Here is a glimpse into some of my recent experiences. Come with me and see what our merciful God is doing through organizations and individuals in Aceh. I truly saw God’s hand working during this trip.

Back in October 2004, seven of us from PPCOC volunteered to join MARCH for Christ to Palawan island, Philippines. Now I see that this was God’s training for the Aceh trip.

As you all know, the tsunami of all tsunamies hit Asia on 26 December 2004. Aceh was nearest to the epicentre of the earthquake causing the tsunami. At least 120,000 people perished in Aceh alone. Many more were injured or died in Phuket, Sri Lanka and other areas.

Edwin Choy from Moulmein Church of Christ phoned me in January to ask for volunteer doctors and nurses to go to Aceh. The trip was being arranged by the church together with the Singapore Internatinal Foundation. Since there had been many years of fighting between the Indonesian Army (TNI forces) and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM forces), it was prudent to travel to Aceh under the umbrella protection of a government linked agency like the Singapore International Foundation’s Overseas Volunteer Program.

Both my husband and my son Andrew were hesitant about my volunteering for this trip to Aceh. They were concerned that I could not handle this tough trip with my high blood pressure, 2 metal knee joints, a few other ‘spare parts surgery’ etc.

God showed that He controls our lives, as events fell into place according to His will.

Reading tsunami news daily stirred my heart, and I wanted to register with the National Volunteers Group. I even cut out the newspaper article with the telephone numbers intending to register. I also wanted to volunteer with my company - Parkway Shenton Medical group. Somehow I ‘held my horses’ and did not take any active steps to join either.

So I was very happy, when Edwin rang to ask for volunteer doctors and nurses to Aceh.

God assembled the team going to Aceh
Through a series of divine connections, God assembled a great team of individuals. Each person had amazing spiritual and medical gifts to share.

(1) Dr Samuel Cariaga – Surgeon from Philippines. Sam had just spent 2 weeks in Sri Lanka, returned home for 5 days and would leave again for one week mission to Aceh. Wow…How many of us could do that…?

(2) Dr Catherine Ng – Specialist Internist. I had worked for 2 years in Catherine’s group practice previously. Catherine is such a wonderful, no nonsense doctor - not afraid to get her hands dirty and served the whole group selflessly. She is a Specialist Internist, yet she took the initiative and mopped our room floor almost every day. We are healthy and well because she was also our Hygiene Inspector.

(3) Staff Nurse Sally Sng - One of my IBM patients heard me talking on the phone with Edwin. She asked if she could recommend a staff nurse friend of hers - this was Sally. Sally had retired from nursing, and had to check if her Practising certificate was still valid. She attended the SIF briefing on 14 Feb as a total stranger to our group, but is now a good friend. She is a really remarkable lady, full of life, good practical advice and moved by the Lord to serve in many areas.

(4) Pearlin Siew Gek - Pearlin had previosly helped me to pack and take inventory medicines for the Palawan trip. She had become a ‘Drug Expert" with all this training. On Palawan she worked in the Pharmacy. Her answer to this Aceh trip was a swift “YES!” She also had her husband’s support. Although she had just started a new temp job with Abbott Labs, she was willing to quit after 5 days to volunteer for Aceh.

(5) Edwin Choy - I have known Edwin since 1990 or earlier. My son, Andrew was close to him, and would go to Ang Mo Kio church during his university summer vacations.

(6) Myself – Dr Lynda Chiang – a General practice doctor. Although my duty roster for the week of 21 – 27 Feb had been arranged, my boss was willing to re-arrange the duty roster. I know that God’s hand was at work in every detail of preparing for our team to go on this trip.

What we did
Each morning and evening, Edwin led devotions. These devotions really strengthened us each day, and reminded us it was God working through us to touch the people and heal them.

Dr Samual Cariaga worked in the ER and Surgical Theatre with the German and Australian surgeons. Dr Catherine Ng worked in the Specialist Medical ward, then came to help me at the polyclinic. I worked in the polyclinic with other Indonesian doctors – I found my Bahasa Indonesia was good enough to get by. Staff Nurse Sally worked in the Infectious Disease ward. Pearlin and Edwin had the toughest job of all – they had the hardest physical work – to take inventory and organize the Medicines in the Store. The huge backlog of medicines was cleared in a scant two days. Every day their t-shirts were the dirtiest as they had so much physical work in the hot store room.

