UPDATE
Feb 11, 2005

Dear Friends:

Let me thank you all so very much for your prayers and your generous contribution to the Tsunami project. Much has happened on a weekly basis and I want you to be updated.

It all started when our Field Coordinator Duncan Seow was flying from Medan to Nias with Paul Gimson, Country Director of Samaritan's Purse to assess certain needs of the survivors of the Tsunami. Beside them was Dr Derek Norman Allen, a veteran medical missionary from New Zealand.  He had gone to the disaster areas of North Sumatra to assess the medical needs for the Tsunami victims. His trip to Nias was to evaluate the current medical services available in that island. He was appalled to learn that there was only one hospital and only one doctor to cover a population of 495,000 inhabitants. The medical supplies and equipment were grossly inadequate and most patients were given minimal treatment and never made it beyond the hospital. One patient caught Dr Allen's attention. Fiesto, 14 years old, was 90% burned, caused by an explosion of a kerosene stove which he was taking to a Tsunami victim.

Dr Allen showed Paul and Duncan the condition of the boy and without any delay, Samaritan's Purse responded, resulting in an air-lift of the boy to Medan for treatment. If this did not happen, the boy would have been dead in days. Within a very short time, the boy started treatment in Gleneagles Hospital in Medan. The Hospital offers to waive all their charges.

On the 9th of February 2005, I went to the Hospital with Dr Allen and Duncan and my heart was broken. ICM has in our 12-months plan included medical relief service as one of our proposed undertakings. To date, our services consisted of distribution of basic medicine to the needy but had been unable to mobilise doctors to treat the victims. A series of discussions led to Dr Allen committing to join the ICM Relief Team. I produce below a resume written by him.    

An immediate need to launch this relief work is to acquire a vehicle which can be converted and equipped to serve as a mobile clinic. Several organisations have offered to supply us with medicine and when we have a clear idea of what goes into the mobile clinic, we can only estimate the total cost at US$50,000. Dr Allen will use his network to recruit a nurse who can assist Dr Allen in providing medical and administrative services. We will invite voluntary doctors and nurses and mobilise them in areas where they are most needed.

I will be in the States this Saturday and will be speaking at various churches there about our need. I will also speak to Christian companies and Businessmen who have expressed an interest to support the work.

Once again, I thank you deeply for your support and look forward to giving you a further report in due course.

Hin Hiong Khoo

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