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03/27/15

Visit at the orphanage ANAK DOMBA Bali

Visit report of Christina (Berlin)
What an experience - the children of ANAK DOMBA Bali

 
I am feeling a bit uncomfortable, when I climb out of the sky blue Balinese taxi wearing my stylish white summer dress. After four weeks of backpacking on the tropically warm island this is the only piece of clothing which can be deemed acceptable to wear in public.

"She arrives! She arrives!!!" (Angela had already announced me and I was in contact with Eny in advance). A small boy with jet-black hair and a mischievous smile is exitedly dancing around a black iron gate. After a few seconds he is surrounded by another ten girls and boys exitedly speaking all at once and shaking my hand one after another. I just arrived at the orphanage ANAK DOMBA Bali.

"Welcome to our house!" I hear a gentle voice. It belongs to Eny - the head who has been managing the house since 2013 together with her husband Wayan on a voluntary basis. There is not much time for talking. The children gather together exitedly and line up in two rows. They have prepared Christmas songs and fervently tune into "Adeste fideles". The beautiful porch reminds me a bit of Astrid Lindgren's "Villa Villekulla". In the background banana trees are glinting in the midday sun. It is one of the hottest January days on the island.

Putri, a young girl looking like 17, but is only 12 years old, is singing a solo. She swings her hips to the rhythm of the music. In this moment, she is completely at one with the music loosing herself in the gentle rhythms. She looks happy. But appearances are deceiving as I learn later. "She came to us when her mother remarried and her new father did terrible things to her." I think I understand and do not ask any further. So we are both silent for a while and listen attentively to the girl's song.

After this atmospheric welcome Eny shows me around in the house. She is a bit ashamed that she is unable to provide the children a proper shower or bathroom. The girls live in little dormitories without air conditioning and mosquito netting, Eny and her husband with her own two children sleep among them. They do not mind. They dedicate their life to the Christian faith and the children. I can see and feel the rewards of their commitment and their love. The children's eyes are shining, they are laughing and dancing in a circle, some are painting on the floor. The atmosphere is incredibly peaceful and makes me loose my sense of time.

The time to depart comes much to quickly. It is a return to my world, where electricity, running water and a great infrastructure is taken for granted. Eny hopes to soon find a bigger house with reasonable sanitary facilities.

The children should learn English to have a future on the island. When I promise them to look for native speakers who can teach English while doing an internship at the orphanage, their eyes become moist for a moment. "That would be terrific. This will open the door for the children to work in tourism." Wayan thoughtfully lowers his head.

The English language knowledge will finally not determine the success of the girls. But the warmth and affection they experience in the orphanage will make them strong for the challenges of their adult live.

Deeply moved I get into the taxi to return to the airport. 24 children's hands are happily waving at me, until the black iron gate is out of sight.

Christina (Berlin)


Account for donations
ANAK DOMBA Bali e.V.
IBAN:  DE33254501100100241975
BIC:  NOLADE21SWB
Sparkasse Weserbergland
ANAK DOMBA Bali - Future for children e.V.
Orphanage and children's home on Bali - Indonesia
Angela Bendix, Emmernstraße 12, 31785 Hameln, Germany
Phone: +49 5151 - 10 73 612
Fax: +49 5151 - 60 98 81
Email: info@anak-domba-bali.de