Indonesia – English

3 Januari 2010

Siang itu, cuaca begitu cerah. Seperti hari-hari kemarin, berbagai aktivitas dilakukan di PA Bhakti Luhur. Beberapa anak berlarian ke sana-kemari. Beberapa lainnya belajar menulis atau menggambar.

Mereka diawasi oleh seorang suster dan dua pengasuh. Di unit yang lain, beberapa anak tengah menjalani berbagai macam jenis terapi dalam ruangan – ruangan kecil. Masing-masing diawasi seorang suster atau pengasuh. Ada yang menjalani terapi belajar, ada pula yang sedang melakukan terapi autis atau speech therapy.

“Anak-anak yang diasuh di sini rata-rata mengalami kecacatan ganda/double handicapped),” ucap Pimpinan Panti Asuhan Bhakti Luhur Banjarmasin, Sr Margaretha  Sukarti ALMA. Lebih lanjut, Sr Karti menjelaskan bahwa sekarang ini ada 28 anak
yang dirawat. Dua puluh anak di antaranya menetap di panti ini, sedangkan sisanya diantar jemput oleh orangtua mereka setiap hari.

Dari 20 anak yang menetap, 18 di antaranya menjadi tanggung jawab Yayasan Bhakti Luhur Pusat di Malang. “Kami juga merawat 15 anak di luar panti. Kami melakukan kunjungan rutin kepada mereka, ” lanjut Sr Karti.

Bisa Bicara
PA Bhakti Luhur memulai karya perdananya di Banjarmasin pada 24 .Desember 2004. PA ini merupakan bagian dari Yayasan Bhakti Luhur yang berpusat di Malang. Pengelolanya, para suster Asuhan Luhur Masyarakat (ALMA). Saat ini, PA Bhakti Luhur Banjarmasin menempati area seluas 961 meter persegi , dilayani lima suster ALMA dan enam pengasuh. Panti ini telah memiliki Akta Pendirian Yayasan No 19, tanggal 13 Mei 2008 yang disahkan oleh Henny Rupiyanti SH. PA Bhakti Luhur juga terdaftar resmi di Dinas Kesejahteraan Sosial Provinsi Kalimantan Selatan dengan Surat Keputusan Nomor 465 .1-3-4373/BPPSM/DISKESOS/2008 . Izin operasionalnya dikeluarkan Dinas Sosial , Pemuda dan Olahraga Kota Banjarmasin dengan Surat Keputusan Nomor 446.3/040PKSKIDISPORA.

Banyak kisah menarik dan menyentuh terjadi di panti ini. Misalnya, kisah Yulius, seorang anak panti yang kini sudah berusia 18 tahun. Saat awal masuk, kondisi Yulius begitu memprihatinkan . Ia tidak mampu berbi cara dan mengalami keterbelakangan mental. Sekalipun usia Yulius sudah 18 tahun, ia tampak seperti anak kecil. Sekarang ini, Yulius sudah mampu berbicara dan melakukan hal-hal sederhana.
Misalnya, menggambar, mencuci piring , membuang sampah, menjemur, melipat, dan merapikan pakaiannya di almari .

Lain halnya dengan Sugiannoor yang sejak umur 3 tahun telah dititipkan oleh kedua orangtuanya di panti ini. Awalnya, ia tidak bisa bicara. Namun, pada usia tujuh tahun,
Sugiannoor bisa bicara, menggambar, menulis, dan berhitung dengan baik.

Sebenamya Sugiannoor sudah diperbolehkan pulang dan dirujuk ke Sekolah Dasar Luar Biasa (SDLB). Tapi, kedua orangtuanya kurang bisa mengatasi Sugiannoor. Mereka keberatan serta khawati r bila harus mengasuhn ya seperti ketika ia masih kecil.

Ada pula Noni, anak berusia 2,5 tahun yang diterlantarkan orangtuanya . Dalam asuhan suster dan para pengasuh, Noni tumbuh menjadi gadis cilik yang amat pandai , cepat menghafal bila diajarkan nyanyian atau doa.

