buying vegetable around 00 00 am at a wet market

preparing the meals

teaching some dancing for their togetherness to be stronger

my self and Gerson singing for the children

You may do the same like what Peggy does

it can be a day at the farm

with our togetherness we can be self sufficient on rice

on vegetables too

life is good , please be in it

Indeed it was a great day for us to have the privilege of a visit by the USA’s representative for Indonesia at our orphanage.  We are so honored for the visit of Mr Daniel A Phelps because even though he was so tight with his timing he was able to  visit us and willing stay for a long time till the last minute that he must go for his flight else where. As soon as he left I was also on my way back to Singapore one hour later .

Not all of the orphanage children were having the privilege to meet up with Mr Daniel A Phleps as most of them were  still in school.

Mr Phelps was accompanied by his staff Ms Krismiati M Ulansari.

When they came we were still out side doing our errands. We are having such a blessing for some fantastic books that were given to us yesterday. Not only the physical book design are fantastic but whats in it is just so much more fantastic. It is really inviting to be read and enriching our knowledge.

It was a pity that we can not take them to the farm and else where but Mr Phelps said that he will come again next time.

Mr Daniel A Phelps at Roslin Orphanage

Ms Krismiati and the quality time that was made

the children were singing for us

priceless gift to the orphanage

at the library

from the asbestos ( left) to zink roof ( right hand side)

the unexpected rain made things wet and messy

the naughty rain made us worked all night

the messy clothing room because of the naughty  rain

a real mess

While we are having the roof opened , we are also changing all the electrical wiring to make sure that a possibility of electrical fire will not be happening to our place. This was not in the original budgeting plans but it is worth it as far as the safety issue is concerned. With the proper installation we are hoping that the wiring will last for a long time .

wiring changed with the best cable and with the correct cable size

Beside the roof  and electrical wiring we are also trying our best to finished up the new storage rooms. There storage rooms are consist of 6 new rooms and the size are 4 x 4 meters. It will be enough to store most of the items that we have plus the rice harvest. It was only left with one room that was unfinished with its tile installation. I hope that we will get the doors sent to us already . Once the doors and windows are installed we are only left with installing the ceiling . We hope that we can move all of the items into the storage room soon. It will be great if we can move all the small boys into the new dorm ( 18 of them) . So spacious and each will get a bed , a cupboard and a small side table.

the new storage room with its newly installed tiles

in front of the boy’s dorm we are making a shelter to block the heat from the sun and from the rain. It was installed properly already and we painted it in pink colour. In this picture the canopy was still on the ground .

a new shelter for the front part of the boy’s dorm

A day before I left the orphanage we did the measurements and location for the play ground. It will be great if soon we can have a play ground for the children. It will be great if we can have them doing the morning stretching when they are not attending school during the weekend. It has been fun to bring them out in the morning sun and doing the exercises. their movements are not the same and each were trying to follow closely our instructions and it was always great to see them catching up better and better each time.  The play ground will be using the beach ( sea) sand so that the sand will be clean and bright in its colour. It will be great if we can have the play ground soon. We can also use it as an assemble place where things can be conducted at a better and proper place. It is a long waited play ground to us . Praise The Lord that we can make a start for it. We have ordered the swing and the swing is ready to be picked up soon. It will be a great day if we can give the children something according what the children needs.

measuring the play ground

To add up the physical building we were also trying our best upon building the children character. This is the main part and it is an easy thing to do. So many of them and each are having different characteristic and ability to progress differently and even more difficult because each of the children are having different attitude upon seeing things about life. My wife , myself and all of our dear friends can only try our best upon directing them towards things which we think to be good based on a normal norms such as how to respect others, how to work together and how to do our best in achieving our goals. Sometime is quite easy if the children are able to follow our way of thinking but sometime is frustrating if we found them unable to follow our reasoning. It is a normal thing as they are all are still  children. On weekend days we tried to make them to be together upon doing simple tasks ( but a productive tasks) such as cleaning the garden, washing and also some sort of stretching before doing anything.

