EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH of (MemberGEREJA of the Independent MASEHI Section INJILI of DIthe TIMORProtestant Church of and(GBM the GPI Indonesian dan Anggota Fellowship PGI) of Churches) MAJELISSYNOD COUNCIL SINODE Jln. S. K. Lerik, Kota Baru Telp. (0380) 8438-423 Fax. (0380) 831182 Jln. S. K. Lerik, Kota Baru, – NTT – 85228 Telp. (0380)KUPANG 8438 –- NTT423 –Fax. 85228 (0380) 831182

E–mail: [email protected]–mail: [email protected], Website: www.sinodegmit.or.id, Website: www.sinodegmit.or.id

GMIT SYNOD SEROJA CYCLONE RESPONSE TEAM SITUATION REPORT (SITREP) #6, 17-20 APRIL 2021

CHRONOLOGY IMPACT

The Seroja Cyclone disaster struck most areas The Seroja Cyclone caused trees to collapse where GMIT serves in and severe damage to residential houses from 3 to 5 April 2021. Heavy rain, and other buildings, agricultural land, accompanied by strong winds caused flash livestock, and fishing facilities. Many floods, rock and landslides, and big waves. people suffered minor to serious injuries, some victims disappeared or died. Thousands—including children, elderly, diffable, and pregnant women—fled from Highlighted: East Nusa Tenggara Islands their homes. Public facilities (office buildings, hospitals, markets, waterways, roads and bridges, electricity), and communication networks (cellphones, the internet)—were also damaged.

DATA UPDATE (22 Apr 2021)

(TRANSLATION of CUMULATIVE DATA in MAP BELOW)

DAMAGE TO HOMES/ DAMAGE TO HUMAN VICTIMS GMIT PROPERTY LIVELIHOODS

died: 20 homes: 12,559 rice paddies: 147 disappeared: 1 corn & bean fields: 265 churches: 210 wounded: 23 parsonages/manses: 65 fishing equipment: 39

displacement: GMIT schools: 22 damage to other sources of - individuals: 3,283 livelihood (repair shops, - households: 787 kiosks, etc.): 486 DATA re. IMPACT of EXTREME WEATHER NATURAL DISASTER, SEROJA in the AREA of MINISTRY by the PROTESTANT CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF TIMOR (GMIT)

The top bar graph shows the number of people who died; the next bar graph shows damage to buildings reported to the GMIT synod emergency response team; and the pie chart shows the number of GMIT members who fled their homes. The data is sorted according to territories as marked on the map.

Church Members Corn/ Livestock Church Parson- GMIT Rice Fishing Other Sources of No Presbytery Name Disap- House Indivd- Houses Bean (die/disap- Died Wound Buildings ages Schools Paddies Equip. Livelihood peared hold ual Fields peared)

Green indicates no or little reported damage; red indicates the most severe damage according to presbyteries (listed on the left) that have sent in data and whose data has been tabulated (data is continually being received and processed). The redder the color, the greater the degree of damage/loss.

CURRENT SITUATION

Many who left their homes because of the cyclone have now returned and are cleaning up the remaining dirt and repairing damage to their houses. One difficulty that many face is the escalation in the price of tin roofing. Before the disaster, the price was IDR 50,000/sheet. Now the price may range from IDR 60,000–IDR 90,000/sheet. In Kupang City, stores that sell building materials are completely out of stock of tin roofing and this has slowed repairs. For example, the Kisbaki Church of Kupang City Presbytery has provided aid in the form of tin roofing to families that need it. However, because supplies are so limited, each family has received tin roofing that is only sufficient to cover a living room or bedroom, but not yet the whole house. This condition complicates the reconstruction process. It was hoped that the government would declare a national disaster emergency status for East Nusa Tenggara Province to ensure adequate relief funds and to speed up the post-disaster reconstruction. However, the national government did not assign this status. While the government still provides some aid and GMIT has received support from overseas church partners and other concerned individuals, many community members have also been working together to collect building materials to donate to the affected families. Some damaged homes and other facilities have been rebuilt through the cooperation of hardworking residents helping their own and other communities. Following Cyclone Seroja, several large water springs that emerged in Sikumana Village, Maulafa District of Kupang City have formed a lake more than two hectares in size, flooding residents’ vegetable gardens. In Nunbaun Sabu, Nunbaun Delha, and Nunhila Villages of Alak District, Kupang City, huge piles of stones appeared lined up along the coastline. These two natural phenomena have now become new tourist attractions in Kupang City.

UPDATE re. GMIT’s RESPONSE

 On 21 April 2021, several delegates from congregations and presbyteries from around Kupang City met with the Deputy Head of the Toraja Church Synod Council and the Head of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI).  GMIT, in collaboration with the Association of Christian Ministry for Health in Indonesia (Pelkesi), conducted a Pastoral Care and Trauma Healing Training with disaster victims, at the Getsemani Babau Congregation, East Kupang Presbytery on 21 April 2021. This activity involved trainers from World Vision International (WVI) and the Indonesian Psychological Association (Himpsi). Several groups visited the GMIT Synod’s Emergency Response Post during the past few days. 22 April 2021  The Vice Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR), John Wempi Wetipo, accompanied by a group from the East Nusa Tenggara Provincial PUPR Office, discussed collaboration between GMIT and the PURR Ministry to accelerate the reconstruction of houses, standardization of PUPR for church building construction, and the need for economic recovery and food security due to crop failure.  A donation was received from the Christian Batak Protestant Church (HKBP). 23 April 2021  The East Nusa Tenggara Chamber of Commerce and Industry supports efforts to control building prices throughout the East Nusa Tenggara region and ensures free delivery of aid to the affected islands.  Visits and donations were received from the East Nusa Tenggara Inter-Religious Communication Forum (FKUB) and from the Road Transportation Safety Polytechnic (PKTJ) Youth Corps, Tegal.  Up until now, emergency aid by the GMIT Emergency Response Post has been distributed via presbytery councils and congregational/presbytery emergency relief posts. Aid has also been given directly to active pastors, emeritus pastors, and GMIT employees whose houses were damaged.

URGENT NEEDS

 Prayers of support and psycho-spiritual assistance  Cash, basic food stuff (milk and drinking water), thermoses, kitchenware  School uniforms, games for children  Building materials, generators, electric chainsaws, petrol/kerosene, tarps, mats, emergency toilets  Solar panel kits, solar-powered flashlights, power banks, satellite cell phones  Medical services, medicine, diapers, menstrual pads  Hygiene kits: soap, toothpaste, face masks, hand sanitizer, and jerry cans (for hauling water)  Replacement of personal identification documents: personal ID and family cards, birth and baptismal certificates, etc.

Donations can be sent to: Bank BNI, #1192908672

Account Name: TANGGAP BENCANA GMIT Swift Code: BNINIDJAKPA

PHOTO GALLERY

Hosana Naiotel Church, Kupang Presbytery. The top of the church building collapsed onto the adjacent parsonage, killing three people: the pastor and two children.

The emergency relief tent at Bethel Toinassin Church, South Amanuban Presbytery, has become a temporary home for affected residents, which include breastfeeding mothers, children, and people with disabilities.

A bedroom without walls and roof belongs to a member of Mata Persaudaraan Waga Ae Branch, South Seba Church, West Sabu Raijua Presbytery.

Residents help each other repair damaged houses, a familiar sight around Sumlili Ebenhaeser Church, West Kupang Presbytery.