by nothingness on Saturday, August 16th, 2008 | Friendship

photo by AP

Eleven-year-old Nada Lutfiyyah , 12 (was 8), is an Aceh tsunami survivor who lost her both parents in the disaster.  Maggie Hamilton, 13 (was 9), of Charlevoix, Michigan wrote a sympathetic letter expressing her concerns to the victims of the disaster.  Not knowing where to address the letter, Maggie sent the letter to the White House.  The letter was then passed to Nada’s school via the Indonesian government.  Nada then received the letter along with a bracelet made by Maggie that was included in the letter.  Nada replied the letter and also included a hair band that she made.  They have since become penpals.

President Yudhoyono read those letters in an event in the White House on May 25, 2005.  Maggie then was invited by the Indonesian government to visit Indonesia.  Both girls first happily met on Aug 15, 2008 in Jakarta.  Nada will take Maggie to visit Aceh on August 20 to show Maggie her school.  They are also scheduled to meet President Yudhoyono to give both of the bracelet and the hair band to him.

Tags: aceh, Friendship, tsunami