weekend activities

stretching

cleaning the garden

including our future doctor ” Gerson”  also cleaning the garden

collecting loose stones

washing for the little ones

It is mandatory to go to school but the day to day work must be done properly

It was a privilege that we were having some wonderful friends coming and stayed with us . One of them was Ms Tina Vanderpol from Vancouver , she was with us also in April ( with her dearest husband  Mike and children Justin and Linden ). She played the organ / piano for us while Mrs Janet Collins is playing with the children about the chicken song. We hope that one day some of our orphanage children can play the organ/ piano for them self.  We were so lucky too that we are having a visit by my older sister Yayuk , my older brother Senja and my nephew  Franky . It was a special occasion to have them around. Simply so much of joy were created by their visit to the orphanage.

me and my siblings

below is a song created by Peggy in less than 10 minutes , its Roslin Orphanage’s song

the new storage room is the one on the right hand site

After we are done with this new storage room we will then able to let the children to use the new dorm for them. It will be a bed for each child and individual cupboard so that they will have a good experience with looking after their items individually. It will be a good character building during their upbringing.

this is some of our rice harvest that we have to store it inside the new dorm

At the moment we are not only building the new storage rooms but we are also doing our best upon changing the roof of the main building. It was a pity that when I was there few days ago , we were unable to do it because of the workers were gone back home to do the voting during the election which was in July 8th.

At the moment we are having the luxury of our good friends Alex Chee, Eddy Chew, Sing and Isabella. They are doing their best upon doing all the existing works instead of me ha ha ha .

Pak Siang, pak Eddy Chew and pak Alex Chee Checking in for the orphanage’s trip on July13th 2009 at Changi Airport

lets sing our old favorite songs

YEAR* 50-54* http://www.tropicalglen.com/Jukebox/50-54Top/myjukebox.swf

]]> http://www.roslinorphanage.org/wordpress/special-for-oldies-music-lovers/feed/ 1 http://www.roslinorphanage.org/wordpress/our-fruitful-trip-in-april-2009/ http://www.roslinorphanage.org/wordpress/our-fruitful-trip-in-april-2009/#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:12:18 +0000 CaptainB http://www.roslinorphanage.org/wordpress/?p=1468 Another trip to the orphanage and its another fruitful one indeed.  A trip which not only having one thing achieved but more than what we are planning for. First of all the flight from Singapore to Jakarta  then to Kupang with a transit at Surabaya were having a great weather. The trip and the good weather was a blessing on its own. Praise The Lord.  Upon exiting the custom I met with a lady friend ( Mieske) and her daughter Olivia. I have known her when they are in Germany and now she lives in HongKong but it was a great surprised that we met in Jakarta unplanned.

Mieske and her daughter at Jakarta airport

A wonderful couple Mike and Tina Vanderpol visiting us all the way from Vancouver, Canada and they even have their lovely children Justin and Linden were coming along. Their visit alone is a blessing on its own and  as it is what kindness that can make people to travel from such  far away place to come and to share joy for others which they never met before. Their visit is another encouragement to us to do better than what we have been doing. They came directly to the orphanage even when I was there to greet them.  Thank you to the Vanderpols for visiting us . I am sure that there are so many nice places that you can go for your holiday but you rather go to a place that is unknown to you and visiting us instead. You are greatly appreciated.

Linden, Tina , Mike , Justin and Budi at Tenau port, Kupang

They came on April 1oth while I was  only coming on the next day the 11th. On this trip I came with very special friends as far as the orphanage is concern. I came with Mr Alex Chee which if you can remember that he was sent by God to help us since when we were starting to build and run the orphanage. To make things even better Mr Alex Chee was coming with his long lost friend for some 30 years, Mr Eddy Chew. Even our trip was not as long as from Vancouver but it was quite tiring too. We went from Singapore to Jakarta and to Kupang with a transit at Surabaya.  The flight was felt so good as we were having some kind of quality time all the way . So much that I have to learn from them both about life and loving others.

Alex Chee and Eddy Chew the new type of Indians

Mr Alex Chee , Mr Eddy Chew and Budi

On the 11th afternoon we were having Mrs Margareth Heather from Perth, Australia also came to the orphanage . I must make a special request to her to be apologized as I was forgotten to remind Peggy to pick her up at the airport upon her arrival.  I was still on the air when she was actually arrived at Kupang ( Eltari airport) . It is lucky that she is able to speak the Bahasa Indonesia language, so she has no problem to ask around for some information. Sorry Margareth it was my fault ha ha ha. Mrs Margareth Heather is my friend from Rotary Club. Her home club is in Armadale ,  Perth , Australia.  On April 12th another wonderful lady Mrs Janine Mcleod, for her we do not want to make another mistake, so I pick her up my self on that day. Both Mrs Margareth Heather and Mrs Janine Mcleod were coming in responds to our ” train the trainer ” program . A program which our Rotary Clubs are pursuing to help the potential teachers to teach others English.  We believe that by knowing more about English we can understand more about the world and it will surely help the students upon their studies. Mrs Janine Mcleod is a lecturer for Curtin University in Perth, Australia.

