Viran Orphanage - A Hard Truth Story from Mister X

First birthday celebration at Viran Orphanage by Birthday in a Box (BIB Batam). I'm glad that I could join the first celebration with Team 1 BIB Family even though I'm from Team 2. Previously, I never joined any first celebration in any orphanage. So, I didn't know what is the program in a BIB celebration. Anyway, one of the program was quite open my mind. Before I share a hard truth story, I would tell you what we did last week at here. 

Zhen (volunteer) put name tag for Tama (pink dress sweetie), 2 kids in front is Rinto (left) and Rando (right)

When we arrived at Viran Orphanage, kids was standby for welcoming us. They hadn't met us before and we didn't know each other. That was the first time we visited here.  As usual, we had prepared a name tag for each child, so volunteers will call kids by name.  

pray before lunch

Pater (left) and Sofia (right)

First thing we do was fuel up tummy with delicious food before play game. Lunch was sponsored by Ms.SFY. Thank you for your kinds, kids and volunteers love it so much. 

Jerry (volunteer) and team.

After lunch, we started our next program. 

Write down 3 things what made you happy, 3 things what made you sad and 3 things what you wanna be or do in a year ahead and then you will read it again on BIB last celebration at here. This is what we usually do in first celebration at any orphanage.

We divided kids in to 5 groups with 2 volunteers in each group. 

Girl, what did you write?

Shiling teached kids how to fold origami in to heart shape

Jenius with his heart.

Jenius is a very passionate kid. I don't know him well but the first impression he gave me was he is a kid who would try hard to make something better. Why I said that? Actually, we only asked kids to write down 3 things but he wrote down more than 3 things. Honestly, what he wrote is kinda same and he didn't know what to write but he just tried hard to find more and more.

Let me tell you what he wrote. Actually, I just remember some of points like:

I'm happy because I had a delicious lunch today

I'm happy because I have new friend today 

I'm sad because my friends left me 

I'm sad because people hit me

I'm sad because I forgot to do homework

I want to get high score

I want to get ranking 

I want to go to beach

I was kinda shocked when he said I'm sad because people hit me. So, I asked Jenius directly, "who hit you?", he said friend. And actually not only he wrote this, Nathan and Pater also wrote the same. I really want to find out what happened exactly? 

Yeah, I just remembered Nathan. Honestly, their dream are so simple. Desmond (volunteer) told me that Nathan wrote down that "I want to eat KFC". Easy dream for you, my dear readers but sure this is not easy for kids. So, after you read my blog and then wanna donate KFC for kid's lunches, please do not hesitate to contact us at 0852-6369-8998 (Reni).

Mister X with his secret

Well, this is what I wanna highlight in this post. A hard truth story from Mister X. Sorry, I couldn't tell you his name since he was so secretly wrote down his feeling and not let anyone else know include me.

What 3 things that Mr.X wrote down: 

I'm sad because people hit me

I'm sad because my mom left me

I'm sad because people scolded me 

When I saw what he wrote, it's really made me felt so sad. Before that, I and Desmond tried to cheer up those kids like maybe you could wrote like I'm sad because I forgot to do homework or I'm sad because I'm not full, still hungry and others. So, those kids just wrote something that simple. 

But Mister X. just wrote down his sadness deep inside. 

Hey brothers, sisters, my dear readers! There are a lot of unfortunate kids in this world, please cherish what you have now. You should feel bless because you still have mom, dad, and beloved family. But... they don't have...

 

Me and Desmond (blue shirts) with Baper kids Ariel, Jenius, Natan, Ms Sweetie, Pater, Helmi (left to right)

This is my baper team. Why I called them Baper kids? Because Nathan was joking said that He want to get married. Boy, why you are so cute? You know your sister (me) wanna find husband to get married too? LOL.

Desi (grey shirt) Wisman, Zhen (blue shirt) and Shiling (black shirt) (Volunteers) and cutie kids.

Harry (grey shirt, volunteer) and Teddy (black shirt, sponsor) with energic kids.

Our volunteers Susanti (grey shirt), Zhia (blue shirt) and Widi (blue shirt) and superb kids.

Our volunteers Chitan and Jerry (blue shirts) with lovely kids.

 

It's jelly time

 Next program was having jelly. The jelly was sponsored by Ms. Linda. Thanks a lot for let kids have sweet time after wrote down some sadness.

 

Game - who are you?

Next, threw ball to each other and shouted out the recipients name. Just to introduce and know more each other.

Last game

 This was the last game before birthday celebration. They had a lot of fun.

 

Happy Birthday Sofia, Samuel and Rinto (left to right)

Our birthday kids on February 2017, first celebration at Viran Orphanage. Happy Birthday!
Thank you baker for sponsor delicious cupcake.

Times up! Now is the time to give goodies to kids. 
Thank you to Mr. Teddy Novendy for sponsored dolls for Viran Orphanage's sweetie. 
Once Santa Ted ever told that why he sponsor doll for kids because these kids have no parents, so he hope the dolls could be being their friends. 
I'm glad that BIB could arrange to give the dolls to Viran Orphanage as the first gift from BIB. I believe they would very cherish the first gift from us. May the doll could being their friend to cuddle and catch all of the tears and of course share the joy and happiness. 

 

Team 1 BIB Family

Thanks to all of our volunteer team 1 BIB family and sponsors who made this event happened.


Thank you kids to let me learn something new. Hope I could join you guys next time!


"Nothing ever stays the same. Cherish every moment and people around you." - Kristine Winata


Location: 
Panti Asuhan Viran Sejahtera 
Komplek Legenda Malaka Blk A8/25
Batam, Kepulauan Riau
Indonesia

Contact Number: 
0812 70032477

I'm learning not teaching.

