Mustard Seed Mission provides fishing boats to fishermen of Palu City ravaged in Tsunami

In a remarkable display of cross-national social service, the Mustard Seed Mision provided 30 fishing boats to the residents of Palu City in Indonesia devastated by Tsunami on September 25, 2018. This Tsunami was followed by an earthquake of 7.4 magnitude.

A sailing ceremony was organised on June 25 with 30 new fishing boats set sail to the ocean at the same time; followed by dances from the local children, fishing boats painting and display of fish processed products. Joined by Zulkifli, District Head of Tawaeli, Palu City, Lin Dean-Shiang, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Trade Office in Surabaya, Wu Xiaoping, CEO of the Mustard Seed Mission, and Basuki, Senior Leader of Pesat, together they painted the fishing boats as a milestone of rebirth and hope after the disaster. The Mustard Seed Mission cultivates overseas humanitarian aid for a long time, bring love from Taiwanese people and government together to donate more than 40,000 US dollars and purchased 30 new fishing boats to the fishermen to restore their livelihood.

Palu City was hit by a massive tsunami on September 28, 2018. Officially, 2,256 people died, 1,309 missing and 14,254 injured, with 223,751 displaced in temporary shelters. The Mustard Seed Mission has connected the love of Taiwan people and donated a total of US$44,323, along with US$4,800 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan), and started a recovery project in Palu and cooperated with Pesat, an Indonesian NPO, to help the survivors to rebuild their lives.

Rendra, a 36-year-old fisherman, said that when the tsunami struck, his wife and his second son were swept about 50 meters away. When they found his son, he was not breathing. Fortunately, after the first aid treatment, his son showed vital signs again. His wife was injured and couldn't walk for a month. Rendra's family is in good recovery now. He is very grateful to God that he can still make living from fishing in this difficult phase of life after the disaster. Although he does not know where Taiwan is, he is very grateful for this assistance from overseas.

The restoration project assisted Padoloan, Panau and Kayumaue, the 3 serious damaged fishing villages in the coastal areas, by purchasing 30 fishing boats, 70 fishing nets and 2 sets of fish collectors, aiming to send local fishermen back to the sea to make a living again. Moreover, with the purchase of shredded fish equipment, women learn skills to preserve and extend the shelf life of fish catches; they also learn e-commerce to sell their product. Furthermore, providing after-school care, counselling, and post-trauma treatment activities to children.

Women learn skills to preserve and extend the shelf life of fish catches

In response to the severely affected remote mountain villages, farm tools and pig breeding were provided. Farmers were taught to start organic farming to improve their lives. At the same time, three temporary kindergartens were set up in the villages of Boladangko, Lonca and Namo to allow children to be taken care of.