Mrs Margareth Heather , Budi and Mrs Janine Mcleod

on the 13th another lady friend from Singapore also came, Miss Pauline Chong. She was with us to collect some data which might be useful for the new foundation which will be having the HQ  in Singapore for the children of Asean ( TOCA). It will be a great foundation as the main target is to help the children in 10 ASEAN countries ( preventing child prostitution, helping orphanages, creating a learning center, giving vocational training etc).

Miss Pauline Chong at the beach in Kupang

Why the trip was said as a fruitful one ? First of all we were able to spend time with the children and made some quality time with them. This is the prime agenda as if we are visiting a children home. It is not important for us to bring or buy an expensive toys or items for them but the most important one is to spend your precious time with the children. On this trip we were even playing without involving expensive toys . At one afternoon Mrs Tina Vanderpol and I just made the children a paper plane and paper helicopter. If you ask about the price , well it will not cost us even 1 dollar but the joy that was created from it was priceless.

Mr Alex Chee and the quality time that he made

its singing time

watching the children singing

Mrs Tina Vanderpol and her tender loving care

Martina and Tina

Mr Mike Vanderpol being attacked

priceless moment

Mrs Margaret Heather and the quality time that she made

Vitamin all the way from Vancouver for the children

book and story reading in English for the older ones

The boys corner led by Linden Vanderpol

game corner

Justin Vanderpol playing his tunes

Victor wants to be like Justin

Lodi also trying to learn guitar from Justin

Based on my observation may be one day we will have our orphanage children to be a good musician. May be on my next trip I will plan to buy some more guitar so that we can conduct the guitar lessons to the children. The earlier the better for them to learn. Looking at their ability to sing , I am certain that one day soon we will be able to have a choir group consist of our orphanage children. It will be even better if they can also playing the musical instruments them selves. Surely these are things which can be done in the near future if we are having a good teacher on singing and musical skills. At least I will personally teach them some basic guitar skills as I am limited too about playing it ha ha ha .

One of the agenda during this trip as what we have planned is the program that we will run it together as Rotary Club activity.  Our target is at least if we can get some good potential candidate to be trained on English language. Mrs Margaret Heather and Mrs Janine Mcleod  were doing their best upon preparing the lessons and the steps upon making the selection. They prepared both for the best materials and the programs for them it. Our thanks to Rotarian Irvin Philips and Rotarian PP David Jenkins for the ” train the trainer’s proposal and this follow up evaluation trip. If this program is running later on the next during the new Rotary year ( July 2009- June 31st 2010) it will be sponsored by Rotari Club Armadale, Perth of Australia  and Rotary Eclub3310 of Singapore.

the potential candidate being evaluated

Mr Cornelis Lakusa and Mrs Janine with the group of student

encouragement from Peggy

posing with school principle Rachel Tallo of SMA 4 Kupang

the little ones at the orphanage are also getting their sessions

Clean water project by RC Suntec City of Singapore and RC Rotaryeclub3310 of Singapore on Matching Grant

A joyful day for Familia Orphanage of Sikumana village in Kupang area was happening during our visit too. Together RC Suntec City , RC Rotaryeclub3310 and Rotary International were financing a program for a clean water project.  On the 16th or April we were able finally said that the project is over and the intended project was able to be made into a reality. Some 105 orphanage members are now able to take a bath and getting the badly needed water for their day to day needs.  Thank you very much to Rotary International for Matching the  required funding.  Sister Dion , the head of Familia Orphanage asked me to pass their appreciation to RC Suntec City members who directly give their give to this project . For President Lim Swee Kim , please convey their thanks to your members accordingly for the 3 PHFs from your club. Also to our RC Rotary Eclub3310 they send their appreciation for doing what the Rotary values into the practicality and reality too. This project was to respond the request by PP Mathilda Salu of RC Kupang. Due to her accident ( she was unable to walk properly as she was fell in the bathroom at her residence) , she can not do any thing much. President Felix Rebhung took over but due to his very busy roster he can’t do much too , Treasurer Theo was actually the one who is doing most of the job. This is what a good team and togetherness is all about. Praise The Lord for the job that has been done . At least 600 people now can enjoy the fresh water because of your help. Do come with us some time and  I will take you there personally. The water table is 47 meters deep which is far less than the prediction of 70 meter. May be because of the rainy season but at least the water is about 27 meters deep. Usually the water will go down some 10 – 2o meters during the dry season. We can only hope for the best.

