Meeka

Meeka is a woman with a tragic story. She is a widow who lives with her three sons in a humble, one room home in a resettlement site in North Sulawesi. She carries her drinking and cooking water to her home daily in five gallon buckets. This is a small burden for her to bear when compared to the last year of her life.

She lived with her husband in a quiet and peaceful community on the Island of Halmahera. They were raising their family in the solitude of a small farming village with hopes of watching their young children grow into men.

Reports about jihad militia attacking the city of Ambon came as a shock to all in her small village. Great concern gripped the residents as news of the destruction of nearby Christian communities continued. As attacks grew closer, plans were made to evacuate the residents to safety. Although they didn't want to leave their homes, they had no choice. The circulating rumor indicated that their small village would soon be a target of the jihad militia.

On July 31, 2000, Meeka and her sons were loaded onto a boat destined for Manado, a large predominately Christian city in North Sulawesi. The boat was filled with other mothers and children-young and old. After their safe departuer a second boat came to evacuate the remaining villagers. Meeka's husband stayed behind to help other villagers board this second vessel. Here the day turned very dark. Boats loaded with jihad soldiers approached their inlet. Terror gripped the villagers but there was no place to flee. A ruthless attack followed. The boat full of villagers was bombed, sunk, and all the villagers were either drowned or murdered at the hand of these terrorists. Meeka's husband was killed on that day.

Meeka is only one of many widows, the tragic and heartless fruit of jihad attacks. She now raises her three sons alone and provides for them by tending a small garden. She is safe now, and she is cared for. Please pray for her as she raises her sons, rebuilds her life, and looks toward the future.

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