Indonesia - Local Update

Network e-Bulletin, April 2020, No. 5

Message from Junpiter Pakpahan

2008 Graduate

https://gyazo.com/eb00360acaab8aa4282124f5d740c968

Junpiter with his daughter and wife harvesting lemongrass in their home garden

We are staying at home and my family is fine. In this area, the Toba Regency, there is only one person infected with COVID-19, but we are worried about imported cases. After national social distancing and physical distancing was started on March 2, many people who live in cities like Jakarta moved to our place. So, each village is now doing village quarantine. Every “newcomer” should be sprayed with disinfectant and the body temperature measured. Constantly washing hands has become a new culture and no one shakes hands anymore. Before this outbreak, shaking hands was our way to respect people.

In the first days, it was difficult to respond to this threat, but after the local government announced the strict policy, slowly, communities began to understand. We have a local market that is only open once a week for six hours. The local market is spreading disinfectant.

Sharing food with the homes of people with disabilities in the Dairi Regency with Rev. Osten Matondang (2006 Graduate in white jacket)

Social distancing is also a new culture for us. In the rural areas, we don’t have good internet access, so it is difficult to conduct school from home. In the economic context, poor people and people with disabilities are effected. My family at church tries to share food with other church members, who have no daily income anymore.

Please stay safe and let's share food with others, especially the vulnerable people affected by this pandemic.

https://gyazo.com/95b594d1737fb36ede2366092f9d5b0d

Harvesting cassava, my wife and son