My personal thanks and appreciation to Dr Ho Loon Shin who was helping me to composed the proposal and calculating the numbers. To Ta Cheh DR Doris Ang , your participation is made into a real work and done.  To RC Suntec City we are proud to be able to work together with your club. Surely we will do more projects together in the future. For this project RC Suntec City was participating with 100 % of their love to these beneficiaries and 3000 USD ( 3 PHFs or Paul Harris Fellows program in Rotary International).

the soil that must be penetrated

the break through

the pump controller

The water storage at the school

no more excuse for going to school without taking a bath please

the water tank before distribution to other tanks

a happy day indeed

leading the prayer to thank you for the project that has been done  and met the objective of the Matching Grant.

Indeed it was so happy for us to be able to work together and to made the dream of having enough water into a reality. This is accidentally what the Rotary Motto is all about. For this year Rotary International theme is ” MAKE DREAMS REAL” . This is the theme under Rotary International president Lee Dong Kern  leadership. He was enduring hardship during his childhood and he was working so hard to be successful businessman in Seoul , Korea. We know for facts that until now there are so many childhood dreams are unable to be reached because of illnesses , sicknesses and many other reasons. One of the efforts to stopped the illnesses or sicknesses is sanitation and to live a clean living environment.  We are hoping that this clean fresh water supply will be one of the different can we can collectively do and stopped from making people getting sick and to live a clean living condition. One thing that Rotary does since more than 20 years is the Polio Eradication in the world. It is because of the hard work of all Rotary International members , the world is almost free from the terrible Polio disease. Because of Rotary International the world’s Polio sickness has been eradicated and eliminated up to 99 % ( ninety nine %) . It is the target for Rotary International to eradicate Polio 100 % for good . Currently  there are still 4 countries are still having the fight with Polio cases , they are Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nigeria. It was a hard long work for all Rotary International members ( about 1.3 million members world  wide) for more than 20 years to fight a good fight and we are hoping that Polio can be eradicated soon. When I was attending the Rotary International conference in Los Angeles  last year June 2008 , it was so clearly explain why and how we should totally eradicate this Polio. Thank you to Rotary for the work that has been done to the world to be a better place.

On this trip I can also able to share with you the happy thing but unfortunately there is a sad thing too that we must face for knowing the facts of life.  The happy thing is about our great expectancy for the next rice harvest. It was not too long ago that our orphanage was in a situation where by things must be bought to fulfill our needs to eat. But as you may know that since April 2008 we have declared that Roslin Orphanage has been self sufficient for the rice needs. In about few more weeks we will have our 3rd harvest of rice and more to it is a harvest of plenty. This was made to be possible because God is allowing us to have it and it is the fulfillment of God’s promise to all of human kind that God will look after the orphans and the widows. It is written in the bible in many parts of it but this a link to some of them .  In this matter on my opinion that we can also say it that Children are God’s hidden treasure ha ha ha . One day for sure  there  will be a child from a particular part of the world will come up to safe the world with his intellectual skills or ideas . It can be the child that you are supporting now which no one knows about it yet.  Anyway we are eagerly waiting for our rice harvest which was made possible by God by the gift of the spring water ( artisan well) that was given to us since  late 2008.