“Karya yang telah dilakukan Panti Asuhan Bhakti Luhur ini diwartakan oleh orang dari mulut ke mulut,” tutur Sr Karti. Banyak keajaiban – keajaiban kecil terjadi. “Dan, yang kecil ini terasa begitu luar biasa,” lanjutnya ketika dijumpai kontributor HIDUP Dionisius Agus Puguh Santosa , Rabu, 28 Oktober 2009 .

Tiga M
“Anak-anak di panti ini mendapatkan pelajaran wajib yang disebut 3M, yaitu mernbaca, menulis, dan menggambar,’ jelas Sr. Karti.

Awalnya, anak-anak diajarkan untuk focus pada banyak latihan. Mereka diajak  berkonsentrasi, dibimbing suster ataupun pengasuh. Biasanya anak-anak yang menderita keterbelakangan mental sangat sulit berkonsentrasi.

Setelah mereka mampu berkonsentrasi dengan baik, barulah mereka diajarkan keterampilan lainnya, seperti membedakan warna, mewarnai , berbicara hingga menggambar dan menulis secara bertahap. Mereka yang menitipkan anak-anaknya di panti ini tidak hanya dari kalangan Katolik saja. Banyak keluarga Muslim atau lainnya yang mempercayakan anaknya untuk dirawat di panti.

“Sebulan sekali kami mengadakan pertemuan bersama dengan para pengasuh panti asuhan lainnya melalui Forum Komunikasi Panti Asuhan se-Kota Banjarmasin,’ kata Sr. Karti. Pertemuan ini dihadiri juga oleh Kepala Dinas Sosial Kota Banjarmasin. Biasanya pertemuan diisi dengan bincang-bincang dan diskusi bersama tentang segala hal yang terkait dengan kegiatan panti.

PA Bhakti Luhur beralamat di Kompleks Pembangunan I , Banjarmasin . Lokasinya cukup strategis. Satu sisi berada di lingkungan permukiman masyarakat, sisi lainnya terletak sekitar ± 150 meter dari Rumah Sakit Katolik Suaka Insan Banjarrnasin yang dikelola para suster SPC (Kongregasi Suster – Suster Santo Paulus dari Chartres Distrik Indonesia).

Unit baru, Rabu, 15 April 2009 lalu, sebuah unit baru di PA Bhakti Luhur Banjarmasin diberkati Uskup Banjarmasin , Mgr.Petrus Boddeng Timang didampingi Direktur Yayasan Bhakti Luhur, Pastor Christophorus Katijanarso CM. Hadir pula Sr.Lusia ALMA yang bertugas pada bagian VisitasiYayasan Bhakti Luhur Pusat.

Unit baru ini berdiri tepat di belakang bangunan lama yang sudah tidak memadai untuk menampung ariak-anak yan g dirawat di panti ini. Bangunan baru dua lantai ini memiliki lima kamar di lant ai satu dan empat kamar di lantai atas, lengkap dengan MCK dan fasilitas lainnya.

Dalam sambutannya, Mgr Timang mengungkapkan keberad aan orang-orang cacat yang sering dipandang sebelah mata. “Dalam masa Yesus, orang yang cacat, rniskin, dan ada kekurangannya dianggap sebagai orang yang mendapatkan kutukan dari Allah,” katanya.

Namun, banyak orang cacat yang disernbuhkan Yesus. Tindakan Yesus ini menunjukkan bahwa Allah mencintai semua orang. Keadaan cacat bukanlah hukuman dari Tuhan. “Di sini, Tuhan membawa keselamatan bagi semua orang, karena keselamatan yang kita butuhkan pertama-tama bukanlah kesempumaan fisik, tetapi perasaan dicintai oleh Tuhan,’ lanjut Mgr Timang

Karena itu, pekerjaan di PA ini adalah pekerjaan luhur. Kita melakukan satu-satunya perintah luhur dari Yesus: ‘Aku berkata kepadarnu , sesungguhnya segala sesuatu yang kamu lakukan untuk salah seorang dari saudara-Ku yang paling hina ini, kamu telah melakukannya untuk Aku’ (Mat 25:40).

Pada acara yang sama Sr.Lusia ALMA menyampaikan dua pesan singkat dari Pastor Paul Janssens CM. Pesan pertarna, dalam jangka waktu lima tahun, PA Bhakti Luhur
mengalami perkembangan yang begitu pesat. Ini luar biasa! Pesan kedua, keberadaan dan kelangsungan hidup panti ini sangat tergantung pada umat di Keuskupan Banjarmasin.

