Week of Dec. 16, 2013
A Safari, hospital equipment, clean water, wheelchairs and even Santa Claus. Another full week of travel from Jakarta in the west to Semarang, Maggelang and JoJakarta in Central Jawa. Many good and wonderful experiences.


 Monday we joined the younger missionaries for a prep day at Taman Safari. A drive-through zoo that was outstanding. In many cases you could get up close and personal. See for yourself!

Before entering the animal park we bought carrots and banana's to feed the animals.

T

The hippo's just kept their mouths wide open and waited for the carrots. You had to have a good shot to ensure it hit the hatch.  They were so conditioned that if you missed they wouldn't even budge.
Just like shooting baskets.

The hippos could wander out on to the road and stop traffic if they chose to. The car  behind us had to wait it out for awhile as a hippo decided to stand in the road.

 The younger missionaries in the car next to us having a great time. It is fun to be with them and enjoy their enthusiasm and passion.

                                Not too close to the Lama's because they will spit. And they did......

I could have grabbed his nose....but he might have thought my hand was food.

                                 At times they would come right into the car to get the carrot.

                  Of course with the bears and lions you were not allowed to even roll down the win

                                                                  Up close and personal

 Okay, for the cutest face, I (sister Lucherini), vote for the giraffe, their eyes are awesome.

                                                          Would you like a kiss?

 

 

                                          Life is good when you are the king of the jungle

The Rhinos were kept away, they could be a serious problem. They are massive.

A wildebeast, how is it spelled?

 

They loved the carrots!!!!

                                        Never had a zebra actually try to get in a car before

                                                          Had to roll up the window...or else

                                      These are very big boys...the picture doesn't do justice

                                             He wasn't happy from the flash of the camera

 

 

This was a part of the park we we could actually get out and touch some of the animals

Cowboys and Indians in Indonesia????

 

         A cowboy production...Indonesian style. There humor is different but it was entertaining.

 

 

Lets hop right back to reality now....

 

Tuesday we flew to Central Java to check on a project that has been ongoing for the past 2 years. When Elder Bednar came to Indonesia in May 2011 he met with the largest Muslim organization (NU-Nahdlatul Ulama,) in Indonesia and offered assistance with some of there greatest needs. This hospital is located in a small rural area called Pati. There was a need for  hospital equipment to help serve a very poor population. The church humanitarian funds have provided much needed life saving equipment.

Pumps, operation tables, DC shock machines, patient monitor's, and a ventilator.

 

 

                          Physical Therapy room...thought Nathan would enjoy these pictures

 Some of there current equipment the hospital staff said they had purchased at flea markets.

An old x ray machine the Doctor is showing us has a short in the operating switch. To fix it, they used tape, one of  Elder Lucherini's favorite tools, duct tape. But it worked!!

                       New X ray equipment and patient monitors provided through LDS Charities

 Many of these hospitalized children are here because they have dengue fever from mosquito's. If left untreated a person could potentially die. The doctors told us some of these patients  have waited too long before being treated and depending on how lethargic they are...may not make it. The ones you see here are going to be fine, but we saw some in the rooms that were vey sick. Hard to see.

 The hospital staff, doctors and nurses, thanked us repeatedly for the much needed equipment. A great blessing to many people. We had a small gathering where they expressed appreciation for the fact that despite our different beliefs, customs, cultures and language, we can work together to serve those in need. These type of conversations happen many times and are a testament that you can find commonality in almost any situation, especially in efforts to help those in need wherever you find them.

 

Tatok is our translator and has become a great and trusted friend. He has mentored us to better understand the language, the people and the culture. And to help us identify solutions that will work here in Indonesia. Here he is buying jack fruit, called nangka, from a roadside market. The fruit is different to anything we have tasted before...but pretty good.

 

Wednesday we traveled to several villages around the city of Magelang, to inspect a water project that had been completed over the past year. All projects when finished require a final inspection six months after completion. The review is to inspect whether everything is in working order, to talk with the people asking them about the water and the difference it has made in their lives? We love the opportunity to visit with the people. Especially out in the country.

 

 Getting to the springs where the water is captured is not always easy. These large plants have some pretty spiny thorns. At the base is snake fruit.

          A mother we visited with showing the clean water that now flows from the house.  Allowing her to more conveniently keep things clean, but more importantly, helps them have much better health. So much of the diseases are spread through contaminated water.

                                 Hiking through the forest to the main water source.

 The tank where the water is captured from the spring. From here it will run through PVC pipes to the orange tanks which are located in the villages. From there the families purchase the piping to go directly to their homes. Meters are set up at each home to charge a small fee for water use.  The fees in turn are used by a designated 'water committee,' of members of the village with responsibility to maintain and keep the system functioning in the future. While inspecting one village they said they recently had a mud slide since this project was completed, that caused some damages and through the funds received they have fixed it. Great to hear!!!!  The end goal is not only to provide clean water but have it sustained over time.
All materials and construction expertise is provided by the church. All labor and maintenance is done by the villagers so when it is completed they feel a sense of ownership and a desire to keep up on the maintenance.

