RI ambassador thanks U.S. girl<\/p>\n
U.S.: Indonesia's ambassador to the United States visited a
\nMichigan schoolgirl to thank her for writing a sympathetic letter
\nto his country after it was devastated by a tsunami last
\nDecember.<\/p>\n
Soemadi D.M. Brotodiningrat came to the northern Michigan town
\nof Charlevoix on Thursday, where he met 9-year-old Maggie
\nHamilton, her classmates and local officials in the elementary
\nschool.<\/p>\n
\"The beautiful simplicity of your letter ... symbolized the
\nAmerican compassion for others, and symbolized the compassion of
\nall of mankind,\" Soemadi said.<\/p>\n
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono read Maggie's
\nletter during a May 25 visit with President George W. Bush at the
\nWhite House, along with a reply from Nada Lutfiah, a 9-year-old
\ngirl from the heavily damaged Aceh province.<\/p>\n
Nada's parents and two brothers were lost in the tsunami,
\nwhich killed at least 126,000 people in Indonesia and 48,000 in
\n10 other countries in the Indian Ocean basin.<\/p>\n
Soemadi said he didn't know how Maggie's letter came to the
\nIndonesian president's attention, but that it \"genuinely touched
\n(Susilo's) heart.\"<\/p>\n
Maggie's letter was among a batch sent in January by the
\nschool's third-grade classes. The children also made and sold
\nfriendship bracelets and held bake sales in support of the Red
\nCross's tsunami relief efforts. They included a bracelet with
\neach letter.<\/p>\n
Maggie wrote that she was praying for the tsunami victims and
\nthat \"we are raising money for your country.\"<\/p>\n
Nada's reply thanked Maggie, saying \"I hope to receive your
\nbracelet ... to remind me that I have a new friend.\"<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Soemadi gave Maggie the letter from Nada and
\nlistened to her singing Indonesian national anthem. Maggie was
\nrewarded with a kiss on the forehead from Soemadi.<\/p>\n
The ambassador's visit was \"exciting and cool,\" she said. \"It
\nmade me feel proud.\" -- AP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-ambassador-thanks-us-girl-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}