Rev Ronnie Welong General Director KGBI

Julianus

Ta’orudo Halawa

Tauduzisokh Halawa

Jama praying with Sunday School children

Jama singing with Sunday School children

Jama teaching Sunday School children

David McLellan meets Jama

Jama looking out to sea

Jama looks out to sea

Jama helps in house reconstruction

Faigi Guol and his son Sabarudi

David McLellan discusses the order of service

David McLellan

David McLellan looks out to sea

David McLellan

Shoreline on Nias

Traditional fishing boat

A fisherman paddles back to shore

A fisherman pulls his boat ashore

The morning’s catch

Fishing boats

A single shoe in the sand

Part of an old hull

Nias shoreline

Fishing boats

A sandal washed ashore

The jungle at Watastiga, Nias

Watastiga, Nias

Rice growing in a paddy field

Gunung Sitoli, Nias

Temporary shelter

A local market with cocoa beans drying in the sun

Restoration of the sea defences at Gunung Sitoli, Nias

Restoration work after the earthquakes

workers bend a length of piping

Street drainage, Gunung Sitoli, Nias

Rickshaws, Gunung Sitoli, NIas

Earthquake damaged house

A sofa lies crushed beneath a collapsed house

The earthquake fault line left of the steps just missed this church

Ruined churches are being rebuilt

Ruined houses are being rebuilt

Rebuilt homes are being occupied

‘Jesus is the best’

Rebuilt homes are co-funded by BMS and HIM

David McLellan discusses a church building with Ronnie Welong

The new church building at Watastiga, Nias

Rev Agustinas Awumbas and Ronnie Welong

New church building, Watastiga – about to have it’s first service

Indonesian bible

The first service at the new church in Watastiga, NIas

The new church building at Watastiga, Nias

A key ceremony for a new home

Rural life, after school

A favourite toy

Going to church in Nias

Hope for the future

Communal reading of Psalm 46 (1) God is our safe hiding place, Easy to find when danger strikes. (2)We won’t fear When the world is broken, When mountains crash into the sea.

(1)When roaring waves crash over us, As mountains shake at the sound. (2)There is a river, with streams that make God’s city glad, The holy place where lives the highest God.

(1)God is there, right in town! The city won’t be moved. Early in the morning, God will help. (2)Nations are troubled! Kingdoms totter! God shouts! Earth trembles!

(1)Yahweh is here with his army. Our parents’ God is our high ground. (2)Come! See what Yahweh has done! The kinds of places he’s wiped out.

(1)He stops wars anywhere-now! He splinters bows and breaks spears! He burns chariots! (2)Calm down. Know that I’m God. All nations will know that I am boss. The world will know that I am in charge.

(1)Yahweh is here with his army. Our parents’ God is our high ground. Amen Translation by Henry Neufeld

Theological Reflection Questions In the face of such a huge natural disaster is Pastor Ronny’s response naive optimism or unshakeable faith?

Theological Reflection Questions Are people who have suffered great loss too vulnerable to evangelise and are they open to exploitation even by well meaning Christians? In these situations should Christians simply show compassion but without evangelising?

Theological Reflection Questions Are there lessons that we can learn from his attitude? Is it those who have suffered most who have the greatest faith?

Responsive prayer (congregational response on right) Lead us God to higher ground. Teach us to be still and know that you are God, our refuge in times of trouble, our strength in times of chaos.

Help us not to fear Should the earth give way The mountains quake The waters roar Help us not to fear When the nations stir Or wars destroy And kingdoms fall

Remind us of the river whose streams make glad the city of God. Lead us God to higher ground. Teach us to be still and know that you are God, our refuge in times of trouble, our strength in times of chaos.

Remind us of a place where the most high dwells a place of help at break of day Where wars will cease and bows will break where spears will shatter and shields will burn

Lead us God to higher ground Teach us to be still and know that you are God, our refuge in times of trouble, our strength in times of chaos. Amen