Panti dapat melaksanakan karyanya berkat bantuan banyak orang. Kehadiran panti di Banjarmasin merupakan jawaban atas kebutuhan masyarakat. Banyak anak yang memerlukan terapi seperti ini. Panti asuhan ini adalah wujud karya Gereja bagi masyarakat. “Itulah latar belakang yang mendasari berdirinya PA Bhakti Luhur Banjarmasin ,’ kata Pastor C.Katijanarso, salah seorang pimpinan Yayasan Bhakti Luhur Banjarmasin tentang awal berdirinya panti asuhan.

Sr.Karti menambahkan bahwa sejak awal Mgr Prajasuta, Uskup Emeritus Keuskupan Banjarmasin, menaruh perhatian besar pada perkembangan panti. Mgr Prajasuta sering datang membawa kue untuk anak-anak, meski jalannya tertatih-tatih. “Hal inilah yang membuat saya menangis,” kisah Sr.Karti menutup pembicaraan dengan HIDUP.

Dionisius Puguh

diambil dari Majalah Mingguan HIDUP 3 januari 2010

Miracles happen

That sunny afternoon, the weather was nice. Just like any previous days, lots of activities are being held at the Bhakti Luhur Orphanage. We can see smiling kids running around. Some of them are sitting still with their writing instruments and drawing books on their hands.

They were taken care of by a nun and two guardian nurses. At the adjacent care units, a few kids were undergoing health-inducing therapy inside the building. Each child was supervised by either a nun or a nurse. Some were being taught basic education, some others are having autism therapy, and the rest speech therapies.

“Most of the children here are double-handicapped (having two or more disabilities),” says Sr. Margaretha Sukarti, ALMA, head of Bhakti Luhur Orphanage-Banjarmasin. She further explains that the facility is currently serving a total of 28 children; all handicapped. Twenty of them stays permanently at the orphanage, while the rest stay just in the daytime only- until their parents come to pick them up at the end of the day.

Of those twenty kids who are staying permanently, 18 of them are under the total responsibilities of Bhakti Luhur Malang. “We also deliver treatments for 15 other children outside Bhakti Luhur premises. We already schedule regular visits for them,” added Sr. Karti.

Able to talk

Bhakti Luhur Orphanage-Banjarmasin started its first humanitarian-aid relief in Banjarmasin on December, 24^th 2004. The Banjarmasin branch is a subsidiary unit of the main Bhakti Luhur based in Malang. The orphanage is managed by the ALMA sisters/nuns. At the present moment, Bhakti Luhur Banjarmasin occupies a 961 square meter area, served by five ALMA sisters (nuns) and 6 guardian nurses.

This orphanage possesses establishment deed number 19, notarized on May 13, 2008 by Henny Rupiyanti, bachelor of law. Bhakti Luhur Orphanage is also registered at the Ministry of the Social Services of the South Borneo Province (decree letter number  465 .1-3 4373/BPPSM/DISKESOS/2008). In addition to that, there is an operational license letter issued by the Ministry of Youth and social services of Banjarmasin (SK Nomor 446.3/040PKSKIDISPORA.)

There are multiple interesting as well as touching stories coming out of this place. Take for example, Yulius, an eighteen-year old boy who is mentally retarded and unable to speak. Despite his age, his behaviour resembles those of a mere toddler. However today, Yulius is able to speak and being helpful with regular daily activities. He is now able to draw, wash the dishes, throw away the litters, sun-drying, folding up his clothings, as well as tidying up his wardrobe.

There is another kid called Sugiannoor, who has been put to the orphanage by his parents since age 3. Initially he couldn’t speak; however today, at age 7, he is able to draw, speak, write, and count quite well. Actually, he has the ability to lead regular life outside the orphanage, however his parents were not capable of handling him and worrying if they have to face the same problem with him again just like it was back then.

Meet Noni, a two-and-a-half year old little girl who was abandoned by her parents. In her growing years with the ALMA nuns and the guardian sisters, Noni was nurtured to be an intellectual girl. She is very fast at memorizing songs as well as citing prayers.

