Dozens gathered at the Angkola Protestant Church in South Tapanuli for the first Christmas mass since devastating floods struck Sumatra four weeks ago. Officials report 1,129 dead and more than 170 missing, and many survivors remain in evacuation centres. Soldiers, police and volunteers cleared mud and debris so the congregation could hold an afternoon service of reflection, candlelight and cautious hope.
“Starting Anew”: Survivors Hold First Christmas Mass Four Weeks After Deadly Sumatra Floods
Indonesia's Sumatra islands was hard-hit by floods and landslides this month (Damai Mendrofa)(Damai Mendrofa/AFP/AFP)
Dozens of worshippers gathered at the Angkola Protestant Church in South Tapanuli for their first Christmas mass since catastrophic floods devastated parts of Sumatra four weeks ago. The small church was decorated with balloons and modest ornaments, a quiet contrast to the damaged streets and uprooted foliage just outside.
Many members of the congregation remain displaced in evacuation centres after the disaster. Officials from Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency report 1,129 people dead and more than 170 still missing.
To make the church usable again, volunteers, soldiers and police cleared towering heaps of mud, driftwood and other debris that had been washed inside. Pastor Yansen Roberto Ritonga moved the service to the afternoon because more rain was forecast later in the day.
“The feelings are mixed. Every word of the pastor's sermon made us want to cry,” said churchgoer Krismanto Nainggolan, who lost his home in the floods. “But the spirit of Christmas... gave us strength.”
Another parishioner, 54-year-old Mea Rosmawati Zebua, said she did not expect to be able to celebrate this year. “In past years, Christmas was a routine. Now we are very grateful because God still gives us the breath of life,” she told AFP.
On Wednesday afternoon, a man rang the church bell to mark the start of the mass. Around 30 worshippers, each holding a lit candle, sang hymns in a service that the pastor described as a time for reflection and rebuilding.
While Indonesia's annual monsoon season regularly brings heavy rain, this month's deluge has been among the worst to strike Sumatra since the 2004 magnitude-9.1 quake and tsunami. For many survivors here, the holiday brought a mixture of grief and hope as communities begin the slow work of recovery and rebuilding.
