After staying 4 nights at Grandmas in Seminyak, we moved to SGI in Poppies 1 Kuta.
It's so nice to be back at this little oasis, they are quite busy so we were given a room upstairs which we are more than happy with. We have been spending our days walking, reading, eating and sitting down at Eddies Bar on the beach!
On Tuesday we did a day trip to Singaraja to visit our sponsor child ( family). When we got to the school we were greeted by a smiling John and Dede, after initial hugs and hellos John seemed a little serious and asked us into the office to sit down.
We have been sponsoring this family for about 7 years, our first girl, Kadek was about 13 at the time, we saw her through high school, then a 12 month hospitality course, last year during our visit she graduated and got a job at a good hotel in Nusa Dua. We then started sponsoring the younger daughter, Sudiyani, who was about 15 or 16. So there we were sitting around the table in the office, feeling a little like we were at a parent/teacher interview, and with John looking really uncomfortable!
" I have to tell you that your sponsor daughter, Kadek, she is now married and has a baby" ......we were speechless, the look on hubbies face was priceless, our meek and shy little girl who had never even had a boyfriend was now married with a baby!
It took a little while to digest, however we took it in our stride and asked after our newest girl Sudiyani......John replied ( with his head in his hands) Sudiyani is also married!!!!! What?...she's only 16? John went on to tell that the father has been very sick and can no longer work, there had been some problem with another family in the village and the family had moved out of their home sold off their 17 Are and moved back to the mothers village where they are now renting a house.
The mother has very little work earning perhaps 10000 to 15000rp a day!
John told us they have had a string of bad luck and the village thought they had bad karma, that they were also embarrassed about the girls getting married so young.
There is one son left at home, Agus, he is 13 and has been sick quite a lot so is still in grade six, John asked if we would consider sponsoring him. Of course we will, we always felt like they were all " our" family!
So off we go to the market, stock up on about 2 months of food and then to visit with our family.
They are waiting eagerly for us at the top of the lane way, and there is lots of hugs and smiles, the mother looks well but the father is very frail and thin and needs a cane to walk. Eventaully Agus comes home from school, he is a lovely boy and he asks us haltingly in English how we are. I mention to John that Agus looks a little tired and am told he has been sick again and the doctor thinks he may have hepatitis, OMG, can things get any worse for this family?
The day has been very emotional and by the time we get back to Kuta we are all exhausted, I feel so very sorry that "our" family has had so many things to deal with, I hope they can manage to turn it all around. I also worry about Agus, he is not a robust child and has been told constantly that he is the families last opportunity to help his family, I feel it is quite a lot of responsibility on such fragile shoulders!
Today we are off to Gili T, we are being picked up in about half an hours time, we will be there for 3 nights staying at the Beachhouse, We haven't been to Gili before so looking forward to it ( not the boat ride tho)
Yesterday we got 9960 for the $, last night ate at the new place on the corner ( Victory) the food and service was excellent, also ate one night at Mamma's, once again good food, enormous serves!
Off now to catch the ferry!