our first and precious water source from God

Tina Vanderpol looking at our 2nd water source at the farm

the rice was made possible to planted because of the continuous water source 24 hours per day , which flowing as God’s love to the children

exceedingly and abundantly provided to the orphans

we are the witnesses for God’s love to the orphans

join us next month to harvest God’s love in the form  of rice

Here is one of the very sad case that is still around us for a long long time. Extreme poverty. The world is a not a perfect place for people in different geographical locations. On April 17th we are ” sad” as we are getting richer with 2 more children , one is Lisa  1 year and 3 months and the other one is Iswan 6 years old. Few days later we are ” sad” also by getting even richer by 4 more children joining the orphanage plus the mother who is in a desperate situation. Extreme poverty and poor health condition case. We are really sad to have been experiencing these kind of condition where by the basic needs of a human being are unable to be fulfilled. In other hand we are happy to be able to do the small part of helping them with food and shelter especially to the little and innocent ones. The picture below is one of the example of what some people are currently living. Nothing is proper in the house where it is supposed to be a place where we can have our comfort and quality time with our family. The word ” nothing like home” is quite hard to be said in this instant.

a home for a family of 6

the wall is free for the mosquito to enter

the roof is free for the dew and rain to come down

no drawer nor cupboard

the main bed and the main bed room

the dining equipments and what they have

the meal for the morning , lunch and dinner on that day

Most of the children who are with us at the orphanage were living like this or even worst. Gerson Mangi , one of our older orphan was living in a place where there is no father , no mother , no home and no body and no bed of course. Now he is at the orphanage and a medical student at the university. He is one of the example that if we want to , we can polish a stone into a diamond. We really hope that he can be a good doctor one day.

Another reason why the trip was so fruitful

Even though the time that we we spend there was not that long we were able to give baptism to 9 of our orphanage children. It was a fine Sunday on April 12th. We are doing the baptism according what the child’s relative of family known to us. If they are from the Christian we will do it at the Christian church and if they are from the Catholic church we are doing it at the Catholic church. What we really want the children to be after they are an adult and capable to stand on their own , we will ask them to go back to their own home town. We are really want them to help their own people first instead of helping some where else. We really want them to go back to their own society after they are educated and finished with their  university studies.

praying before the baptism service being conducted

pastor Sahanaya who conducted the service

the Vanderpols attending the baptism service

Carlos being baptized

Cynthia being baptized

Yanti being baptized

Ivan being baptized

Janson being baptized

Jen being baptized

Sonny being baptized

Martina being baptized

Pauline being baptized

May be it is just a normal baptism for some people but for Peggy and I who are representing for 9 children was something else. We are hoping that one day all of the children will be able to stand on their own and even able to help others both on the physical thing as well as the spiritual thing. Praise The Lord for letting us to be the care taker for these children. After the service a simple food was distributed especially to the children.

RIGHT AFTER THE BAPTISM

Right after the baptism we are scheduled to visit Tasipa Village again. Some of you may be asking why we are quite frequently going to this village . Tasipa is one of the place that is enduring quite frequent famine. Can you imagine now is only the end or the rainy season yet the water is already hard to get.  Tasipa has been a place where we will be visiting during the difficul months. may be our help for them can be just a truck load of water if not the simple food for the children. may be some of you might notice if some of the children are wearing the T shirts of schools in Singapore. This is one of the place that we are also distributing the clothing that you gave us before. One rare occasion that one of our friend was able to spotted their children party dress being worn by the villager at the mountain side during our visit. Indeed it still a party dress as the girl was wearing it for the Christmas party. Just one in million perhaps that such a case was happening.  It was great to be able to proved to her ( our friend)  that we were actually giving away the clothes and not selling them.  The best will be best if you give it directly to the ultimate recipient. You will be able to see a genuine smile because of you. I can assure you that it will be very rewarding to see it. Especially to see them from a distance where we can watch them so happy upon receiving your gifts.

buying veggie at midnight  market

hot chilly

fresh and organic

preparing it together

packing them together

what would you like to be dear

encouragement from Peggy

enjoying the girl singing

Koala bear and candy after singing from Margaret and Janine

]]> http://www.roslinorphanage.org/wordpress/our-fruitful-trip-in-april-2009/feed/ 4 http://www.roslinorphanage.org/wordpress/an-encoragement-note-by-miss-wen-dee-kee-to-us/ http://www.roslinorphanage.org/wordpress/an-encoragement-note-by-miss-wen-dee-kee-to-us/#comments Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:29:53 +0000 CaptainB http://www.roslinorphanage.org/wordpress/?p=1284

The Treasures of Charity

In the heart of Roslin Orphanage, lies the most committed, selfless and benevolent couple I know – Captain Budi and Peggy. Their generosity and compassion – not just to the children of Roslin but also to everyone around them has inspired me in more ways than one.

