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.