Page 14 - Voice of the Persecuted Christians - Apr-Jun 2023 - 122

INDONESIA
‘I feel no
bitterness’
‘W
help. She recalls: ‘One church member doused me with water. My clothing had burned and was sticking to me. Part of my face was blackened by the bomb. My face and head had swollen; my vision was cloudy and I could not hear.’
After suffering horrendous injuries in a bomb attack, one Indonesian Christian had the opportunity to meet face to face with former terrorists. Her story of recovery and forgiveness is truly inspirational, writes Tom Hardie
Because she was so close to the explosion, Fenny’s body was locked into a physical position called ‘the dragonfly’. Her fingers had also been melded together as a result of the heat from the blast.
hen the bomb went off my whole body felt like it was on fire,’ she said.
ramming the gates the van erupted into a ball of fire, igniting the petrol tanks of cars and motorcycles in the car park and causing multiple secondary explosions.
Fenny Suryawati was only five metres away from the explosion that day
in May 2018 when suicide bombers targeted her church in Indonesia.
The initial blast killed two people, and the ensuing flames quickly enveloped the front of the church building, along with Fenny, who was on her way to collect her eight-year- old daughter from Sunday school.
Despite her injuries Fenny tried to locate her daughter; to her relief the girl’s injuries were minor in comparison.
‘I was at the front of the church when I heard a vehicle hit the gate. It then exploded three times.’
Both of them were taken to hospital where initially Fenny’s survival
was uncertain. It was the start of a long journey to recovery that would
In fact the vehicle was a minivan packed with explosives. After
Confused and dazed and suffering extensive burns Fenny cried out for
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