Hi you all!

Thank you so much for your concern and prayers.... As you can see, I'm alive and doing pretty well, although it hasn't all been easy.

I arrived in Malaysia on December 19th, and we were in Kuala Lumpur for the first couple days, for orientation. The first thing you notice when coming here is the extreme heat and humidity... I'm used to hot weather (mostly having lived in hot places), but the humidity I wasn't used to... even after being in Hawaii for 3 months!

Then we took a bus to Penang, and we found out that our itinerary had changed. Originally we were supposed to go to Medan Indonesia, a couple days after getting to Penang. (to be for Christmas and for 2 weeks) But they thought that it would be better if we had time to adjust and get settled in, so the trip to Indonesia was postponed til January 8. My family and close friends were worried because they didn't know that my plans had been changed, and they didn't know if I even survived. :( Believe it or not, my mom knew about the earthquake before I did... because I didn't even feel it here in Malaysia (some of our teammates did), and she must've been watching the news, and called the office here, right after it happened.

It probably was a Godsend that our plans had changed, and as it turned out, there was a lot of need here in Penang... pretty much all the little houses and shacks on the coast were either destroyed or flooded from the tsunami, and tons of people needed help. So we did a lot of work down on the coast, in this area, picking up people's belongings (which mostly became trash, and were caked in mud), shoveling debris and wet sand from the street drains, and picking up all sorts of trash and people's belongings that were strewn all over the beaches. The place was a disaster area, and lots of people lost everything they owned. It was hard and dirty work, but we wanted to show God's love to those affected by the tsunami, and it was worth it.

There was one Malaysian man, whose house was destroyed, and we found out that he had divorced his first wife because she became a Christian. Then his kids and second wife began going to church, and he was totally against Christianity. But he saw that pretty much the only people who volunteered to pick up the wreckage at the beach were Christians, local churches, and I was told something by a local pastor that was awesome to hear... The pastor told me that the man saw me shoveling mud, and he was touched, by seeing us helping, and his mind was changed about Christianity. So I heard that this man is coming to Christ, praise God! :w00t: (this is someone who was opposed to Christianity, so it's amazing news) Btw, I remember when I was shoveling a Malaysian man who lived in one of the homes that was destroyed asked me where I was from, and I told him I was from California and I was there with a Christian organization. So maybe that was the man the pastor was talking about..

There's a lot more to tell, but I'm going to post some pictures now of the flood... these were taken by someone on our team, a Norwegian kid with his video camera... a few on our team were there the day that one of the big waves hit, so the shots you'll see are from that day, and you can see some of the wreckage.

Hmm, I'm trying to attach some photos but I don't think it worked... let me try again....

aha, I just figured it out.. the pics are too big. I'll resize them and brb!

let me try again

the girl with the visor is on our team...my roommate, a Korean girl named Mi Young. In the previous picture you can see another one of my teammates, Carol, in the grey t-shirt.

YAY CINDY! http://home.att.net/~alanj.hall/HugsSmiley.gif

Thanks for posting this. Give me a few minutos to read. :D

It's good to hear from you. South Asia is in need of compassionate action...

I've probably been reading more of the Malaysian on-line papers than my local ones this past week. :p

There's a bunch of photos of the destruction and cleanup in northern Penang on the New Straits Times here (http://www.nst.com.my/nstpics/index_html)

MIRACLE BABE: ‘Mum feared baby was gone but she was saved by mattress

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 28:

Anna Mary went through a roller coaster of emotions on Sunday.

She thought that her 20-day-old baby had been swept away by the tidal waves that hit Miami Beach in Batu Ferringghi. But a floating mattress proved to be the baby's saviour and she was found safe a while later.

"Only God knows how happy I was to know my baby was safe," she said today.

When the tsunami hit about 1.15pm on Sunday, S. Thulishi was sleeping in a room behind her father's western food outlet along the beach.

Anna Mary was outside with her 12-year-old daughter S. Kanchana when the waves came crashing into the shop.

"I scrambled for safety while shouting to my husband to save the baby", she said.

The baby's father A. Suppiah, 55, braved the strong waves to open the room door to save his daughter. Meanwhile, Kanchana said she fled when she saw the waves slam the embankment but fell and was dragged a short distance by the waves.

"I tried to run to the road but fell again because of the strong waves. At the same time I was also thinking of my baby sister but luckily she was saved," she said, adding that she suffered minor injuries to her legs.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/20041229091140/Article/indexb_html

Hey Gabe and Alan!! :D

(((hugs)))

I was going to post some more.... (there's way more to tell, all about other things we've been doing) but I've been here for a long time, and I really should go. I'll try to come back tonight because there's a lot more I have to tell you about!

