News & stories Eastern Mennonite Missions assists Mennonite congregation hit in Java quake YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia – An earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck the Indonesian island of Java on May 27, killing over 6,000 and leaving as many as 200,000 without homes. The local Mennonite community was also hard-hit. This is the second major earthquake to hit Indonesia in less than 18 months. The first week in June, an Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM) intern based in Jakarta, traveled to the region with co-workers from PIPKA, an EMM mission partner in Indonesia. In response to the tragedy, the EMM Relief Committee has released an initial gift of $5,000 to PIPKA, to be used in partnership with Mennonite Diakonia Service, an Indonesian Mennonite relief and development agency that is coordinating Mennonite relief efforts in the region. Frits Triman, a PIPKA board member, requested prayer for Yogyakarta and the local Mennonite community. He reported that a Mennonite church in Yogyakarta was damaged, and another in Pundong, an hour from Yogyakarta, is still standing but severely cracked. It is currently being used as a staging ground for Mennonite relief operations in Pundong, but will need to be completely rebuilt. Most Mennonites in Pundong also lost their homes, and six church members were killed. Triman said PIPKA will be assisting the Mennonite congregation in Pundong as well as other victims in the region. “While Eastern Mennonite Missions is not primarily a relief organization, relief is an integral part of our holistic philosophy of ministry,” said Richard Showalter, EMM president and chair of the EMM relief committee. “In particular, EMM supports the efforts of EMM workers and local mission partners who find themselves at the forefront of major world disasters, and also assists in other regions where there are critical needs – as in our response to the need for shelters following the Pakistan earthquake last year.” Gifts to EMM for Indonesia relief work, in partnership with Indonesian Mennonite relief efforts, should be sent to EMM and designated, “Indonesia quake 2006.” “Thank you for your generous response, which enables us to stand in solidarity with our Indonesian brothers and sisters in this time of tragedy,” said Showalter. -Jewel Showalter Back to news and stories