the wounded and a frantic search for more survivors.
Local
“We are going to take time to pray for them,” Budiman said.
Budiman also said he is hoping to have a fundraiser in the near future for the families affected by the disaster.
More than 200 people have been killed in the tsunami and the death toll is expected to climb. Some people are still missing, and rescuers have not reached all the areas affected.