“The benevolent social services rendered by Bhakti Luhur Foundation has been spread out by word-of-mouth since its establishment,” said Sr. Karti. Many miracles happened..This kid is just one example, she continues, when HIDUP contributing writer Dionisius Agus Puguh Santosa visited her on Wednesday, October 28^th 2009.

Three-M’s

“The kids in the orphanage acquired a compulsory education package called 3M’s (Membaca-Menulis-Menggambar), which means Read, Write, and Draw, respectively,” explains Sr. Karti.

In the beginning, the kids were taught to focus on multiple exercises. After that, they were taught how to put the mind into concentration, under the tutelage of the sisters and nuns. This method is proven useful to mentally retarded kids who are difficult to concentrate.

After being able to concentrate, then they are taught other skills, such as color diferentiation, picture coloring, speech therapy, as well as drawing and writing. The parents come from different religious background, not only from Catholic families. Many moslems family also entrusted their disabled kids to be educated and cared for in here.

Once a month we have a regular meeting along with the other volunteers and guardians of the orphanage through the Communication Forum held for the Banjarmasin area. This meeting is also attended by the head of the Social Services of the Banjarmasin Municipality. Regular meeting agenda includes discussion as well as Q&A session regarding all aspects related to Bhakti Luhur.

The Bhakti Luhur Orphanage is strategically located at Kompleks Pembangunan I, Banjarmasin. One side bordered with the city housing, the other side is located about 150 meters from Catholic Hospital Suaka Insan Banjarmasin, which is managed by the sisters of SPC (St. Paul of Chartres -Indonesian Disctrict).

The new unit

Wednesday, April 15, 2009, a new unit at the Bhakti Luhur orphanage was blessed by the Bishop of Banjarmasin, Mgr. Petrus Boddeng Timang; accompanied by the Director of the Bhakti Luhur Foundation, Father Christophorus Katijanarso, CM. Sr. Lusia ALMA, who works at the visitational department of the main Bhakti Luhur is also present.

This new unit is located exactly at the back of the old building which is not suitable anymore to house the children. The new building is a two-story facility with five rooms on the first floor, and four rooms upstairs; equipped with lavatories and storerooms.

In his welcoming speech, Mgr. Timang expresses his concerns towards the poors who are oftentimes neglected and looked down upon in the society. “In Jesus Christ’s era, the poor, disabled, and those with special needs were regarded as social outcasts cursed by God,” says he.

However, many of them were healed by Jesus Christ. HIS miracle is showing that God loves all people. The existance of the poor doesn’t signify any curse from God,” he added later. “In here, God would like to deliver salvation for all people, and the salvation we need does not derive from physical perfection, but mainly from feelings of being loved unconditionally by God,” continues Mgr. Timang.

Therefore, this work of love is a truly remarkable work of compassion. We need to deliver Jesus’ message of love: “Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’ (Mat 25:40).

At the same function, Sr.Lusia ALMA delivered two short messages from Father Paul Janssenns, CM. First, in a 5-year time period, Bhakti Luhur Foundation is increasing its services rapidly. This is fantastic. Secondly, the existence of the orphanage relies mostly on the active participation of the parishioners throughout Banjarmasin.

The orphanage is also able to do its community support with the help of numerous volunteers. With their help, the orphanage is able to exist and serve the community. There are many disabled kids who are in dire needs of this kind of therapy. The Bhakti Luhur Foundation is the Church’s real works towards the community. With that in mind, we are able to support the foundation of the Bhakti Luhur Orphanage in Banjarmasin,” says Pastor C. Katijanarso, one of the leaders of Bhakti Luhur Banjarmasin when asked about the brief history of the orphanage.

Sr. Karti added that since the beginning, Mgr. Prajasuta, the Emeritus Bishop of Banjarmasin put an extra care towards the developments of the orphanage. The bishop would come and visit the children at the orphanage and bring them cookies, although he was unable to balance his walk himself. “This is what keeps me going and touches my heart,” tells Sr. Karti concluding her interview with HIDUP.

Reported by:

Dionisius Puguh

taken from : HIDUP weekly magazine 3 januari 2010