In 1981, I was working in Galang Refugee Camp in Indonesia. Mely Bonifacio, the UNHCR Representative invited some of us to sail with her to the Kuku Refugee Camp. We made the 20 hour trip from Tanjung Pinang on the Seasweep which was operated by World Vision.

The Kuku Camp was located in the Indonesian Anambas Islands east of Malaysia. If I remember correctly, there were 2000 Vietnamese refugees in the camp at the time. We took them supplies, and carried 200 people with us back to Galang.

Kuku was both beautiful and brutal. There was ongoing abuse by the Indonesian military, and just a month before our visit a refugee boat had sunk within sight of the camp drowning everyone on board.

We were only on Kuku for several hours, and I took these photos then.

That night on the Seasweep, everyone was invited down into the steamy hold for a "Special Program". There was some guitar music and singing. Then a World Vision representative using a Vietnamese interpreter, spoke to the assembled refugees. He told them that they would never see Vietnam again and described to them how difficult, lonely, isolated, and hopeless their lives in their new countries would be. He explained that their only hope was to accept Jesus as their personal savior. He was greeted by stunned silence. Many people cried, and some of us walked out.
Những hình ảnh trong blog này do ông Gaylord Barr chụp. Ông Gaylord là người thầy khả kính của rất nhiều dân tị nạn. Ông đã rời Mỹ quốc để đến giúp người tị nạn tại Galang từ 1980 đến 1982.
Chú thích tiếng Anh do ông Gaylord viết, được tạm dịch qua tiếng Việt


THE PICTURE POSTED HERE IS PUBLIC, HOWEVER IF YOU USE IT PLEASE GIVE IT CREDIT AS COURTESY TO GAYLORD BARR

Saturday, May 30, 2015

A tribute to Gaylord from John Duffy

I received word that Gaylord Barr passed peacefully this morning at home in the company of family and beloved friends. If you knew him, you knew Gaylord as a kind, generous, compassionate, and beautiful soul. When he listened to you, and he was always willing to listen, he made you feel you were the only person in the room, the only possible person on the planet. And his dry wit could leave you laughing so hard your sides hurt.

But those words do not capture Gaylord's passion for justice and his lifelong indignation at injustice. Wherever he lived, in Morocco, Indonesia, the Philippines, Roanoke, he was on the side of the less powerful, the refugees and immigrants. So many loved him, and he loved them back.

I will miss my friend but forever be thankful for the time we shared, and for all he taught me. Horseman, pass by.
Posted by at

4 comments:

  1. Thanh DongJuly 19, 2015 at 11:48 PM

    Greeting !
    Just Google typing KuKu Indonesia ,and I found you at this link
    http://kukucamp.blogspot.ca/
    I was stay in KuKu somewhere in April 1979 and Galang to Singapore landed in SanJose ,California 1981 January
    not sure if you are teaching English at camp ? there is Lawyer name Thong if I remembered correct
    any how I just wonder if any tour that in future that you going to visit there and opportunity for me to connect to go there
    please advised

    Thanh Dong
    VT258 36th land in Kuku

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownMay 3, 2018 at 6:29 AM

    Marioqq
    MarioQQ SEO
    Cerita Rakyat Indonesia
    Berita Viral
    Berita Terkini
    Lucinta Luna Hamil!
    Marioqq
    bandarq
    agen bandarq
    domino99
    aduq
    bandar66
    kakek gokil

    ReplyDelete
  3. abbOctober 21, 2018 at 4:45 AM

    Artikel yang sangat menguntungkan untuk di baca, Thanks you

    Agen BandarQ Online
    Qiu Qiu Domino
    Agen Casino
    Slot Games
    Situs Sbobet
    Togel Online

    Agen Poker Online
    Agen Domino Online
    Casino Online
    Slot Online
    Sbobet Online
    Agen Togel

    BandarQ
    Qiu Qiu
    Casino
    Slot
    Sbobet
    Togel

    ReplyDelete
  4. Putri AdiratnaaMay 7, 2021 at 11:42 PM

    Loan Opportunity Offered By Mr, Benjamin That Save My Family From Financial Bondage {  247officedept@gmail.com  }

    Hello Everyone, I am Putri Adiratnaa single mom from Jakarta, I would like to share this great testimony on how I got a loan from Mr, Benjamin, when we were driven out of our home when I couldn't pay my bills anymore, After being scammed by various companies online and denied a loan from my bank and some other credit union I visited. My children were taken by foster care, I was all alone in the street. The day I shamefully walked into an old school mate who introduced me to Daisy Maureen. At first I told her that I am not ready to take any risk of requesting a loan online anymore, but she assured me that I will receive my loan from them. On a second thought, due to my homelessness I had to take a trial and applied for the loan, luckily for me I received a loan of $80,000.00 from Mr, Benjamin. I'm happy I took the risk and applied for the loan. My kids have been given back to me and now I own a home and a business of my own. All thanks and gratitude goes to  the help of Mr, Benjamin for giving me a meaning to life when I had lost all hope. If you are currently seeking loan assistance, you can contact them via: {247officedept@gmail.com    WhatsApp +1-989-394-3740.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)