We have recently been working
on a lele (catfish) farm at the kusta (leprosy) colony at Sitanala hospital. I (Eileen) was asked on Friday how we come up
with our projects. This one came about
strictly through information received while exercising. Most of my good ideas and contacts have some
association with the pool. It is good to
be a “senior” (older) missionary.
When we first came to Jakarta
I met a nice couple while on a walk at our apartment complex. They told me about a leprosy colony near the airport. I was very intrigued and wanted to know more
about it. Due to our being busy with
other projects and difficulty making connections nothing happened for a
year. Then when we had some slack time
and were searching for a project, my friend that first mentioned the colony to
me saw me at the pool and asked if he had ever given us his contact information
for the kusta colony. Only the night
before we had been praying to know where we should be looking for our next
project. God works quickly when you are
doing that which He wants you to do.
Within a few days we finally
were able to make a visit out to the kusta colony and a few weeks later to the
appropriate hospital administrators.
There we met with a Dr. Munthe who was over the rehabilitation of the
patients with leprosy. He told us that
in the area there were approximately 1,000 kusta patients, most of whom have
already been treated and no longer contagious.
With their families, the colony totals somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000
people. Many have tried returning to
their villages after treatment but have been rejected because of the stigma
attached to leprosy. During and after
treatment, the rehabilitation efforts focus not only on physical and mental
issues but also tries to teach the patients skills that will enable them to
earn money and become self-sufficient.
Dr. Aloysius, director of
hospital services, told us that the government gives them funding but restricts
the use of those funds to the treatment of the patients, leaving them without
government funding for much of their rehabilitation efforts.
Currently they are trying to
teach the patients how to garden, sew and raise fish. Our desire was to help them in some way that
would be self-sustaining if at all possible.
Dr. Munthe suggested we consider expanding their already established
fish farming program. There were 3 small
ponds with plastic lining similar to what you would see in a child’s swimming
pool back home. We offered to have our
church help with building more ponds if
Dr. Munthe would submit a proposal.
We were very pleased when Dr.
Munthe came back to us within a short time with an organized proposal. It was
checked by a local church member who also has lele to make sure that it was a
sound, viable proposal. The project was
approved by our supervisors in Hong Kong and work started on July 2nd. We have been astonished at how quickly the
work is progressing, especially considering we are in Ramadan now, the month of
fasting.
Russell and I both believe
that this project came about through God’s direction. We believe we have been lead to this place in
order to help His children who are poor and suffering. Several people at the hospital have told us that
this is the first time anyone has tried to do any “big” project for the kusta
patients in quite a while. It is our
hope that as the people learn how to farm fish that they may feel better about
themselves as they become self-sufficient.
Perhaps this can be an income producer that will be successful enough
that it can be self-sustaining and possibly provide income toward other
worthwhile projects helping the kusta patients and their families. We truly enjoy our time working with the
individuals at Sitanala hospital. Our
plan is to add pictures weekly to this blog posting so that you can see the
progress of the project.
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| CURRENT PONDS FOR CATFISH AT SITANALA |
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| LEPROSY CLIENT FEEDING CATFISH |
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| PATIENT |
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| RECENTLY AMPUTATED FOOT |
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| EILEEN WITH MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY, MAN WITH GLASSES BLIND |
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| AT STORE BUYING MATERIALS FOR PONDS |
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| RUSSELL DISCUSSING PLANS WITH KUSTA EMPLOYEES |
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| THIS IS THE PLACE-THIS NEEDS TO BE CLEARED OUT BEFORE THE PONDS CAN BE PUT IN |
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| OUR CONTRACTER AT WORK-BOTH PARENTS HAVE LEPROSY |
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| OUR CONTRACTOR |
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| CLEARING OUT THE BRUSH |
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| SNAILS FOR FRYING FOR DINNER-YUM! |
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| LAYING CEMENT PADS |
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| HOLES COMING OUT FROM SIDE ARE FOR OXYGENATION OF WATER |
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| HONEYMOON SUITE |
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| BRUSH IS COVERED WITH EGGS |
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| BREEDER FISH-5 MALES 10 FEMALES |
