Flood leaves Bahorok children stranded

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Bahorok, North Sumatra

The recent Bahorok flood, which killed some 150 people, has brought grief and misery to at least 75 children whose parents were killed in the deadly natural disaster.

Most of the children are still traumatized by the flash flood, which two weeks ago ripped through their homes and a tourist resort in Bahorok district, Langkat regency.

They still remember vividly how they survived the fatal flood, and how it took the lives of their parents.

Some of the children have lost their fathers or mothers, and some other children both of their parents.

The 75 children are now living in three separate shelters in Bahorok district, and are being taken care of by their mothers or fathers, if still alive, relatives and neighbors.

Devi, for example, is now an orphan after both her parents were killed in the deadly flood. A student at a local elementary school, Devi is presently living in one of the shelters here, where she is being taken care of by her aunt.

The unfortunate children know that their parents died in the flood, and that they will never see them again. They therefore face uncertain futures, something that worries them greatly.

Aware of this situation, dozens of students and members of religious group in Medan and Langkat regencies have been arriving at the shelters since last week to try to help the children overcome their trauma.

The volunteers -- including students from the North Sumatra University (USU), the North Sumatra State Islamic Institute (IAIN) and members of a Buddhist group -- are teaching the children to write, to sing songs, to chant prayers and many other activities.

"Their has been enough sorrow. They must not give in to their grief, and they have to be optimistic about their future.

"We hope that these activities can help relieve them of their trauma," Bagus Joko Triono, one of the volunteers, told The Jakarta Post.

Dino Erlangga, one of the children participating in the activities, acknowledged that he had been greatly traumatized right after the flash flood took his father's life.

Erlangga's father was found dead by a Search and Rescue team last week somewhere in Bahorok.

But, the trauma had gradually diminished after Erlangga started participating in the activities.

"I am happy to be here, joining friends who share a similar fate to me. We are not only taught how to sing and how to play games, but we are also taught how to pray.

We want the souls of our parents to be accepted by God and sat at His side," the 9-year-old Erlangga told the Post.

Kepri Auri, 8, shares Erlangga's plight.

Kepri's father, Kelimin, was declared missing after the flood and has not been found since then. Most probably he is already dead.

"My mother told me that it was all God's will. We must accept it. We have to pray diligently so that his soul is accepted by God," Kepri said.

The death of Kelimin has dealt a severe blow to his family, as all the family members depended on Kelimin.

Before the fatal flood took Kelimin's life, he used to sell food at his stall in the Bahorok resort to support his family. Elvi, his wife, stayed at home to take care of Kepri and his two younger brothers.

But, after the death of Kelimin, the family is facing an uncertain future.

Kepri understands this very well. As the eldest son, it will fall to him to look after the family in the future.