Holiday in Bali opens new horizons
Four women from South Canterbury recently went to the tourist mecca of Bali. While they took in some of the usual attractions and one did learn to surf, they also took time out to take a look at the other side of life, including Dharma Jati orphanage. Reporter Stu Piddington talked to some of them, including Timaru photographer Jeanna McDonald who supplied the photographs.
“The Road Less Travelled” is a company with a difference run by St Andrews Anah Aikman.
As the name suggests, Anah acts as a guide to look behind the scenes of a tourist destination.
She has spent considerable time in Bali and took a group of four women of diverse ages to show them more than what’s inside the glossy brochures.
For Jeanna McDonald, Marion Lambie, Denise Saini and Nell Dulieu, the exotic east was definitely experienced in a road less travelled way.
While bathing in the culture and sights that are uniquely Bali, Anah’s aim was to provide women with some “time out” and renewal for themselves, while sharing adventures together with a dose of the hard reality that faces some children.
Anah’s mantra is the sharing of knowledge and experiences, promoting greater tolerance, understanding and patience for others.
She believes that in our everyday lives, everyday people can make a positive difference towards making this world a better place. Step by step … Smile by smile … Example by example.
She believes that adventures are to be experienced and in doing so, her trips are very flexible, allowing the journey to unfold into magical moments.
“To contribute back, and care for others is part of that magic,” she simply states.
One experience that touched the hearts of her group was a visit to Dharma Jati orphanage in the sprawling city of Dempasar.
Greeted by smiling young children and teenagers, their songs brought tears to the eyes of the Kiwis, who in response sang Po Kare Kare Ana.
Around 225 children live at Dharma Jati, cared for by one couple, Nika and his wife.
Nika was a professional journalist and through his work discovered the plight of orphaned children in Bali was of great concern.
His work with these orphaned children is his life and purpose.
With little funding from the government, Nika and his wife educate and care for children, from babies to 16-year-olds.
Anah says it’s like a gigantic family, with the older children looking after the smaller ones, and all done with beautiful smiles.
The main focus of Dharma Jati is to provide practical education where the children can become self sufficient in readiness for the outside world.
Reading, literacy and trade skills are part of that preparation.
Anah says English is important as Bali relies on tourism and the children are taught the language so they can work in the hospitality trade.
However, English and sewing teachers are few and far between and the need is great.
The orphanage expands day by day as the older boys build under Nika’s guidance.
New rooms are needed to house the children, and a new performance area where guests will be invited to special ceremonies.
The orphanage boys double as the musicians and will perform traditional music to bring in revenue to the orphanage.
They wish to be self-sufficient and masters of their own destinies.
The group of Kiwi women took basic food supplies as their gift to the orphanage.
Jeanna, who had been on one of Anah’s previous trips, said she was also keen to get away from the stresses of everyday life and gain some new experiences.
“Although I had been to Bali on holiday before I knew that going with Anah and the rest of the girls would be a totally different experience.
“We had an absolutely fantastic time, an insight into a country that we would not have gained otherwise. Her “go with the flow attitude” allowed us to experience things that do not often happen with your average overseas holiday,
The trip brought out a wealth of emotions, filled with fun, laughter and yes, the odd tear,
“The visit to the orphanage was truly humbling, to see how these children who have none of the privileges that we often take for granted made the most of what they had and still had a genuine smile on their faces.”
Denise said her trip to Bali was a magical experience with lots of adventures.
“The memory that stays in my mind the most is the orphanage and the wonderful couple who gave up their jobs and their lives to look after 260 abandoned children.
“The children come from Java, Lombok and Bali, and their parents either are too poor to care for them or they had been aborted almost full term.”
“It was a very tearful event for me, when we visited we donated rice, milk powder and eggs.
“The very young children sang us three songs. These gorgeous well cared for babies made me realise just how lucky we are in this country.”
Nell said she had had a challenging two years and needed to do something for me.
“I heard of this trip, and liked what I saw of the itinerary. I would not have done anything like this myself .
“This was the most magical, inspiring,spiritual, humbling, adventure I have taken, an absolute delightful gem of a tour leader who had done her homework with a fine toothcomb.”
Nell rated the visit to the orphanage at the top of her list but also enjoyed something more common to Bali as one of her highlights
“Have you ever seen a 55-year-old learning to surf, so much fun and laughter.”
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/
Add comment August 13th, 2007