Report from Indonesia

Compassion Reaches Hungry Children

By brother-initiate I Nyoman Widyasa,
Bali Island (Originally in Indonesian)

In July 2005 the local media produced numerous reports stating that almost ten percent of children under age five living in Indonesia’s West Nusa Tenggara Province were suffering from malnutrition and kwashiorkor—a childhood disorder caused by lack of dietary nutrients including protein. The reports were the first of their kind, and even included lists of the suffering youngsters’ names and their places of residence.

West Nusa Tenggara Province is famous for its rich rice fields, but many local people live in poverty and are unable to buy adequate food. After hearing the news reports about the children’s situation, many Indonesian initiates contacted the Jakarta Center offering to help, and so a relief team of two brother-initiates from the Bali Center was formed and deployed to distribute aid to residents of the area near Bali Island.

Then on July 17, 2005, the brothers traveled to Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara Province, and joined with local Red Cross workers to dispense milk and help improve the living conditions of the youngsters with malnutrition and kwashiokor, which according to the Red Cross occurs due to parents’ lack of understanding that a specific amount of nutrition is required for children under five. And one reason for this problem is mothers bringing their youngsters along while working in the rice fields since there is no one else to take care of them, and only providing them with bottles of water and often inadequate amounts of food.

To address this crisis, the Red Cross set up a camp in Genggelang village, where twenty volunteers are working together with local residents. About 1,516 village children were suffering from malnutrition and after two weeks of the health program, the youngsters’ physical condition improved considerably. Thankfully the project will be continued for at least another six months. During their overnight stay ins Lombok the initiates had the chance to share Master’s teachings with the people they stayed with, who were very happy to learn about Master’s teachings so the brothers gave them sample booklets. During meditation that night, the practitioners had wonderful experiences, and one brother was able to meditate for the whole night.

On July 21, 2005, the relief team arrived in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, and again joined local Red Cross workers in distributing milk to ailing children. In Kupang, 621 children, most below the age of five, were suffering from malnutrition. The team found the people to be helpful, honest and attentive because upon their arrival, the villagers guided them around their town and also took them to the local health center where parents take their infants for vaccinations and physical exams. During the initiates’ relief mission in Lombok and Kupang, they had many wonderful experiences and were deeply touched by the simplicity of the residents’ lives. The practitioners also felt contented as the condition of the children’s health was greatly improved, and they wish that Master’s love will be forever showered on the people of Lombok and Kupang. 

♥ U.S.A. ♥ Indonesia ♥ Korea ♥ Formosa ♥ Expenditures table for Malnutrition and Kwashiokor Relief Efforts in Indonesia and U.S.A. by The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association Contents