Home | Vol 19 Table of Contents | Previous Issues | Contact Us: 07 55278753 / 0405463663 | Email: judybyronbay@yahoo.com
Surat Surat
My Story by Izaak Hukom
Lions Clubs International
Ambassador visits Woodridge High
The Umbul Umbul Festival
Congratulations Byron Still Loves Bali
Christmas Greetings from the Cultural Counsellor, Australian Embassy, Jakarta
My Story by Izaak Hukom |
My name is Izaak Christiaan HUKOM, I was born in Ambon the capital city of Maluku it9s located in the Eastern part of Indonesia. I am 28 years old. I am the youngest one in my family; I have three sisters and four brothers. My Father was Native Ambon and my Mother was Java descendant, I am now lived in Bali with my sister and my brother. When I was a child there are a lot of things that inspired me to do the good things for my future, as an Indonesian roles that the children9s in Indonesia must completed their Primary School up to six years, then Secondary School six years (Junior and High School).
When I graduated from Junior High School, I continue my study to Vocational High School in Tourism Department. After graduated from Vocational High School, I intend to continue my study to the University Level, nonetheless I have got a job offering by one of the Travel Agency in my Homeland and I decided to take that opportunity, I have been working with the Travel Agency for five years and on the January 19th 2000 when the riot flaw in my homeland then changing all the things in my life.
Everything has change; Economic, infrastructures, Tourist Industry and lots of people had lost their job, the company where I am working is got collapse due to the prohibition for all foreign people to visit Ambon.
I decided to look for another possibility for my job, and when the Ngo9s are intervene to Ambon I tried to apply to one of the International Ngo called ACF (Action Contre la Faim) or Action against Hunger, my position is : Assistant of Administrator and staff Manager. I have been working for Ngo for two years and half and after they reduced their programmed and number of IDP9s (Internal Displaced people) then I resign and I come to Bali to seek for any new challenges for my continuing career.
I just lived in Bali for a year and now I have working for one of the National Plus School in Bali named: Sekolah Dyatmika Sekar Bawana my position is Assistant to Head of School Primary.
I would also be informed that, when the Tragedy of BALI BOMB on October 12 2002 in Legian Kuta BALI, I am the one of the victims which was my fore arm got injured, and now I still went through with the treatment for Acupuncture and physiotherapy, at those terrible night i was in Paddy's with two of my friends, we went there to celebrate a birthday party one of my friend we just arrived around 15 minutes before the explosion happened the bomb explosion just 50 metres from the place where i am sat, but i was very lucky because in front of me there were five westeners who had a big body than me so they were protected me from the fire when its spread everywhere. I had lost contact with two of my friend and i was thought that they both were died, i was ran out from Paddy's bar and asked someone to bring me to the clinic near Kuta when i arrived in clinic they refused me and they referred me to the Graha Asih Hospital - i met one guy he has a kind heart he drop me to the hospital and call my sister and my father. I spent 28 days at the hospital in Bali. I have two lovely Angels named : Terresa (she was an Australian nurse) burn specialist she is looking after my wounds after 28 days at the hospital and i would thank to her because she was really patient for doing a medication on my wounds... she is an Angel for me, the second was Beverly Crowell (Therapist specialist) she is an Angel too for me because with her treatment for almost two weeks, the treatment was get me up again for a better life from my trauma and depressed.
I do hope that with my story about the tragedy that i faced - can give me a new sun and a new day for me in the future - what happened in the past will give me a lot of experiences to correct myself and can be better for me to act as an valuable human in the future.
Thank you for your kindness and looking forward in the next story...
Love from the Paradise Island
Izaak ChR HUKOM
Asst to Head of School Primary
SEKOLAH DYATMIKA - Sekar Bawana
Jl. Pucuk Bang - Br. Tangtu
Kesiman Kertalangu
P.O.Box 3509 - Denpasar 80035
BALI - INDONESIA Phone : +62 361 461874
isaak@dyatmika.org
Lions Clubs International
is interested in hearing from Indonesians (and Australians with some
association with Indonesia) living in and around Brisbane who would
be interested in forming a Lions Club in Brisbane to assist with humanitarian
and community service back in Indonesia by utilising the well established
international programmes administered by Lions Clubs International which
is the largest organisation of its type in the world. Being a member of
a Lions Club also provides an additional social activity and is a great
way to make new and lasting friendships. If you would like more information
on Lions Clubs International please visit the international website
www.lionsclubs.org or the Australian Lions website at www.lionsclubs.org.au.
For further information
and to register your interest in forming such a club please contact
Ross Gibbins I am a registered
nurse and midwife working at Byron District Hospital. I am passionate
regarding access to equitable, safe, effective health care in developing
countries. As such, I would like to request that you give consideration
to providing support to Yayasan Bumi Sahat, a non-government, not for
profit Foundation located in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. This NGO has established
a desperately needed maternal & infant health clinic that provides
pregnancy, birthing and postnatal care to an increasing cohort of women
who cannot afford to pay for maternity services. In addition to maternity
services the clinic also provides ad hoc health services when available
as visiting health care practitioners volunteer their services and time. Recent Indonesian
research studies have indicated that the maternal mortality rate in
Indonesia is 373 per 100,000 live births (Jakarta Post 29/5/04) and
that at least 50% of all Indonesians are anemic (Jakarta Post 7/7/04,
p.1). The maternal mortality rate in Bali is almost double this at 718
per 100,00 live births and almost half these deaths are from post partum
hemorrhage attributable mainly to malnutrition and concomitant anemia. As you may be aware
the people of the Indonesian island of Bali do not enjoy the advantages
of a publicly funded health system and in the current economic climate
post the Bali bombing there has been an increase in unemployment and
an inability to pay for health care. Current maternity services are
on a 'user pays' basis either with a private midwife or at a hospital.
