Happy Christmas from Bali Life!

Collection Day fun!

Thank you to all the  beautiful generous women who brought in Christmas boxes for the Children today. What a fabulous feeling love and compassion. It was a great day!

  

Collection Day coming up

Collection Day is fast approaching. Thursday October 22nd is our collection date for your gift boxes at our Women Alive meeting, 10am @ DaySpring. We hope you have enjoyed your early Christmas shopping trip gathering items for the precious children of Bali Life in Denpasar (Indonesia) and Jubilee Fellowship in Hanuman Junction (India).

Date:	Thursday, October 22, 2009
Time:	10:00am - 1:00pm
Location:	DaySpring Church
Street:	1/10 Salisbury Rd
Suburb:	Castle Hill, Sydney

Please bring your filled shoebox to the Kids Christmas Express table. Please also bring your original 'child info' card, delivery donation payment, and filled-out form. Your form will have the following information: 
Child's age, gender, country
Your name
Contact number and email address
Number of boxes (if multiple boxes, please mark Box 1 of 4, Box 2 of 4, etc)
Amount and Method of Donation Payment - total $ amount - cash, cheque, credit card
If you have any questions, please email us at kidschristmasexpress [at] gmail [dot] com. If you cannot attend Collection Day, please feel free to drop off your boxes at the office reception desk during weekday office hours. On behalf of all the children - THANK YOU!

What gifts can I send?

People always ask... "What can I send to the children?" We have our ideas, of course, (see our August post 'Gift Suggestions') but this year we asked some of the children what they would like.


Nearly all the children asked for stationery! How different from our own children, ey! They want pencils and pencil boxes, pens and coloured pencils, with the younger ones wanting crayons and textas, and pencil cases. They also would like things that are almost impossible to send, like sandals, dancing shoes and soccer boots. Shoes are difficult to send, so we suggest you don't add these to your Christmas giftboxes, but here is a run down of some of the other things the children have asked for -- bless their beautiful hearts!


Tana, 16, wants to be a business manager and would like a diary.
Ketut Putu, 12, wants to be a teacher and would like office supplies.
Gede Saputra, 11, wants to be a pro surfer and would like a remote control helicopter.
Komang Ani, 6, wants to be a dancer and lists her hobby as eating... (!~!)
Kadek Pageh, 10, wants to join the military.
Mang Mus, 9, wants to be a pastor and would like drawing materials.
Olan, 13, wants to be a teacher and needs good writing materials.
Olin, 9, wants to be a business woman and would like swimming equipment.
Juventus, 12, wants to be in the army and loves Badminton.
Indra, 8, also loves badminton and toy cars.
Debi, 8, wants to be a doctor, loves barbie, and would like medical equipment.
Joseph Tegar, 7, loves surfing and cats. He wants to be a pastor and would like a Bible.
Adrian, 9, wants to be a vet and would love a rabbit doll and drawing equipment.
Intan, 10, loves Barbie dolls and wants to be a dentist.
Dega, 5, wants to be a fireman and would love a firetruck.
Richard, 11, loves swimming and wants to be a teacher. He would like swimming equipment.
Diki, 9, wants to be in the army and would like strategy games.
Riska, 13, wants to be a doctor and would like a medical kit.
Carin, 1, she just wants her mummy!

Meet Gede Saputra, 11, and Komang Ani, 6

Gede and Ani are brother & sister. They come from a very poor family in north Bali. Their father cheated on their mum with another woman, which left her without finance to keep the family provided for. Their mum had to find a job, which was just enough to pay for their food. She can’t afford to put the children into school and many times the father comes to their house to get the money from their mother, abusing her and the children physically and verbally. Gede has grown up with the knowledge that taking someone else’s stuff is fine and not wrong at all. His father taught him that stealing and lying are not wrong. Gede was 7 years old and Ani was 3 when they were given up to Bali Life. They have changed so much and now they always pray for their parents. Gede is in Grade 3 and Ani is in kindergarten. They love school. Ani wants to be a doctor one day and loves drawing; Gede is good with his hands and loves helping others doing physical work such as farming, washing, and gardening.

Meet Olan, 11, and Olin, 9

Olan and Olin are sisters who originally came from North Sumatera. They were taken by their mother from their father to be sent to Bali so they can continue school. Their parents had separated since they were very young toddlers. Their father is an abusive man and would not let their mother care for them or communicate with them. One day he wanted to get married again and told the children that as soon as he got married, he would send the girls to their grandma so they can help her at the market and earning money. They had to stop their schooling. While they were living with their dad going to school, they had been forced to labour  and give money to their father. Their mother could not afford to look after them (she works as a maid and only earns $30/month) but can’t stand anymore to see her ex-husband abusing their daughters. So, through contacts of the Bali Life Foundation in Sumatra, she sent them to Bali Life Kids. Olan is a very bright girl and she is in Grade 6, she quickly adapted to the new island and now she speaks 4 languages – Indonesian, Bataknese, Balinese, and improving her English. Olin is such a funny little girl, she doesn’t speak much but once she says something, she will entertain all the people around her. She is now in Grade 3 at school. 

Meet Tana and Putu

1.  

    Sentana is 16 years old and has 8 siblings in his family. He has an abusive father who forced him to beg on the street instead of continue schooling. He lived a rough life on the street since he was 11 years old - starving, abused physically, verbally and sexually, caught by the police and jailed, misused drugs and alcohol - until he met with the Bali Life Kids through street kids ministry about 4 years ago. Sitting down with Tana and sharing a meal, the Bali Life people gained his trust and learned that he seriously wanted to go back to school and fix his life. Now he is in Junior High School (Grade 8), very happy, humble and enjoying school.  Tana said, “Before I came to Bali Life Kids, I had a desire to hurt my father but now since I have Jesus in my heart, instead of hatred, I am more feeling sorry for my dad because he doesn’t know Jesus. My prayer is that my father will be changed and know Jesus through my life.” 

Ketut Putu, aged 12, came from the same village as Tana. Bali Life Kids found him in the mountains in a shelter which was hardly more than a shack, no windows or doors but pieces standing on an angle. Putu was often left alone by his father days and weeks at a time without any food. Many times Putu had to starve or eat the plants around his shelter to keep him alive. Sometimes Putu was lucky enough for his neighbour will give him some food. Putu has no mother. His father worked hard for his money, but instead of spending money for Putu’s meals or schooling, his father spent his money gambling on cockfights. Putu has done very well since coming to Bali Life Kids. He is now in Grade 5 at school and he wants to be a policeman. Putu said,”I used to live in fear at my shack and many times I have no food so I have to eat the leaves around me, but now I’m glad I am able to live here at Bali Life and I don’t want to go back because I am so loved here and cared for, and I have no fear to sleep at night anymore.”