God has been using me in ways I never thought I would be, and this is just the beginning... I actually sang a song (with one other girl) in front of a group of about 100 people on Saturday night. :eek7: :nice: At first I was really nervous, but we had prayed a lot before doing it, and it turned out really well, I'll tell you more about that later! The people we performed for were a group of Vietnamese - most were either new believers or non-Christians who were invited by a Malaysian Christian church, and our team was invited to meet with them and do different ministries, including speaking, a dance, singing, etc. I've never sang in front of a group before, but now I know that scripture 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me' is true! :D The next morning and night we did more ministry at a different location, some teaching, speaking, testimonies, dance, and singing (me and MiYoung performed our songs 2 nights a row), and on the 3rd song, I taught them hand motions to the song.... it was what I had learned in Kona (I think I mentioned it on a thread once), and it got the whole crowd going, it was super fun and even though they didn't speak English (we had an interpreter), they really had fun and got into it. It's only God that can cause someone like me who has a fear of public speaking to be able to get up in front of that many people and speak and sing, so as I said.... God has really been stretching me, and this is just the beginning.

I should go, but I'll try to come back tonight!

Thanks again you all for your thoughts and prayers. I love you!

Peace~
cindy

I'm so glad you're safe Cindy...I've been worried about you & praying for you & everyone over there.

All I can say is WOW!

I had no idea you were in the middle of it all. I am glad you made it through OK.

There has been a lot of people praying for you, Cindy!

We looked up Penang on the map once we heard, saw you most likely were safe, that was good!

I sent you the e-mails I did expecting the government to be in total chaos, under Martial Law, I am glad you were safe and that the people didn't riot or panic.

I figured that after a while your group would be helping with relief efforts, that is the best thing.

I dont know if you read or spoke to your family about just how bad it all was, but we here have seen some awful pictures of entire Islands disappear, and the damage is well beyond any hurricane or US earthquake any of us have ever experienced.

(James 1:27 KJV) Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.


Is there anything we can mail you that will be a treat for the kids there? Do you need sanitary items that we can get to you? Toilet paper? Soap? paper plates or plastic cups?

Need some more candles?

Glad to see that you made it sweetheart, you were and remain in our prayers. Keep up the good work, you make us all very proud.

God Bless, we all love and miss you.

P.S. I always knew you could do that public speaking thing;-)

glad you're safe and missed the big earthquake/tsunami! :eek:

best of luck over there. :) :nice:

Is there anything we can mail you that will be a treat for the kids there? Do you need sanitary items that we can get to you? Toilet paper? Soap? paper plates or plastic cups?

Need some more candles?


You can donate such items through various disaster relief organizations. The information is on the internet.

It's only God that can cause someone like me who has a fear of public speaking to be able to get up in front of that many people and speak and sing

I need some more of that God stuff. Before I play or am about to give a presentation, I get these stomach aches :(

YAY to hearing from you!!!

I'm so glad all is going according to plan.

;^)

(LOL)

Miss you, keep us updated!
xo!

So happy to read your post & find out that you are doing well.

Love Ya!!!

Feinie

thank god..( I don't say that often)...you are alright cindy.. :nice:

Yay! Joe and Lisa sign up, and Anna and Jim return! :w00t:

I love it when a plan comes together ;)

I knew you would be alright! Thanks for these updates I love reading them. Keep safe and I'll write soon. :)

I'm so glad to hear you're okay Cindy.

You and everyone over there are in my thoughts and prayers.

God bless you.

Sean

Glad to read that you're alright.

I thought of you and someone else right away when I heard this.

The other person is a boy in Indonesia that we have sponsored for 8 years now through Compassion International.

You stay safe and keep us updated, kiddo!

Story of one survival...
TSUNAMI MIRACLE: Acehnese woman rescued after six days adrift at sea
Lee Keng Fatt

GEORGE TOWN, Jan 03:
-----

It was little short of a miracle. After six days adrift in the earthquake-driven stormy waters of the Indian Ocean, housewife Malawati, 23, survived Aceh.

For six days, the Acehnese woman, separated from her husband by the killer waves, drifted in the high seas, clinging for life to a coconut tree trunk.

At last, 100 nautical miles off the stricken coastline of north Sumatra, her legs scarred with fish bites, Malawati was rescued at 2pm last Friday by the crew of a Penang-based tuna fishing boat.

