From Earthquake Survivor to Rescuer
Villa Mega, Mata Air, South Padang
Mr. Zukri and his family. Photo by Rebecca Young By Rebecca Young, PDA/ACT International
At the moment the 7.9 Richter scale earthquake hit, Mr. Zukri Amra was shopping in a market not far from his home. Much of the building collapsed and the lights went out as sparks flew around him, igniting small fires that quickly spread into a huge overhead blaze. Miraculously Zukri was unharmed, but he thought of his wife Devita and daughters — seven year old Debio, four year old Diva and six month old Dinda — and feared for their safety. Remembering them, he had the courage to escape from the burning building, stepping over corpses as he made his way out.
Arriving at home he was delighted to discover that his family was safe, although his house was damaged and the family could no longer sleep safely inside. But Zukri was not content to stay at home. Telling the story later, he told how his experience at the market had made a deep impression on him. He believed he was called to return to the site as quickly as possible because he had survived it. Applying the golden rule, he said that if he were someone lying under the rubble of that building, he would need to be rescued. As a survivor, it was his duty to go back and do what he could.
His wife was not pleased with his decision. His family had just been through a major trauma, and he should not leave them alone. But Zukri was determined. He went to the mayor of his small village and told him, “We are okay, so we’ve got to help others.” The like-minded mayor agreed, already in the process of organizing a village disaster response committee. They decided that it would be quickest and easiest to mobilize teenagers from the local youth group that Zukri helped lead. In the meantime, the mayor would stay in the village and look out for his wife and daughters.
With his 30 volunteers, Zukri returned to the market and they began the search effort. Zukri himself carried out 15 people with injuries and 10 corpses. They worked throughout the night. Only after he was sure that nothing further could be done did he allow his team to go home.
Blue bags held staple foods for survivors. Photo by Vonny Sumampouw, ACT When YTBI arrived at Villa Mega, Zukri was front and center to help with the distribution of the aid, handing out the blue bags containing staple foods to his neighbors. He was quite friendly but didn’t draw attention to himself, just doing his part. The only reason the YTBI heard his story was because the mayor wanted to point out how, although they were recipients of aid, they had also made their own contribution to the response.
Zukri’s story is remarkable but not unusual. Many of people in West Sumatra affected by the earthquake did their part to help family, friends and neighbors worse off than themselves. In fact, the ability to do something for others can be a factor in helping someone recover from a traumatic event, as it gives dignity and a sense of purpose in the midst of a world that the disaster has turned upside down.
YTBI strongly believes that in distributing the aid, they do not simply drop off supplies and depart. They take the time to talk to the people about their experience, about what they are feeling and how they are coping, as a way of valuing them as humans and not just objects. Because of this practice, YTBI staff often meet local heroes such as Mr. Zukri Amra and share with them the importance for us as human beings to help our neighbors in need.
Discussing this case later with their ACT colleagues, YTBI, YEU and CWS agreed that the village of Villa Mega provides a case study in the importance of community-based disaster risk reduction. “If we gave Zukri a grade for what he did, he would certainly get an A — he immediately went home and secured his own family before returning to assist other survivors.” That’s the kind of good practice to be encouraged and taught in communities before disaster strikes, with Zukri serving as an admirable example.
PDA is responding to the earthquake in cooperation with our local partners in Indonesia. YTBI, YEU and Church World Service (CWS) Indonesia are PDA’s mission partners and fellow ACT members leading the response.
Rebecca (Becca) Young is a PC(USA) mission co-worker in Indonesia. Becca is assigned to the Jakarta Theological Seminary, but the seminary graciously yields a portion of Becca’s time to allow her to help in disaster situations. Becca is now in Padang supporting the ACT forum of members and the wider alliance on the gathering and coordination of information and communications materials. |