Living conditions
The mission was not easy – living conditions were stark. Seven of us shared a small room next to the ER – we had 3 hospital beds and 4 slept on the floor. We had to share the room with 6 anaesthesia machines and one wooden trolley, which mysteriously appeared in our room on the 2nd day. The trolley was donated by the Germans – it looked like something from World War One. It resembled a bullock cart, and was just as huge. (I banged my head on it one day!)

In the night we often heard patients retch and groan – as we were next to the ER.

One morning I could not sleep and went to help in the ER at 6 a.m. The nurse on duty was asleep, and one patient’s IV infusion bag was empty. I quickly woke the nurse as I did not know where the IV infusions were stored.

Several times a day, our room glass windows shook, as helicopters took off and landed. The USS Mercy was anchored off Aceh – access was by helicopter. This massive Navy medical ship had at least 6 levels, with 1500 beds and the ICU alone had 100 beds - this is mind boggling, as SGH has about the same number of beds.

The only usable common toilet and bathroom was on the 3rd floor of the hospital - until we found another opposite our room. However there was no lock and no light. We improvised – shut the door and stacked cartons to block the door – we bathed quickly. Each day was a new adventure as we looked for usable toilets. Some evenings, we ventured boldly to the Hospital Director General’s office and used the bathroom there.

Tsunami Damage to the Hospital
During the tsunami, the hospital had been flooded up to 2 metres with mud and seawater. Many rooms and medical equipment had been damaged. Needless to add, many doctors and staff had perished in the tsunami.

Areas in the hospital were gradually being cleared and departments re-instated as relief workers did their part. The Laboratory and X-ray department were working when we were there. Some patients with persistent cough (possibly TB) and backache asked for "Roentgens" ( = Xrays).

Flies
Oh yes, there were also a lot of flies and mosquitoes. The flies were around because of the decomposing matter. (I would rather not tell you what was still decomposing.) Luckily, our Ridsect spray and mosquito coils kept the mosquitoes and flies to a minimum at night.

It was real exciting – just like my previous Girl Guide and Ranger camp trips.

A Common Purpose
Everyone in the team shared a common purpose to serve the Acehnese and to show them that God cared for them. God sent many peoples from all over the world to help them get back on their feet.

It was inspiring to see so many NGO’s from different countries – Australians, Germans, USA, Turkey, Armenia, Yemen, England, Spain, Japan, China, to name a few. The Russians had sent a field hospital, and donated the equipment when they left.

Other Singaporeans were there also. My colleague from East Shore Hospital – Surgeon Dr YC Lee went to Meulaboh for 2 weeks with the Red Cross at the same period of time. We also met the Singapore Mercy Relief group of doctors and nurses who had been in Secata Camp in Banda Aceh. for 2 weeks – they were leaving on 26 Feb on the same flight as us.

\The next Mercy Relief group of Singapore doctors and nurses arrived on 25 Feb. Since we had a day of overlap, we decided to have a social gathering on Friday evening. Friday was a half day where the hospital and clinics would close at noon. The Mercy Relief contingent also invited Secata Camp Commandant Major Jayalluddin to the evening meal. He came with his staff officers. There were speeches of welcome and appreciation. This augurs well for good relations between Indonesia and Singapore.

Memories of this trip will be treasured. The team was blessed to have the church sponsor the costs of the trip and to entrust us to share God’s love to the Acehnese. We thank God for His blessings, His protection and His mercies.

\I will close with Dr Samuel’s testimony from his 2 tsunami trips – it will bring tears to many eyes.

“My Sri Lanka and Indonesia trips were sad and wonderful experience for me.

Although I have treated many patients it also heals my struggling Christian spirit witnessing the sufferings of humanity and encouraged by the zeal and dedication of my co-workers in Christ.

I also realize that we are more blessed than those people who suffered so much losing their material things, their loved ones, and traumatized by the memories of such an unforgettable event.

In Sri Lanka, I witnessed those children who draw pictures of horrible stories and went crazy running away in different directions when somebody falsely announced that another tsunami is coming.

Children become fatherless or motherless, parents who lost their children or the whole a family totally wiped out from the face of the earth.

But as we treated those patients we still see the smiles on their faces, a flicker of hope, as we extend our hands of compassion and showing to them that there is one up there who cares for them.” (testimony by Dr.Sam Cariaga)