The fishing vessel was on its way back to Penang after a fortnight at sea when crewman Rizal Sorno Santoso, 22, from Lambang in south Sumatra, saw an object floating some distance away.

"I saw someone raise a hand and start waving at us," he said. "I informed the tekong, who ordered the boat to draw closer. The wind was very strong then and the waves were choppy."

Two crewmen dived into the rough sea and brought Malawati aboard.

Theboat’s Taiwanese skipper, Chern Dah Rong (left), 46, said he offered Malawati milk after she was safely retrieved.

"I could see both her legs were covered in fish bites and she was still in shock," he said. "Four of my Indonesian workers tried to talk to her but she just kept to herself."

The vessel docked here today and a large crowd turned up to greet Malawati, having heard that a victim of the earthquake and tsunami had been rescued after days at sea.

After a brief check-up by medical officers, she was taken to the Penang Hospital.

Indonesian Consul-General Erick Hikmat Setiawan said Malawati "could not speak much" but otherwise looked healthy due to the three days of food and care she received from the boat’s crew.

Later from her hospital bed, Malawati recalled her ordeal.

She had been with her husband in their seafront home in Aceh Jaya on Sunday when the earthquake struck. They ran out of their house to seek shelter at a nearby mosque.

"Before we could reach the mosque, a big wave suddenly swept us away. I found myself floating in the water and my husband was nowhere to be found.

"There were several others besides me. After two days, there was only one middle-aged woman left with me, but she soon disappeared."

Malawati survived on instant mee packets she found floating, and drank rainwater.

Foremost on her mind now is to return to Aceh to look for her husband.

Indonesian consulate officer Helena Ferat consoled Malawati and assured her that she could go home when she had recovered.

New Straits Times (http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/Frontpage/20050104074326/Article/indexb_html)

After Sea Ordeal, Survivor Told She's Pregnant
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (Reuters) - An Indonesian woman who was plucked from the sea after clinging to a palm tree for five days in the wake of a devastating tsunami heard Wednesday that she is 18 weeks pregnant with her first child.

"I'm very glad, very happy," 25-year-old Malawati said from her hospital bed in the northern Malaysian island of Penang after doctors gave her the news following medical checks.

(more) (http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=7244908)


And another survivor...

http://www.nst.com.my/nstpics/QUAKE073a.JPG?display=small
The tree was a lifeline from God. A 20-year-old Indonesian tsunami victim miraculously survived eight days in the ocean by clinging to the branches of an uprooted tree, he said yesterday after his rescue.


Rizal Sahputra was plucked from the ocean by a Malaysian cargo ship Monday night, 100 miles offshore from his village on the northern tip of Sumatra island.

Hey, Cindy, your former roommate got a mention...

Kona Students in Asia help relief efforts
None of the many University of the Nations students serving in Asia were injured in the massive quake and tsunami that hit the Indian Ocean region on December 25. But since then they have swung into action to help the victims of this horrific disaster.

In an email from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this week CDTS student Diane Frieberg said her team was working with a local church to sort through and pack donated clothes that are being sent out to Sri Lanka.

"We are going to be sending teams down into Indonesia, starting next week for a week at a time to assist with the relief work in Sumatra ... Our Malaysia leader has strong contacts with a local relief organization and with ministries in that area. ... We are going to buy supplies and hand carry them to the [Indonesia tsunami victims] It is a way to make sure that the money goes directly into the hands of the people who need it. We will be giving them food, clothing, water, medical supplies,etc."

Teams in Thailand, coordinated by YWAM's Mercy Ministries Office in Bangkok, was also funneling teams and supplies, to the tsunami victims. In India the relief efforts are being coordinated by the YWAM Chennai base. Whole fishing villages were wiped out by the massive waves and teams are providing a variety of support services to the victims.

One YWAM leader in Thailand who is coordinating relief efforts said, "I visited several Thai villages that have been wiped out. One village - Ba im - lost more than 1,500 people and has just a few buildings standing. People that were there at the time [the tsunami hit] did not survive."

World Concern, Food for the Hungry, Operation Blessing and YWAM are working together on a plan for the rebuilding of homes in Thai villages and immediate needs in Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

If you have monies that you want to send for any of these efforts, indicate on a separate note that it is for Asia Tsunami and let us know if it is for a specific country or for general use.

