Jakarta parish opens soup kitchens for flood victims

A PARISH has opened two soup kitchens in Karawang district, West Java, after the area was hit by severe floods when the Citarum river burst its banks.

Christ the King Church in the district formed a special team of young people a few hours after the flood hit the district on March 19, parish priest Father Agustinus Made said.

The flood inundated 30,652 houses affecting 17,600 families, with Telukjambe Timur sub-district the worst hit of 10.

In some areas, floodwaters reached the roof before receding on Saturday.

“We are still distributing aid for the flood victims by opening two soup kitchens – one in our parish and another in a mission station,” Holy Cross Father Made told UCA News March 27.

“The flood victims really need ready-to-eat food. So the soup kitchens distribute nasi bungkus (wrapped rice and cooked vegetables),” he said.

“Twice a day, the soup kitchen in the parish distributes 300 boxes of nasi bungkus to the flood victims. The other soup kitchen distributes about 300-350 boxes of nasi bungkus every day,” he recalled.

The parish also distributed basic necessities, clean water, tents, and used clothing to the flood victims.

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