Journey With Deb

Last month’s Project Gift went to the Pastor & people in Cambodia whom we personally visited for the 2nd time. I will write separate post about the amazing things happening in Cambodia and how far a few dollars can stretch in making an impact in the lives of people.

This month having been bombarded with news about Japan since the tsunami hit last week, and just this morning about another earthquake in Myanmar, we have been incredibly moved by the massive death toll and destruction that’s gripping our earth, particularly in Japan at this very moment. Having the opportunity to be in Aceh in 2006, two months after the Tsunami hit we caught a glimpse of how natural disaster can instantaneously turn a calm village into devastating bedrock of calamity. And regardless of how much we read, listen and watch on TV – only those on ground will ever understand what it means to have the world in one day and nothing the following day.

We will continue to pray and believe that God is in the midst of all this because

“God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.” Psalm 9:18.

And to put action to prayer is to do something! In John 4, Jesus talked about true worshipers worshiping in spirit and in truth. True worship stems from doing. The Bible also records a scripture from James that true religion comes from doing.

This month’s Project Gift goes to Japan via Do Something Now. Do Something Now is a movement by Passion, a ministry known for their worship and music. Worship is more than just music or good music. Worship is more than just notes and singing in the right tune. Worship is more than just recording labels. Worship is also about doing something unto the Father, our Heavenly Father.

Let’s put action to prayer… do something now!

Treasure throve of all things mystical – that is Ubud. I was initially skeptical about visiting Ubud as I’m not a fan of competing with throngs of tourists, especially when I’m on a holiday. But Ubud proved me wrong, despite the busy traffic at certain times of the day and the never ending shops along the Main Street, Monkey Forest road, Hanoman Street, and Dewi Sita Street are the hidden back lanes that lead to vast green paddy fields that make a ready escape.

This little town holds dear to its traditions and so I observed. One afternoon we biked around and found ourselves stuck in traffic of people along Monkey Forest road. A good long line of nearly 1km of cars, bikes and people were sardine on the streets in gridlock. We waited patiently for it to pass and found out that a funeral procession was taking place. Family and friends of the deceased were walking the final march into Monkey Forest for the burial. Evidently, despite Ubud being a tourist hotspot, locals still went about their necessary traditions – even if it means causing a mad traffic jam.

Laid back as it is, I found old and young men sitting together with their fighter chickens chatting the afternoon away. While their wives watch over the children, men gather in the way they know best, chats and cock fights.

Religion also defines their culture, steep in religious beliefs, offerings are presented to their gods daily and scents of burning incense lingers in the air. Good luck charms are places at shops entrances, walkways and byways.

And in the midst of all this authenticity are hotels, cozy cafes, massage spas, cooking schools, clothing shops and art galleries polka dotted along uneven pathways. It is a mix of pleasant chaos where every Balinese supports one another to get an extra buck or two from the foreigner. Yours truly.

Exploring Lombok on a motorbike is perhaps the best way to get around. Weaving through traffic in Mataram, bee lining through small lanes and stumbling upon a treasure trove of a quiet pottery making village – Banyumulek.  Located north of Mataram, the city center in Lombok, Banyumulek is lined with shops selling terracotta and clay pottery. Venturing further in, away from the shops, we found the ‘heart of the workshop’ – ladies sitting in their verandahs busy molding, shaping and forming pots and vases. A parade of vases and pots lined the narrow roads sunbathing in the glorious warmth.

Men bicycling down tiny lanes with stacks of pottery tied at the back heading toward the smoking furnace of haystacks where the pots and vases are fired. Children help their mothers strap on stacks of wood for the furnace. Ladies at the furnace keep their eye on the heating pots occasionally flipping the haystacks to release the heat. Others squat around exchanging stories around the neighbourhood.

Villagers eyed us from a distance as we exchanged courtesy smiles. It was pretty evident that we were visitors and they were villagers. Perhaps not much tourists have ventured that far beyond the row of pottery shops. I chuckled under my breath because this would be an ideal a scene of “desperate housewives” in an Indonesian village setting.  Everyone had their chores, each to its own work, and each shared a bond – a bond that comes from being part of Banyumulek, the quiet pottery village.

We made our exit back to the shops to hunt for a pottery or two and gladly settled for four instead! We compared prices at different shops and realized that everything was cheap. Just as we thought it wouldn’t get any cheaper, Annan Pottery came along – a wholesale shop with a wide range of displays in a spacious warehouse. They even had a range of cookware from pots to kualis to tagines! I’ve been scouting around for a tagine ever since I watched the episode of Kylie Kwong where she whipped up a Moroccan meal for friends. And who would have thought I’d fine a tagine in Lombok, Indonesia?! I was squirming with excitement and proceed to ask how much it was. The lady explained that it is a fast selling item and it is slightly more expensive. I pressed on to ask her to reveal the price and she replied – 24,000 Indonesian rupiah for the small one and 30,000 Indonesian rupiah for the big one. My jaw dropped! That’s only RM8 and RM10 individually! Beyond my wildest dreams that I found a tagine in Lombok that costs close to nothing!

From then on, it was a shopping spree. We chatted up with the lady, she introduced us to her sons who were hard at work decorating pottery pieces. We drank coffee, picked up two more pottery pieces, exchange a few travel stories and a big hug. She told us to keep in touch and said that if we ever saw a piece of pottery we liked in a store or magazine; take a picture of it and send it to her, as she makes customized pieces as well. What a find!

