A Caritas unit from Indonesia’s Purwokerto diocese is working to aid a Muslim community that was hit by a landslide in Central Java. The aid workers face a race against time to deliver supplies before the Islamic feast of Eid-al-Fitr on Sept. 10.

The landslide swept through Cemulung hamlet in the Banyumas district on Aug. 31, destroying two houses and killing six people including a two-month baby. It also uprooted the coconut trees that provide livelihood for the 80 families who live in the hamlet.

A Caritas team reached the site two days later to assess and establish the survivors’ needs. They also met with local leaders and relatives of the deceased victims.

“What we are thinking about now is how we can meet the survivors’ needs for Eid-al-Fitr,” said Father Stephanus Budhi Prayitno, Caritas team leader.

Eid-Al Fitr, at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, is a major event in the Muslim calendar. It is traditional to celebrate it by offering hospitality to neighbors and buying new clothes for children.

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