'Paralysis gone thanks to tsunami'

'Paralysis gone thanks to tsunami'

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

Sixteen-year-old Farida is a pretty girl with bluish-brown
eyes. She comes from Lamno district, Aceh Jaya, an area populated
by Acehnese with Portuguese blood.

She does not live with her parents in Lamno, but stays with an
older sister in Lingke, Banda Aceh.

Farida used to be paralyzed and relied on her sister to take
care of her.

"My sister loved me despite my paralysis," she said.

On Dec. 26, 2004, a massive earthquake sparked a tsunami that
devastated Aceh. This disaster miraculously changed Farida's
life.

After the earthquake struck, Farida was sitting on the terrace
of her sister's house. She remained there, unable to do anything
as everybody else panicked and shouted that a giant wave was
coming.

A busy area, Lingke is only one kilometer from the sea. When
the tsunami reached the area, people fled in a panic.

In a few minutes Lingke was empty as residents, including
Farida's sister and neighbors, looked for somewhere safe.

In the deep silence, Farida heard the booming sound of the
surging water and the clanging sound of falling objects. The
sounds got louder and louder, making her hair stand on end.

"I tried to get up and said 'Bismillah' (In the name of God)
and the 255th verse of The Cow, a chapter in the Koran. Then I
tried to walk," she said, her eyes welling up with tears.

Miraculously, Farida was able to stand up and run. The surging
water, however, caught up with her.

"I kept reciting the prayer as the water rolled over me. I
thought I was dead. Even if I had died there and then, I would
have been happy because I was able to run," she said.

Farida survived the waves. When she was later reunited with
her friends and sister, they could not believe their eyes: Farida
can walk!

"Since then, I have been resolved to teach people how to
recite the Koran."

"I often feel frightened when I remember how the huge tidal
wave came rolling after me and I was left alone," she said.