 This pond is overflow from the water tank and is now a pond where the village raises catfish.

 Every tank has the name of the local Muslim organization (GP Ansor) and the Church. Geraja Yesus Kristus Dari Orang Orang Suci Zaman Akhir. (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).

 Salbiyah (grandmother) with her daughter Sri-haryati, and grandchildren, Ratna and  Nazifa-alya.

 

 

                            The well where water was gathered previously before the new system.

Everyone loves there picture taken and the opportunity to talk English....even if it is no more than 'hello mister."

 

Friday we had the privilege to visit some of the people that have received wheelchairs. These are humbling experiences and your heart goes out to the children, their families, and all the people. Though we are inspired by how happy and contented they seem despite some of their circumstances.

Raihn 7, Ati 11, Wanda 13. Both Ati and Wanda have cerebral palsy. We saw a picture when Ati (middle child) was 2 years old and he appeared like a normal little toddler. Since then his parents said he has mysteriously worsened to the point today where he has spasmodic cerebral palsy. The parents told us that 3 years ago the hospital informed them there was nothing more they could do for their son. The doctor told them he would live maybe 3 more months, so go home and let him die!
 His little body was so frail. Despite being 11, his legs were about an inch thick.You can get a sense for how small their little legs are when you look at Wanda's in the picture, and Ati's are even smaller. His father told us he has to be held almost constantly and while he couldn't cry out he could show emotion by moving his arms and legs and grimacing. Both Ati and Wanda have wheelchairs. For Wanda it provides the opportunity to go outside in the sunshine and go with her mother to the market. Her mother says she just beams when she can go outside. In the home she can crawl very slowly.

Dwikutniani with her husband Sucipto. In 2005 she fell of the roof and was paralyzed from the waist down. A wheelchair has allowed her to go out and start to rebuild her life again. They have 3 children, a son and two daughters 20, 17, and 13. He operates a small printing business and hopes to one day get a motorcycle that has an attachment that will allow her to go with him to see the country.

Tardo, a father of 3 children, here with his 14 year old son Dio. Was cutting down a tree when it fell on him and broke his back in 2002. He gets up every morning at 5am and has a set route of going through the garbage around the area to collect paper, metal and plastic that he sells to make a living. He had a small magnet under his wheelchair that he can attach small pieces of metal. The picture below is his home. Note the white bags in front are full of paper he has collected and is waiting to sell. You will see in the above picture that the sealing of  the home is tarps fastened together. They may be poor by our standards but they seem contended and happy. Never in our conversations and questions to you hear anything about being down or in despair. Or that God has dealt them a bad hand. They seem to deal with what life throws at them and move on.  There is much we can learn from the simplicity of their lives.

                                   Desi 7, has hydrocephalitis. She lives with her grandmother.
From the picture below you can see what a difference the wheelchair has made for her. An opportunity to have mobility and to experience life. In the chair she was a bit lethargic.....in the wheelchair she came to life! What a wonderful blessing to behold.

This lady contracted polio when she was 2 years old. She is a seamstress and for years used a office chair with wheels as a substitute for a wheelchair.  She got a wheelchair only 1 1/2 years ago and now has so much more mobility and freedom. Here with her husband and son who recently graduated from the local university.

Later in the day we stopped at craft store to look at some hand carved nativity scenes. When we arrived  we discovered the owner had a prosthetic leg and that several people were in wheelchairs from LDS Charities. It took us completely by surprise, just a coincidence that we happened to come here? We believe not! The entire shop were disabled people who are learning skills so they can become self reliant. What a delight to see these people receive either a prosthesis or wheelchair, and then be able to carry on with their lives...to find meaning and fulfillment!!

 

                The owner: Tarjono Slamet, with two of his employees Lisa and Jessica
50 disabled people work at Mandiri's Craft shop. 50% lost a limb or became disabled from an earthquake in Bandung in 2006. The other half through an accident or at birth.

With the carriage to the side of the motorcycle these people can transport themselves.

Their showroom of crafts, mostly wooden toys.

We are hopeful to find opportunities where we might be able  to work together with this Yayasan (foundation). Anytime there is an opportunity where we can help those who are working to help themselves it is a win -win for the church humanitarian guiding principles and the people the funds are used to help.

 

 

 

 

Saturday           

Last activity of the week. A visit from Santa Claus. He liked Sister Lucherini

 

We participated in the Jakarta Stake Christmas party. They loved having a 'white' Santa Claus. Though the children weren't really sure when they saw those big white eyes and the big white teeth and the "Ho, Ho Ho!!!!"  But they warmed up pretty quickly. It was a pretty fun way to close out another awesome week