The 5-day trip, or more like 4-day trip (seeing as some of us arrived in Kupang close to midnight on the 10^th of January) was one that the 15 of us volunteers will always remember. Captain Budi and Peggy are magnificent hosts – always ensuring that our comfort was seen to and making sure that throughout our trip, our tummies were always filled with delicious local delicacies and my favourite – local fruits! So much so that instead of loosing weight during the trip (which I was desperately hoping for), most of us ended up adding a few kilos. But that just goes to show the level of hospitality we were shown – by the number of kilos we piled on! However as fortunate as we were to always have food on our plates, it was evidently different in some of the deprived villages in Kupang.

During our stay, Captain Budi and Peggy brought us to 2 villages – Tasipa Village and Nun Kurus Village, where we helped to distribute food, rice and daily necessities like soap and matches to the villagers. It was really humbling to see what little the villagers had and what they had to struggle with everyday. Some villagers walk for miles each day to get water for their homes, as they do not have the luxury of running water from taps. Instead, they walk for miles on end to distant wells and streams for clean water.

During our visit to the villages, we saw some of the children dressed in their finest clothes, and that included some torn and tattered ones. Yet what they had on their faces and not their bodies were the finest of all. Their smiles greeted us with sincerity and it really made the experience a memorable one. Initially, the children were a little apprehensive and shy (seeing as we probably looked foreign to them) but it did not take them long to warm up to us. I saw children as young as 6 years old looking after their younger siblings – sharing food and carrying them. The respect and care the children have for each other is really admirable. They may have little but they learn to share what little they have, which is a lot more than what some of us can do, sad to say.

What touched me most was at Roslin Orphanage. After an afternoon of fun and games with the children, we sat them down for their afternoon snack and distributed packs of biscuits and chocolates. One child offered to share her chocolate bar with me as she saw that I did not have any. The gesture was a true reflection of love and consideration. I really think Captain Budi and Peggy have done wonders with the children of Roslin and I feel really honoured to have shared a tiny part in this great cause. What Captain Budi and Peggy has built is not just an orphanage for young abandoned children, but a learning centre that gives the children an opportunity for a better shot at life.

Most importantly though, Roslin is a place that the children can call home, where there is never a shortage of love and compassion, where everyone is considered family. On behalf of the 15 volunteers, thank you Captain Budi and Peggy. Thank you for being an inspiration to all of us.

Singapore Airlines Cabin crew club logo

We are so privilege for having the visit of  15 fantastic friends . It was so easy to work with them as all of them are so capable to do so many things and doing it with such a fast and efficient method. The group was consist of  11 ( eleven) cabin crew ( bro William Chua, bro Wong Kock Yin, bro Jimmy Tan , sis Wen Dee Kee, sis Vincent Boey ,bro  CK Onn,bro Jeffry Cheong, sis Amelia, sis Selina CSJ , Kath Lee , one mom madam Wong  ,one cabin crew division staff sis  Laraine and a pilot bro Terrence Tay  and his dearest wife sis Pauline .  The trip was planned by SIA 5Cs ( Cabin Crew Club for Community Care) . 5Cs are making regular trips over seas for helping whoever need helps. It is really a fantastic group of people with a very good intention to help others as human being. The trip was well organized and the participation of the group was just so great. We are thankful for the 5Cs visit as they were able to bring along things that were collected from so many of you at our place in Singapore ( Children clothes , toys and etc). Thank you 5Cs for bringing them for us.

just arriving at ElTari Airport at 00 28 AM Jan 11th 2009

bro Terence and sis Pauline as Sakteo Hill

For my self , I was arriving in Singapore from Los Angeles on the 6th of Jan  morning and only after some 2 hours at home I went to Jakarta for a meeting with my  friends which were coming from so many places including Germany and Australia  . It was a great gathering and we commit that we will be having our reunion in 2010 which will be attended by friends from different countries ( Asia, European countries,  USA , Australia and many more).  I was not able to stay beyond 23 00 as the next morning at 05 30  I must go to the airport for 07 45 AM departure to Kupang.

