Pray for Indonesia

Since coming to Indonesia I have become a hardcore news junkie, especially pressing issues that are occurring in this country. After all I am officially a resident of Indonesia, I might as well know what's going on, right? However the news can be depressing after a while. Honestly, how many natural disasters can happen in one week? In case you weren't counting, we had five.

#1 - Volcano eruption in Yogakarta (going on four times already).

#2 - Earthquake in Mentawai

#3 - Tsunami in Mentawai

#4 - Flooding in Jakarta

#5 - Obama coming to Indonesia (okay so this one doesn't really fall into the one week category or a natural disaster - but it sure was something that Indonesia would rather have avoided)

It's so strange to be subject to such natural disasters that are practically unheard of in the States. These occurrences happen all too frequently considering that this country (a chain of over 27,000 islands) lays right in the middle of the ring of fire (the most active tectonic plates in the world).

SPH has been praying like crazy for our country, as I'm sure most of you back in the States have too. We also have been cooking up a plan of action. In two days our kids raised over 3,000 dollars and a truckload of clothes to be sent to victims of all these disasters. How great is that? It was so moving to see all these kids so involved with helping their fellow countrymen.

Please continue to pray for Indonesia. It's gone through so much hurt and agony in past weeks, and there will be much more as the volcano seemingly continues to erupt and the ash spreads farther and farther outward (even into Sentul where I'm living). However, God is faithful and he has a plan. Sometimes in the midst of chaos and mayhem, we forget to see that. God is in control and he knew that all these things were going to happen long before they actually did. He knows what he's doing.