If a pregnant woman is more than 8 days overdue to give birth she is
automatically scheduled for a Caesarian Section, which incurs additional
costs. If the family cannot afford to pay the hospital bills the baby
is not allowed to be discharged from the hospital. I recently visited
the clinic and found the financial resources stretched, as Yayasan Bumi
Sahat does not have any regular financial support from any overseas
aid organisation's. The Foundation is
desperately in need of prenatal vitamin supplements for the women who
attend the clinic to prevent/correct anemia. The Foundation also needs
a consistent supply of oxytocin, a medication used immediately post
birth to prevent post partum hemorrhage. Both these medications are
automatically available to any woman giving birth in Australia and I
believe that a consistent supply of these medications to the Foundation
would assist in reducing the high maternal mortality and morbidity rates
in Bali. Contact: Elizabeth McCall
Dear Friends I invited Mr Imron Cotan to visit Woodridge High just a few days after
the celebration of Independence 17 August held by the Honorary Consul,
Mr Greg Vickery in Brisbane. It was just at the spur of moment. During
that month I was also busy preparing and communicating with Griffith
University for the Indonesian Speech Contest. This is an annual event
coordinated by the School of Linguistics and Languages. One of my students
won the 4th prize (out of 8 in Y11 level) I was so thrilled!
The speech contest was on 29th August and on 3rd September the Indonesian
Ambassador came to visit. He kindly accepted my invitation to come to
our school at very short notice.
It was a busy, busy day. The students were so excited and so willing
to help. Then something unexpected happened, as usual. We had just started
cooking in the morning when suddenly the electricity went off. We were
panicking, then a few students suggested that we use their kitchen (or
my grandma’s kitchen) whcih means we had to contact their parents and
carry everything to their places. Fortunately, the electricity came
back in about half an hour later.
Mr Imron Cotan loved the fried rice cooked by the students. We had
special guests which inlcuded local councillors, local MP, multicultural
representatives, the Indonesian convenor from Griffith University, Mr
Greg Vickery, the Honorary Consul for Indonesia in Brisbane, students
and teachers from Kingston College and Mabel Park, and many more.
In his speech Mr Cotan mentioned that it is important for us to build
more close friendships - people to people . He said "Forget politicians
and what they say about our relationship". He also mentioned that in
one of his meetings that the Australian government stated that Indonesia
is a threat to Australia. Mr Cotan emphasised in his speech that the
statement was dangerous and not true. Indonesia could never become a
threat to Australia, "We are the closest neighbour " later he added,
and we should strengthen our relationship, especially in the situation
that we have experienced so far".
Mr Cotan's visit lasted about two hours but in that time I am sure
we made some important improvements to our friendship. It can only get
better - we have to believe it! In that belief we just have to keep
going and do as best as we can. Last but not least Ramadhan Mubarrak
to all of you whose fasting in this fasting month. Maaf lahir batin.
Salaam, Malia
It was a sight that none had imagined, when the Puputan Badung in central
Denpasar was decorated by over two hundred umbul-umbul created by childern,
artists and friends from around the world. We realized that what we
had organised was just an exhibition, but a huge installation created
by the effort of all participants. It was a moment when the area was
felt like a magnetic field, inspiring all who was there. The following
days at the Sanur Beachside was also spectacular with modulations of
sunlight and wind throughout the day giving a range of nuances to the
umbul-umbuls aligned alongside. The full moon, which fell on the 30th
August, was an added perfection to the setting. The organizing committee of the Umbul Umbul Festival would like to
extend a big thank-you the the Austraia Indonesia Arts Alliance in their
support for the festival by distributing umbul-umbul throughout Australia.
In the end, we received umbul-umbuls from Kerry street Community school
(WA), Fernleigh Public School (NSW),Gawler High School (SA), Westralian
Indonesian Teachers Association (WA), and from Ms Radha Koch, all a
meaningful addition to the umbul-umbul created by groups of children
from forty-three countries, and to the fifty-tfwo artists from around
the world. It was a rewarding process for us, from our initial contact
to you, receiving and opening the packages of the completed umbul-umbul,
and at last, to see them with such grace, standing high on the bamboo
poles and coming together with other umbul-umbuls. Thank-you, and we sincerely hope for your cooperation in similar events
in the future.
www.dyatmika.org
Lions
Clubs International
Director Lions Club of Sunnybank
Tel: 07 3002 9728 (Work)
Tel: 07 3272 1494 (Home)
Fax: 07 3272 1942
Mobile: 04 1990 3036
Email: ross@gibbins-aust.com
Birthing
Clinic in Ubud
Email: eamccall@bigpond.net.au
Ambassador
visits Woodridge High
The
Umbul Umbul Festival
Uniting the colors of the World, which consisted of Exhibitions,
performances, of the many participants from around the word.
Congratulations Byron Still Loves Bali |
Well done to all the commitee in keeping Byron Loves Bali running for the 2nd year. So many stories do go unheard and the coming together of the Byron community to support the Indonesian victims of the Bali bombing is an inspiration and reminder that coming from a developed nation we have a tremendous ability to reach out directly and positively transform lives of others less fortunate for the better. It also creates a ripple effect and inspires many others and reminds us of our common humanity and bond.
I feel inspired and touched at the commitment of the ongoing members of the group and all those who along with myself gave to the organisation in its earlier hours.
My prayers and blessings go to the success of this sixth Byron still Loves Bali event.
(Frederika) Louise Carlin writing from Bandung Indonesia. lousquirt@yahoo.com.au>