If you are in Lombok, this is a place not to be missed. If you hire a guide, insist that he takes you here instead of other designated pottery shops where they make a big commission from your sales.

Annan Pottery (Wholesale Center)
Jalan Raya Banyumulek Kedin
Lombok Barat – NTB 83362
LA Akhsan Tel: 08175760337
Nanik Tel: 081803628480
Email: ananpottery@yahoo.com

An old shrunken man with a crown of grey hair peers through his glasses and regarded our presence. He quickly returned to his newspapers as we lingered on in his front yard fascinated by the wooded washed out signboard that read “Special Balinese Letter Writer”.

I walked up the steps to where he was sitting with his newspapers still in hand. I quickly greeted him “Selamat Soreh Pak” (Good afternoon Uncle). He instantly broke into a welcoming smile inviting us in. Dusting the bamboo lashed seats, he invited us to sit and he stowed away his newspapers and offered us some drinks. Once again, genuine Balinese hospitality astounded us.

Pakcik Wayan is perhaps the oldest Balinese inscriber in Tenganan, east of Bali. A vanishing craft of carving the ancient tales and the famous Ramayana story in Sanskrit on lontar leaves (from rontal trees).  Long rectangular leaves about 25cm in length are dried, cleaned and naturally treated to prevent the leaves from breaking and wrinkling. The leaves are in a shade of yellowish beige giving it a rustic look.

Beaming with pride, he uncovers booklets of lontar sheets are bound with vine and wrapped in newspapers. Prized art antiques, he explains that these booklets are passed down through generations and would never leave his family lineage despite extravagant offers from eyeing buyers. He unwraps a booklet and starts reading the story of Ramayana in a deep lyrical tune. The notes resonate in the air and my eyes caught sight of his overgrown nails curling up like ancient relic. Surely this man could pass for a character who stepped out an Asian folktale. He takes a breath and continues his rhythmic read. For a moment, time warped back and my hairs stood on ends.

This dying trade fortunately has been passed down to his daughter who continues to share and promote the craft in Ubud, Bali. Not only is it a tedious and meticulous craft, each leave takes about two days to complete and is sold for 1 million Indonesian Rupiah each (approximately RM300). Each booklet contains approximately 50-60 sheets and he has orders enough to keep him busy till the end of the year. Most of his buyers are from Europe with a love for antique art pieces.

Hopefully the next time I’m in Bali, Pakcik Wayan will still be sitting on his verandah with newspapers in hand ready to welcome us back to his amiable house, and if he wills to have another apprentice under his wings.

Interested traditional art collectors can get in touch with Pakcik I Wayan Muditadhnana at 036341178. His house is in Tenganan Village, off Candidasa.

I put myself in the shoes of a parent whose child came into this world with disabilities and physical imperfections. If I were a rich parent, surgery is a cheque away, but if I were a poor parent, scrimping and saving to make ends meet, I would be totally devastated for the simple fact that I cannot afford to give my child the necessary cure that can change his/her life. That’s the exact situation that CURE International hopes to change, everyday, in developing countries.

Based in the US and UK, CURE International has a goal to provide healing (both physical and spiritual) to disabled children in developing countries. They aim to provide healing for treatable injuries such as cleft lip, club foot, brain tumour and spina bifida. They work among communities, local hospitals and partner with governments to provide such hope. They run several projects such as Cure Club Foot, Dance 4 Kids Who Can’t and Kids Cure Kids.

What interests us to this project was that they were motivated not only by altruistic reasons but also by the same compassion and love that come from God. They are also very serious about financial reporting and transparency, something we are very particular about when donating or giving to charity organizations. After all, we are called to be good stewards. CURE International’s financial reports are downloadable here.

Many heartbreaking situations take place each day, but in the dimness of despair arises a glimmer of hope, here’s an snippet from CURE’s blog.

“When you are 9 years old, trees are nature’s jungle gym. This particular one was perfect for climbing.  So climb she did, until a village mama came by and told her to come down. Another, less mischievous little girl might have scrambled down the trunk and skulked away, but not her. This branch she was on was made for dancing. But dancing isn’t meant to be done in trees. Her foot slipped. She fell. Landing hard on the packed red dirt, she broke her leg, the tibia and fibula.

Here in Niger, when you live in a village and need medical care, you go to the village healer. He knew well enough that her leg needed to be stabilized and splinted for the bone to heal. Wrapping it tightly, he sent her home.  The pain was excruciating.  She cried and cried and cried. She said the bandage was too tight. Three days later, her parents took her back to the healer. He unwrapped, and then re-wrapped, the broken leg.  Still she cried.

An American nurse from a nearby village heard of the little girl and went to visit.  Unwrapping the leg, she discovered the reason for the girl’s anguish. Her leg had been bound too tightly.  The circulation needed for healing had been cut off. Muscle had died, tissue had rotted, and infection had set in. The tree dancing had occurred in August, and it was now October.

This was, however, no ordinary October for Niger. Something very special had happened. CURE International began seeing patients in its newly constructed hospital in Niamey.  Knowing of CURE, the nurse brought her little patient to be seen – one of the first of many who have come for care since we opened our doors.”

How can you help?

1. Praying – there’s even a monthly downloadable prayer guide.

2. Share on Social Media or better still, help a staff to fundraise.

3. Participate in a Volunteer Project.

4. Give.

Read what Project Gift is.

Disclaimer: The organizations that we highlight each month under Project Gift are not in any way related to us financially. We choose our organizations based on geographical region, causes that we feel strongly towards, operational sustainability and financial accountability.