I found out that going to Kupang with Mandala Airlines was a pleasant one. The 07 45 am departure is very good , we will not get any traffic jam matter and we will arrive there at 12 25 PM . The best is no delayed departure as the plane is originated from Jakarta it self. It was a great flight as the weather was clear all the way from Jakarta to Surabaya and to Kupang. The transit was only about 25 minutes at Surabaya and the plane was less than  one month old Airbus A320.

It was so great to see all the area of Kupang being so green and soothing  to my eyes. Indeed during the rainy season is common to see it like this. Very much different as we are arriving during the month of June onwards to November where the colour will be brown and the trees has not much of leafs. My eyes was so entertained by  seeing some of the mangoes are still hanging and the bread fruit was so ripe to which I was right away asking the older orphans to get the bread fruit down and made them fried with lots of garlic , hmmmm it was so yummy ( especially my mother in law who made it , it was even better ha ha ha ha ).

our tapioca

On the 8th evening bro Terence Tay and his dearest wife Pauline came . It was so good to see him again at the orphanage as he was here also some 3 years ago. This time we are so privilege to have him and his wife with us. He told us that the condition now is much better and indeed that this time he can sleep on a proper bed ha ha ha . He was sleeping on the floor with mattress some 3 years ago , common bath room and no air conditioning . Now he can have a much nicer and bigger room with attached bathroom and even with air conditioning too. The old building in front of the rooms is changed with a new building now. His plane was late by  one hour so he was arriving at 23 25 pm and reaching the orphanage after midnight. It is sad that there isn’t any meal service on board the plane from Surabaya ( even from Jakarta ) so we prepared a take away which we all like it ( BBQ fish with lots of chilly sauce or we call it as “sambal”.

The group were coming on the 10th .  Three persons were  arriving via Jakarta ( Singapore – Jakarta for one night then to Surabaya – Kupang with Mandala Airlines)  while the 10 of them were arriving from Surabaya ( Singapore – Surabaya with Silk Air – Kupang with Lion Air on the same day) .Our thanks to Holy and Andre who was looking after the group which arriving via Jakarta.  The group who were arriving with Lion Air was late and arrived at 00 08 am on the 11th ha ha ha . For them again we prepared a take away food as the restaurant were already closed. It was so great to have them especially they are so ready to do any thing .

Some 2 hours later after their arrival and  after taking ” very early breakfast at 01 30 am ” and after taking a bath  we were start doing our routine at as early as 02 00 AM . This time we were lucky because we were getting the help from this 5Cs group friends so we can get it done at 04 00 AM.On that day we are going to visit Tasipa village  and helping the children by bringing nutritious food and this time we were bringing them some Christmas gifts too . It was so great to work with our SIA family friends , they were so fast and efficient with job sharing and the team work was just so great. So much was planned but we were limited with the timing that was available .

The team was not only preparing to help by working physically but they are ready also for a sudden changed such as to do performance for the children. Some are so good with drawing/colouring, balloon making, cooking, thread arrangement , making up the children hair . Simply the group was consist of people with different and wonderful talents. Praise The Lord. On that evening while we were doing the packing we were getting some wonderfuly played music by the frogs . There was a small pool of water and we saw some 11 frogs were singing right through the night.

putting up a tent

tent in the making

bags of clothes , playpen and others brought by 5Cs for the orphanage and others in need.

looking at the singing frog

one of the frog which was singing for us

gifts packing after the very early meal from 01 38  to 04 00 am

Doing it together after some short nap

garlic chopping

no hands are free

Food packing

food for the children

bro Terence Wong making sure that we were looked after

food packing lady Amelia

This is at “  Tasipa ” Village on Jan 11th 2009

such a great team work

food and gifts for the children as well as for the villager’s family

Peggy “preaching about sanitation” to the children

the older people were listening to Peggy about sanitation too

a girl was singing for us

the house and family must stay clean to be healthy

food for the children

sweet green bean soup for the children

At Nun Kurus Village :

The Sunday School children at Nun Kurus Village

an encouragement to the children

Green bean soup for the children’s appetizer

gifts to all family of Nun Kurus village

gifts to the older ones too

young and old were receiving the gifts

Performing to the children

the children enjoying the performance

If you are seeing that these children are having a good clothing then its time to thank you to All of you. These are some of the village children that we are giving away the clothes that we brought from Singapore and collected from you All.  It is great that we are able to bring them from Singapore and to give away the clothes to the ultimate receivers. It will be great if one day you are coming and able to give things directly to the ultimate receivers your self. They will not be able to give you anything except genuine smiles and wide opened  eyes for you.

