Stories from the Field

September 2005

Tsunami: Opportunities in Learning

Story by LM

University students Maime, Dani and Iu are sitting down to study for final examinations in the area's first reading center. Stop by at any time of the day and you will likely find one of these three students hard at work while enjoying the benefits of new books and computers that would once have been only a fantasy for local academia.

"It was all Maime's idea," says Dani, as he explains the process. "He came up with the floor plan, ordered the books and computers, and got all the furniture and shelving." There is a great level of respect and admiration for each other as they seek to move from the recent tragedy that took the lives of family and friends to a brighter future for their city.

"Three weeks ago this was only a dream," adds Maime, who is a medical student. He and several others have worked alongside volunteer teams who have come in to make this dream a reality. The opportunities for teams to share with these future business leaders are immensely important. Relationships between volunteers and locals have planted seeds and built potential for communicating about One who knows yesterday, today and tomorrow. Life lessons can be learned from these young men and women who work so hard toward building a future for this area.

• Pray that they continue to use the reading center to develop platforms for sharing in relationships.
• Pray that these future leaders may come to know the narrow path that leads to a brighter future.
• Volunteers and field workers need wisdom in communicating truth to these young men and women. Pray that they will be prepared to always give an answer.