The Journey to Health and Wholeness in One Small Corner of Indonesia

The population of Banda Aceh is presently about 4 million people; approximately 220000 people were killed here during the tsunami. That means that about 1 of every 18 people from this area is gone for all eternity. Banda Aceh is spread over a very wide area up and down the coastline of the tip of Sumatra. It spreads back into the valley up to the foothills of the mountains that are controlled by rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (also called Gerakan Aceh Merdeka or GAM). Indonesian troops are still very visible. Its Thursday and were ready for our first full day of clinics. Yesterday we did a half-day clinic in one of the Banda Aceh villages in a mosque--a convenient location usually centrally located and accessible for the people we are trying to serve. There are still many areas close to the ocean that are destroyed and remain untouched. On the way here we passed a mass grave of 9000 people. Hard to imagine. Its already grown over with grass but is marked with several Indonesian flags. (excerpt)