Survivors cope with loss by giving

Survivors cope with loss by giving

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Losing his loved ones in the tsunami disaster devastated
Abdurrahman Ali, but he still wants to lend a helping hand.

The 46-year-old lost his wife and four children on that
fateful Sunday, Dec. 26 -- only one of his five children
survived.

When the quake-triggered tidal waves rocked the region that
day, Abdurrahman, a truck driver, was driving his truck in Banda
Aceh. When he felt the tremors, he returned home as quickly as he
could to his family in the coastal area of Peukanbada.

In his village, he heard children yelling, "water, water" and
seeing the huge waves, he quickly rushed some 50 children into
his truck, as well as his wife and five children.

However, after driving about 200 meters, a huge wave rolled
over the truck and the people inside it. That was the last time
Abdurrahman saw four of his children and his wife.

"I could hear them crying with desperation," recalled
Abdurrahman, when sharing his experience with The Jakarta Post by
phone from Banda Aceh.

Abdurrahman survived by clinging to the door of his wrecked
truck. Even so, he was swept about one kilometer away by the
wave.

"I searched for my family for three days and only found my 17-
year-old son," Abdurrahman told the Post.

His son is now staying with a family member who lives close to
a public health clinic as he was suffering from a respiratory
infection after swallowing so much mud and seawater.

"He will be much safer there," he said.

Despite his suffering, he still wants to help other victims.

Now, working as a hired driver for World Vision International
(WVI) -- a job that he took up on Dec. 30 -- he is assisting in
the delivery of aid to victims, as well as taking staff members
to places and people that need their assistance.

"It was very difficult to get a rental car in Banda Aceh at
that time. However, with God's help, there are always good people
who are willing to help," WVI communications manager Hendro
Suwito told the Post from Banda Aceh by phone.

After the disaster, Abdurrahman was sheltered by his former
employer who owned a car, and he was asked to drive the car,
which was rented to the WVI.

"Working helps me forget my traumatic experience and
alleviates my grief, although I can still hear my children's
cries in my sleep," he said.