A group that assists persecuted Christians is preparing to open a 12th church building for communities in Indonesia that were hit by an earthquake and tsunami last year.
Barnabas Fund said the multipurpose halls on the island of Sulawesi have been received with gratitude.
“Church hall No. 11 hosted its first Sunday service on 4 August and building No. 12 is almost complete,” the ministry said. “The first 10 multipurpose halls, which are used for Sunday services, prayer meetings, and women’s and children’s ministries, were completed by the end of May,” the ministry announced.
The ministry set up an appeal to raise money for the 12 buildings in the Palu area of Sulawesi shortly after the quake and tsunami hit in September 2018.
At least 2,256 people were killed in the disaster and more than 70,000 homes and about 300 church buildings were damaged or destroyed, the ministry said.
Along with providing financial aid to construct new church buildings, Barnabas raised enough funds to help build 277 homes for Christian families in addition to the churches.
The Salvation Army Church in Lompio, Sigi District, was destroyed in the disaster, and its congregation had to hold services under a canopy for many months.
Pastor Mayor Tule Martina said the new building had helped members of the congregation to slowly overcome their trauma.
Martina told Barnabas the church participants feel safe because of the strength of the new construction.
“Praise the Lord! The life of our church members here was very difficult, especially after the earthquake last year. We were hopeless … but after we have our new building, we are filled with joy,” said Pastor I. Wayan Darmadi of the Sidi District’s Filadelfia Lakuta Church.
The ministry provided food, water, medicine, electric generators, school supplies and baby milk powder in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.
The ministry works in more than 60 nations around the globe.
