Week of Dec. 9, 2013

As we go from week to week we wonder if we could have any other experiences that could be any more touching and impactful as the past, this week offered another very special experience. We visited some of the homes of the children that soon will be receiving wheelchairs. Their circumstances were humbling.

 

Seusa Karunika Rahmadian. (4 yrs old). Next to her is her mother, Siyamti, who like her daughter cannot walk.  Little Seusa has cerebral palsy since birth. Her mother, has diabetes and some paralysis from the waist down. As you can see her one foot was bandaged and the other looked pretty bad. Both mother and daughter must be carried everywhere. Both will be soon receiving wheelchairs. This one room is their home for a family 4. They share a communal cooking area and bathroom area with 15 other families . Each family has one room to sleep and store their belongings.

Seysa with her older brother (Ratimat) who held her so tenderly. You could feel his love for his little sister. He so healthy and vibrant and Seysa probably only about 30 pounds, maybe. Here arms and legs were so tiny. When we first went into the room above I noticed Sister Lucherini kneeling next to Seysa and caressing her small arms and legs. As a mother she wanted this little girl to know there are many who love her, and God loves her too!

Seysa with her father Kirsino. He and his son, must carry mother and daughter everywhere. He runs a baso cart (Meatballs). We were told he makes about $5.00/day.

The family insisted on us eating with them. These are difficult moments because our stomachs are not the same as the natives and what is normal and easy for them....can be a challenge for us. We call it getting a 'funny tummy.' But is isn't very funny. We prayed this morning that we would have the ability to eat whatever we needed to, knowing that the food would be given out of honor and respect and we needed to honor that gift. Our prayers were answered, which may seem like something small, but is a wonderful blessing.

                                        The Ramadian family outside their one room home.

Brother and sister saying goodbye. It was a tender moment to see Ratimat's gentleness and
kindness toward his little sister.  The wheelchair will be a wonderful blessing for this little family.

Maryadi is 15 years old and has never known anything put crawling. With his older brother Gilar , 18. You get a sense for how small he is for his age when you see him below with us.

Maryadi, with his mother. 6 people sleep on this mattress. Their home is also just this one room. Just to the left of this picture was a makeshift wall that separated the room from a small motor bike  repair shop the father operated.

                                        Dad, Mom and older brother in front of the repair shop

It is only as you get out to meet the people do you start to grasp the cultural of where and how some people live. This picture depicts the small walk way that are like little trails that take you from different complexes full of small one or two room homes. The walkways get even smaller later on!

Aziz (4yrs old) with his mother Nuyanissih. With his older sister , Adeirna below. She also had one other son who is deaf. Two of three children with handicaps, and yet the entire time we visited with her she was smiling and delighted that we would come and visit her. It was that way with all the families we visited.  They may not have much in worldly possessions, but happy with what they have. They love their children and are devoted to them. Like times before, I'm not sure we weren't the ones learning and benefiting more than they were. Look at Nuyanissih's eyes, is she not happy? A great lesson in being grateful, finding contentment in life and the circumstances that you are placed in.

But oh what a difference a wheelchair will make for Aziz, and his family!

 

 

Nuyaninssih, with Adeirna and her son Mohamadrisky who is completely deaf, though you would never know it by the way he was playing with the other children on the street.
As we left we wondered,' isn't there more that we can do?' Yes, they seem to be content with their lot in life, yet we are not, we want to run faster, do more, see more help being given. Reminds me of a scripture "O that I were an Angel..." Alma 29:1.

The neighborhood girls seemed pretty fascinated by this big white person (boleh). Maybe they hadn't seen one before, not sure?  But they followed me down the street and were thrilled when I asked them if they would like to take a picture? Rarely will anyone turn down a photo op, especially with a boleh!

We had to slip in a picture of the restroom facilities. Our host said this was the best in the area. After Sister Lucherini was here I followed and had to snap  a couple of pictures just for memories. Its been worse! We call this the 'trough style.' Mary said, "Never again will I complain about the squatter style toilet!"  Compliments to my wife...she is a trooper!!!!!

I really don't think I'm a trooper, it's just when you have to go, you have to go!!!OOOH Boy!

As we walked down some of the alleyways I thought we were in the movie 'Oliver.' With the looks of the different houses and how some alley ways were so tight you could not fully open your umbrella.

 

Sawaludin (8yrs old) with his mother and father Ijih and Kogan. We are now in the rainy season and this area can experience severe flooding. They told us their home will flood up to 4 feet. Note the ladder in the picture below. When it floods they said they climb upstairs, and if it continues to flood they will go to the roof.

It rains pretty much everyday during the rainy season (November -February). Today was no exception. As we were visiting the rain was coming down pretty hard, beginning to flood and started to work its way into the house.

This walkway has about 6 inches of water and is increasing. The water was dark from the mud and other things.

Can you see how narrow the walls are?
At the last home we came to visit it was raining and flooding pretty hard. The father offered to carry his daughter out in the rain just so they could have the chance for us to meet. We said there was no way we were going to stay on dry ground and make him bring her to us. So we took our shoes and socks off, rolled up the pants and came to them. A pretty small price to pay for us.

Ajeng (13) with her father Srlmrn. Due to the flooding his wife was in the room above with their new baby. Srlmrn said he has a baso cart but in the rainy season he must stay home and watch over Ajeng. He was so happy and proud of her. It was humbling to see the sacrifice and devotion personified in these wonderful fathers and mothers. Would I do the same?
10 people lived in this small 2 room house. Parents, grandparents, and 6 children.

When we left the home I wanted to get some pictures of the river and how high it had risen. The pictures don't do justice to how fast it was flowing. Pretty scary!

See how close the river is to cresting....and this was after only a couple hours of hard rain

                                            Driving home in the rain. Coming down pretty hard.
But we left in a dry car, with heat. A stark contrast from the people we had visited.

 

It is an honor to represent the many thousand of saints willing to sacrifice their funds to help the needy in far away places (like Indonesia), and not see or know the impact those funds have on touching, uplifting and blessing lives. A privilege indeed!!!!

Thanks to generous and kind people!