"While we try to teach children all about life, children teach us what life is all about." - anonymous

Our Children

This is my first time join Birthday in a Box (BIB) presented by KAMI foundation. BIB is a project to spread love to the less fortunate children by spending time with them and celebrating their birthday every month for a full 12 months. It is impressing me because I just knew there is a community who are willing to care this lack of love society. Without hesitate, I whatsapp-ed the contact person immediately to join this group. The CP informed me to sign up to be a volunteer via website http://kamifoundation.com/projects/birthday-in-a-box/ . After signed up, they put me in a waiting list group with a lot of WL inside on the next day. Around about 2 weeks, they opened a vacancy for WL who are interest to join into the team. Fortunately, I held my phone when Harry (is volunteer who handles the volunteers contact) spread the news. So, I join BIB. 

Before I tell more, I want you to imagine what will you expect to see in an orphanage? Skinny kids? Smelly place? Children is crying? or a broken community? If you think so, I think you need more attention then those children. 

Well, let me share you my experience. 

When we arrived Betesda Orphanage, the children were not around. They were on the way back from the Church. After about 15 minutes, the children arrived - they politely shake my hand to their forehead. Our volunteers share name tag to each child. It's easy us to call the children with their name instead of girl/boy/bro/sis/hey,etc. 

Happy Birthday, Sherlen!

We started the event with celebrating birthday. This month (November) is a special month. What's special? No children here birthday on this month. The other special is this event sponsor's daughter celebrated her birthday with these cheerful children. Happy Birthday, Sherlen:) 

Nasi kuning with fried chicken, omelette, tempe, chili sauce and crackers.

After celebrated birthday, we was having lunch together. The children was so happy eating the delicious meal. 

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After having lunch, we continued to the first session. Before I tell you more, let me introduce a girl first. Do you see a girl wear red dress lay on my thigh? She is the first child I interacted with. She is a tiny but cheerful girl. She questioned me what is her name and hide her name tag. I asked her to tell me the first alphabet of her name even though I never knew her name. She spelled it one by one. She is Sadari. 

Come to first session - What am I want to be? 

Everyone is beautiful in their own dream.

We divided all children into 5 groups. Every group has two volunteers whose encourage them to think and write down what am I want to be?
 

Nidar - one step closer

Her name is Nidar. She is last year student of junior high school. Her dream is to be a doctor. Nidar told me that she will study at SMK instead of SMA because she have to leave this orphanage after senior high school and then find a job. In Indonesia, for register majoring in medical at least must be graduated from SMA instead of SMK. She doesn't have any information about this. So, I told her to choose SMA for the next step and study hard to get scholarship for study in Universitas Indonesia or Universitas Gadjah Mada. Honestly, I'm not sure that she understand or not, she will do it or not. Maybe next step, we should help those child with information and direct them one step closer to their dream. I hope to see you be a doctor in the next 10 years.

Osarao - Wise dream

I asked Osarao, what is your dream? He told me, I want to be a priest. Honestly, I was kinda shocked at that moment - What a wise dream! In my circle of people, I never heard who want to be a priest/ustad/monk. You're so pure, Osarao. I hope you would spread your kindness and love to everyone around you.

Sadari - hobby and dream

Well, Sadari again! She is the girl who laid on my thigh. Her dream is a to be a dancer. I asked her, why you want to be a dancer? She told me because she loves dancing and she danced a lot. I hope she will be a happy girl who is living by her hobby and be a great dancer.

Everyone wrote down their dream. 


So, what is my dream?
I might tell you if 15 years ago, my dream was to be a doctor - 8 years ago, my dream was to be a tour guide - 4 years ago, my dream was to be a flight attendant. If you ask me now, I'll think a few seconds or minutes because I think I have forgot what is my dream. Then now with a lot of hesitate, I answer my dream is to be a pilot. Let's see what will happen next!
 
Next session is playing a game. 

While playing game... a lot of happiness happened... 
  

Juanda with his innocent smile

Colin (volunteer) with Mawar (jeans dress), Wardin (red shirt) and Polis (yellow shirt)

Jerry (volunteer) with Moalis (blue shirt), Firman (orange shirt) and Happy (red shirt) Add caption

Tian (Volunteer) and Sesu (yellow shirt)

Wisman (volunteer) with Kone

Last session is giving small gift to each child. The children received it happily and sang a song "Sayonara" to say goodbye with us. 

After received the gift, it is the time to say goodbye. We took photo together. 

Credit to: Reni (volunteer).

This is team 1 BIB family. 
From left to right: Nana, Susi, Zhen, Kristine (me), Susanti, Colin, Dessy, Widi, Tian, Jerry, Fangfang, Jia, Wisman and another one we shouldn't forget is Reni, our photographer of the day.

Lesson to learn:
One of the child (Sorry that I wasn't noticed his name) asked me, "I want to be a security. Could I?" 
I replied "yes" but with uncertain smile because I didn't know what should I answer. Then Jerry (one of our volunteer) replied him "Sure, why not? If there is no security, who can ensure our safety?"  Wow, Jerry's answer impressed me. Honestly, I just realized how poor am I. I always get high score in academic but actually poor mindset. Too bad. Fortunately, the boy's question and Jerry's answer awaken my mind - open my eyes. 

I learned a lot...
I'm not teaching but I'm learning...
Thank you all of the children and Birthday in a Box team:) 


Location:
Betesda Orphanage 
Perum Alam Raya Blok D No9,10,11 Batam Center
Batam, Indonesia

Instagram:
@bdayboxbatam 
https://www.instagram.com/bdayboxbatam/