If you want tax deductible receipts from USA - please send checks to

UofN Kona Foundation
Accounting Dept
75-5851 Kuakini Highway
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740
USA

http://www.uofnkona.edu/new/tsunami.html

Hi! Wow, this thread makes me happy... but I'm sorry for the late reply! Your support and thoughts & prayers and kind words mean more than you know to me... This mission trip has been a struggle (long story) and all of you really do uplift me and I truly appreciate each of you taking the time to post... Thank you so much Beatle, Criminal, Jim, Joe, Doug, Gabe, Anna, Lisa, Dawn, Alan, Shell, Sean and Frog, and anyone else who has posted... I miss and love you guys.

I'm gonna post another thread to give an update on what I've been up to. At the moment I'm in Medan, Indonesia, at an internet cafe. The computer I'm on is super slow, so...it might take a while for me to post it. :nonono:

btw, Anna, Joe and Lisa (and Sean) it's so great to see you posting here!! :D hope you have stuck around, imo this site needs you.. plus, its a place to take a break from FR. anyway, thank you again, and I'll be either emailing or freepmailing you guys.... I hope all is well!

In His Love and mine,
cindy

Hi! Wow, this thread makes me happy... but I'm sorry for the late reply! Your support and thoughts & prayers and kind words mean more than you know to me... This mission trip has been a struggle (long story) and all of you really do uplift me and I truly appreciate each of you taking the time to post... Thank you so much Beatle, Criminal, Jim, Joe, Doug, Gabe, Anna, Lisa, Dawn, Alan, Shell, Sean and Frog, and anyone else who has posted... I miss and love you guys.

I'm gonna post another thread to give an update on what I've been up to. At the moment I'm in Medan, Indonesia, at an internet cafe. The computer I'm on is super slow, so...it might take a while for me to post it. :nonono:

btw, Anna, Joe and Lisa (and Sean) it's so great to see you posting here!! :D hope you have stuck around, imo this site needs you.. plus, its a place to take a break from FR. anyway, thank you again, and I'll be either emailing or freepmailing you guys.... I hope all is well!

In His Love and mine,
cindy
I am just glad to hear you are ok.

OK?

:)

Hey, cutie!

Hope all is going well.

Miss you!

Hey, Anna!

Hopefully she'll be checking in soon. She's probably wrapping up things in Kona or she may be in Maui by now.

Take care!

~ Alan

Hey, cutie!

Hope all is going well.

Miss you!
Tsunami woman is found alive on tiny, deserted island
By Peter Foster, South Asia Correspondent
(Filed: 12/02/2005)

An 18-year-old woman stranded by the Boxing Day tsunami has been found alive after surviving for 45 days on a tiny island in the Indian Ocean.

The tribal woman, identified only as Jessy, was discovered on a beach on Pillopanja in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago by a man who returned to the island to salvage possessions and review damage.

She had survived on coconut milk and wild jackfruits, according to Shaukat Hussain, the police chief of nearby Campbell Bay island. Her husband and young son are missing, presumed dead.

"Jessy took to the forests when the waves came but by the time she came out after several days the rest of the population had been either evacuated to Campbell Bay or swept away by the waves.

"She has been treated for minor injuries and is now recovering in one of the relief camps here. Her condition is not life-threatening but she has lost weight and her body is swollen and scarred by mosquito bites," Insp Hussain said.

Pillopanja, which had a population of 1,000 before the tsunami struck, is one of several small islands in the Little Nicobar chain that forms part of the greater Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The tsunami killed some 2,000 people on the archipelago's 36 inhabited islands and another 5,555 are still officially listed as missing, though the majority are now presumed dead.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;sessionid=3KJZJG23SMY13QFIQMGSM5WAVCBQW JVC?xml=/news/2005/02/12/wtsu12.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/02/12/ixnewstop.html&secureRefresh=true&_requestid=32288

Stay safe Cinders.

Buttercup, I don't know if you remember me, but I was on here last year....

It's good to hear you were doing well. :)

God Bless you, and keep you safe.

I haven't had internet access until just the other day, so i'm sorry i didn't reply earlier.

Thanks colonel, I did! :) I'm gonna post a thread on my thoughts about the whole thing and returning, as soon as I have a bit of time to put it down in writing!


Sperkmeister - of course I remember you, it is great to see you... and thank you!

<3
cc

What an excellent story Buttercup. Thanks so much for sharing it!!!

Thank you, Zoot!! :)

I created 2 powerpoint presentations on this trip (one is finished and the other one is half-way done)... I wish I could have you guys see it... I'll have to figure out a way to get it online.