The ending....or just a beginning?

This has been a unique 'holiday' experience.    I defy anyone to pop down to Flight Center, and book one of these.

Singapore.

MRT'd it to Little India, and walked to our hotel.  First hot water for three weeks, not many mossies, no pigs, in-audible taxis, in fact, no fun at all....quite not challenging. 

Went to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel Sky Garden, it was either that or the Singapore flyer ( the big wheel thing).  This is the place that has a big surfboard across three hotel buildings.  At $400 to $800 a night, it was not where we could or would choose to stay.   Maxed out at 280 m high, the viewing deck offers a great view of the business end of Singapore, but as an experience a bit overrated. 

Her ( l) and him(r) at the surfboard hotel sky deck.

Then to Chinatown where we ate with the locals in their fast food establishment.

The only Bule in the whole eatery .

It was with a great deal of fortuitous timing that we were able to be in Singapore at the same time as Peter and Esther Scarborough.  With a fair bit of tooing and fro-ing we caught up for a coffee in an area that could not have been more different to Halmahera.   Just to remind you Peter and Esther were in Singapore due to a legal requirement to leave Indonesia and then renew their visa.

It was great opportunity.   What was even more obvious from our chat was the decades long dedication, love and commitment the Scarborough's ( the whole family) have towards people, who have and will continue to benefit from their presence in Halmahera.  

This has included( in the form of a NGO )basic medical aid in the refugee camps in Monado after the conflict, translated over the years into a 'base' in Monado, still helping those in need, with medical aid, accommodation, education, transport, as far as their finances will allow.  This has also developed  into a 70 or so acre site in Northern Halmahera, which is the island where the majority of the 'horozontal conflict' occurred in the early 2000's.  This area was chosen because much of the conflict, and affected people are in this area.

This site  is 20 or so k south of Tobello, and  one k north of Kusuri , in Halmahera Ultara.  It has about 150 residents living site most of whom work either at the 18 bed free hospital, the free clinic, the school, maintenance, or are in the children's home or medical outreach clinics.   The new clinician site  is weeks off being finished.   There are and have been many Halmaherans sent and financially supported to go to local and national educational facilities to obtain tertiary qualification in amongst other things education medicine and even an electrician. Copy the following link into Google Earth to see where it is         1° 30.263', 127° 55.726'

Before Peter, Esther, and their group set up the Hohodai clinic, the local people were dying or stuffing long term disability from diagnosed and un diagnosed, yet treatable illnesses such as TB, HIV, leprosy, heart disease,  burns, accidental injuries, because they either were unable to afford medical care or afford to get to medical care, or unaware that they had an option of treatment.  Hohodai has substantially changed this around Tobello and  particularly Kusuri. On site treatment and hospitalisation is free, to all. 

An example: Leprosy is an entirely controllable and treatable illness.  Many of the people still had biblical aversion to lepers, and some of the the people with leprosy saw it as a divine punishment, and It was their lot in life.  

Highlights:

The blog.....of course.

Candy Crush, the Game.  Whilst not a favourite past-time of the Caulfields, it had to take a reasonably important place during our away time due to the vehement opposition that one of the group took towards this highly stimulating and intellectually  satisfying game, which I think everyone on this Singapore MRT train was playing.  Clearly not just 'a common' past time.

All playing candy crush 

The people

Well some of them....

Tison-70% burns to his body, has had years of skin grafts, dressings, and pain, yet has an amazing sense of faith and particularly humour.  There is a good chance he will need more surgery soon.

He is quite disfigured, but has well and truly 'prospered ' by being at Hohidia.

Tison.

Octavina-a young lady has had a form of yet unidentified creeping paralysis over a number of years, in the early stages believed to be imminently terminal ( since in 'remission' ) and due to this paralysis is at the hospital from time time time over the years, for treatment for paralysis related conditions pressure sores ,pneumonia etc.  Her willingness to always be smiling, motivated,  and helping the other patients.

Octavina.

All the grade three  class at Hohidia-for kidding Andrew along that he was actually educating them.

Some of them 

Peter and Esther - just getting to meet them and see what they and their team are doing.

Not a great shot but the only chance to get a photo of them together and stationary

All the staff at the hospital.

The Indonesian medical staff are very good at caring for their patients in what Melbourne hospitals would consider to be very basic, conditions.  The traditional care model, where the family not only visits, but stays, some for months,, and provides for washing and feeding that patient is very important, and must be worked into any system that exists.  It should also be noted that most of the staff, are themselves refugees or affected by the conflict, or have stories that should make your toes curl.

Clinic to Jere.

Because. AND  we found it on a map....... Street view not quite there yet.  .Copy and paste into Google earth to see    2° 10.097', 128° 3.603'

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Most of all, the Indonesian people, particularly those at Hohidai, could not have been more friendly, sharing,and generous with their time, patience, skills, language and merge resources.

And of course Sandie, the organiser of our journey, and of course our travelling companions Lisa, and Kevyn. (Btw, Kevyn is off to the Antarctic on a tour next week, for something different). All these made the journey fully of literary opportunities.

What next....?

Promote the work done at Hohidia, return in maybe in 12 months or so....maybe a side trip to India in between times.....who knows.

An opportunity for you
Here is a link to the Hohidiai children's home, which is a place where there is a huge need, and that we'd are comfortable to transfer our World Vision sponsorship. So have a look.
http://www.hohidiai.org/

See ya.  NJC and abc.  Xxxxx