At the orphanage :

what shape do you want it to be ?

super duper day

Origami making

Polaroid photos from Selina

simply these are quality time for the children  because of you All

some little time to refreshed our self

We have been here

madam Wong  having lunch at top of the hill(mountain)

picnic with the children

breathing fresh and pollution free air

trying to hold back the sun from sun setting

mud crab cleaning

crab cooking at 02 30 AM ha ha ha

walking back to the dining room to eat the crab

do you want some ???

one of our quality time with bro Mark Lee, sis Serene and Jabez at Air China beach

love gift from bro Mark to the orphanage

spending time with the children at the orphanage as the children were looking at the pictures from the books that bro Mark Lee has brought them from Singapore.

games and story telling efforts by sis Serene

laughter than can be generated by you

thank you for spending time with the children

A visit at Niki Niki villlage, the boy looks so pale and not getting enough nutritious food as the mother’s breast milk is not getting help from the food that the mother is eating

the house that they are having , it is used for a family of 7 . One of the daughter is at the orphanage and she is studyin at the  second year in a High school. She is not an orphan but the poverty is beyond our imagination.

the head of the house and some of his children

at the farm where we grow paddy

newly planted paddy to be harvested in 3rd week of November, from planting to the harvest is about 100 to 11o days

some of our last April’s rice harvest

coconut cutting

such a quality time among daddy and son

sis Serene and her crab cooking

Chef Mark Lee and his crab dish

crab eating time

A new day means a new blessing , a new sun rise, a new sun rise and a new praise to The Lord. July 14th, It was a super day for us to see those ” days old babies” to be enrolled to their first day at school( primary school). Blessings has been given to us so that we can look after those infants from some 6 years ago. If last year we enrolled them into a kindergarten, now they are entering the primary school. If in the past they can only be fed , now they can do things for them self and going to their formal school education. we enrolled them into a Catholic school , a private school. It is known to be a better school rather than the other schools near by our orphanage. What we are hoping now is their ability to adopt their new school and able to learn the curriculum accordingly.

Elis Edu dan Ako when they were small

Lala when she was a baby

we were babies before so we can fit in together

Markus a boy who was abandoned when he was 1 day old

As you can see that they have grown , from infancy into their schooling age and so far so good that our care is according to our plans. Indeed a big change as we all can see now that they can prepare them self upon going to school without getting any help from the older orphans. It is the best for them to be self sufficient and independent since they are young. We wish that we will be able to stay healthy and capable to look after them better and seeing them reaching their adulthood too. May The Lord grant our wish.

prepare things by them self for their first day at school

No more kindergarten for us as we are baby no more

going to school by our pick up for the 9 orphans

” Kindergarten no more for us”, these were the actual words that Edu, Markus, Ako ,Lala , Chris and Elis were saying as they woke up in the morning of July 14th 2008. They were so excited to go to their new school. They have prepared things ( school bag, school book, shoes and clothes/uniform) before they went to bed and tried to sleep early so that they will not be late going for their first day at school. The school is giving them a new look as they were wearing their new uniform.

Not only for those 6 children but also a special day for Lody, Michael, Prity and July. For these 4 children we moved them from the government school into this private catholic school. The reason is for a better education quality and to prevent them being walking in the mud during the rainy season. With all of them attending at the same primary school , we can take them to school with our pick up and to pick them us after school at the same time. Lody is joining primary 6, Pritty, Micahel into primary 2 while July into primary 3.

A good news was given to us by God. One day before I left Singapore for New York , my former senior pilot called me . We were having a casual chat and at the end he was asking me about the orphanage’s progress. I told him that one of the orphan has graduated his high school and we intend to send him into medical school ( according to his will too). Gerson has been a good boy and obedient to us and also his grade is also acceptable for it. My senior pilot told me that If Gerson is accepted at a medical school , he is willing to finance his fee ( it will not be cheap but he is willing to do it). Praise The Lord. Now it is time to pray for it and it is time for Gerson to prepare him self for the tests. We have bought him many books about biology, physic, math etc. We are really hoping that he can get in. With God’s favor we can get it.