Volcano Eruption-Mt.Merapi, Central Java, Indonesia.

Indonesia, the beautiful archipelago and the 4th populous country in the world, has been faced with many natural disasters for the past decade. Most of us still vividly remember the tsunami wave that killed more than 200,000 lifes in December 2004 which was triggered by massive historic earthquake with 9.0 on Richter scale. Many other natural disasters such as: major earthquakes, geological mud flood, broken levee, and smaller tsunamis have been rocking the country since then. Just in recent months, another tsunami hit the coastal area of mentawai and killing about 350 people. It seemed like mother nature still had something to unleash, a day after, Mt. Merapi erupted and was spewing hot clouds, vulcanic materials, and magma killing 34 people and tens of thousands got relocated. The government was fast in response and coordinated the related posts and departments to provide the victims with shelters, foods and water, medications, and protection. Our friend, Vonny Muljono, an ex-member of Yosua prayer group who was there after the disaster told us that food supplies were abundant and the same true with other kind of aid that were needed at that time. But soon, she said, they will be diminished as the media draw back and slowly stop publishing about this disaster. This is when our ministry, Salt Of The Earth, tries to fill in the void so they don't feel left behind and being forgotten. Also we try to give help when most of contributors had withdrawn. Last month, we managed to collect $1100 just from members in Yosua prayer group, Irvine, CA. Yosua prayer group is our main gathering event every Friday

night for the past 8 years and the birthplace of this ministry.

Based on the conversation between Mr Adikarto, the village chief, and our associate ministry correspondent(Domus Karitatis Ministry), the people in his village need the following:

1. Mattress, blankets, and foods for 56 families (192 people-97 men and 95 women)

2. School uniforms for kindergarten, elementary, and high school students. They all live below the poverty line and their houses were buried in the volcanic mud.

Our monetary donation, combined with money collected from other sources, was helping them in the following ways:

1. Rp 70,000 per family for foods

2. Rp 100,000 per student for new uniforms and new shoes

note: Rp is Rupiah, an Indonesian Currency. $1 equal to ~Rp 8800

We are unable to buy them the mattresses at this time since their houses are still buried in mud. The leftover balance will be applied toward the second phase aid and miscellaneous or urgent needs or whichever comes first. We would like to thank all contributors who have helped this program. We are excited because we have many more charity projects in the near future. We pray that more generous people will join this action, touching one soul at a time, we do small things with great Love!