Earthquake Relief Provided for Residents of Lombok, Indonesia

By Indonesian relief team (Originally in English)

On July 29, 2018, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Lombok Island, Indonesia. The next day, our local association members living in Lombok Island quickly assessed the disaster situation. Sambelia, Sembalun and Bayan were found to be the 3 mostly affected areas.

Learning of the disaster, our beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai immediately sent over US$12,000 to help the victims. In addition, our Association members also contributed US$ 16,690 towards the relief fund. On August 3, 2018, a relief team from our Bali Center visited Sambelia and Sembalun to provide the victims with basic necessities such as food, toiletries, baby necessities, medicines, and other essentials. On the 4^th of August, the relief team distributed the necessities in the Bayan area.

On August 5, 2018, while our relief team revisited the regions to check what else victims needed, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the island in the afternoon, causing even more damage. BNPB (the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management) reported that this quake had a death toll of 564 people, and injured 1,584. In addition to the mostly affected northern part of the island in the first earthquake, the second quake had brought devastating damage to the west, central, and east part of Lombok Island. The next day, two trucks of necessities were purchased from the local stores and markets, including mats, tents, blanket, foods, drinking water, toiletries, woman’s necessities, baby necessities, clothes, underwear, medicines, and more.

On the 7^th of August, 2018, we went to the affected regions to distribute these essential necessities. Then, a team from our Medan and Jakarta Center came to Lombok to join us and more items were purchased and distributed. In the next few days, additional relief supplies were purchased and packed into bundles; separately for infants, children and adults. A booklet of Vegan Guidelines for Beginners was placed in each of the packages and then distributed to 25 refugee spots, some orphanages and nursing homes in the north and east of Lombok Island.

On the 23^rd of August, 2018, another team from Bali Center went to west Lombok Island and distributed much needed supplies to the earthquake victims. Our relief work continued and reached Lingsar area of west Lombok, where in Dogan village, one initiate doctor gave free treatment for the local people. We also shared with the villagers’ medications and the booklets of Vegan Guidelines for Beginners.

Throughout the disaster relief work, all of our members strongly felt the great love and blessings of our beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai. The victims expressed their gratefulness to our beloved Master for Her love and sending material help in the time of need. 

We thank our beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her love and concern with the victims in Lombok Island, Indonesia, and Her generous financial support. We also pray for the victims and their families, we also appreciate all the agencies who worked very hard to recover the conditions of the disaster area. Many thanks to all those who have helped the victims. May all citizens soon get back to their normal life and live happily in the beautiful island of Lombok.

Expenditures by The Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association for Earthquake Relief Work in Indonesia