10/10/2020
Please help us to help them:
Judith from Bras for Bali and Luh her earth angel in Lovina who still goes out every day to help the poor with their Karma kitchen lunches.
Judith: I just didn't think it would be as devastating as things have become .. no work , no school , no food...
All we can do is continue to help when and where we can as usual and hope this crazy world sorts itself out soon...šš
It's been over 6 months now and feeling like it could be 6 yrs..
I feel so sad at times but I really can't even begin to comprehend what it must be like for some people there..
How can I ??
I have regular work ..
I have somewhere to live that's comfortable with heating and cooling.
I have easy access to good health care .
I have enough money to buy food ( probably more than what I even need ) and petrol to visit friends and not be bored..
How can I even begin to understand ??
Lets face it my 14yr old dog is probably better off..
He has a soft bed to sleep on , clean water and food to eat..
So many of these people have none of these basic needs....
HELP IS NEEDED !!
Well what to say...
This is a LONG post.
I can only tell you what I know and think ..
Doesn't mean it's Gospel..
All I know is I think if things continue as they are in other countries the current situation will become a lot worse in both Australia and Bali..
Issues will escalate not just health wise but economy wise too..
When this happens it always affects mental health too..how can it not?
Of course we need to stay calm but we need to be prepared too.
Yes I have bought extra antibacterial wipes.
Yes I have bought some extra food ..
And yes I do have toilet paper..
No one knows what is to come but I think when and if it does it will be like a slap in the face so it's better to be a little ready at least..
I work in a hospital so isolating is going to be that bit harder.
Yes I do have my fingers crossed I stay healthy so I can help others both here and when things eventually get back to some sort of normalacy in Bali too.
Whilst we here panic about our toilet paper shortage and avoiding others those in the Villages in North Bali are apprehensive..
They hear talk from others..
From the younger relatives and neighbours.
From those arriving back from their jobs in tourist Bali.
Many don't have any comprehension or understand what it's all about.
Many can't read, they don't have a TV or a phone..they dont have electricity..
They just know its something that's not good.
They feel a foreboding of bad things to come.
Not just that you can die but that everyone's scared..
More than scared..
They have been through the Bird Flu, Swine Flu , Bali Bombings , the volcano and earthquakes situations before..there's never much time for recovery..
They just get back on their feet and something else occurs to knock them back to square one..
Yes they have amazing resilience but this always takes such a toll.
I so remember back then..
Getting messages pleading for us to return.
And when I returned the gratitude from the locals and the message always " please tell your friends to come "..
After the bombings they thought what have we the Balinese, the Hindus done..
Have we not looked after mother nature enough ? have we not prayed enough ?
We have done something bad in our lives and this is our penance..
I think these days they also are starting to have a little our western thinking " it just is ".. it's nothing that just their society has induced there's a bigger picture and not always a nice one.
I remember years ago reading in Janet De Neefes book ( I think it was Fragrant Rice ) about one of their sacred Banyan trees leaking fluid after the bombings - a phenomenon they had never seen before ..
Fragrant tears..the Banyan tree they said was crying..š
OMG I'm sitting at a cafe now having a coffee thinking of this..
I can't help but brush the tears away.
I don't want to even think about it..
I know this is going to have devastating effects..
Every time there's a tourism down turn they suffer..
Their beautiful paradise sold itself out years ago to us the tourists.. to us the big villa owners to make their living ..
They went from their villages to live in rented rooms it is where the work is.
Most of what they could exist on has gone.
Yes some of the ricefields are still there but majority have been sold off ..
They know it's not good and things are starting to hurt already.
As people are scrambling to leave Bali it's leaving a trail of despair in its wake..
The main work the drivers have at present is the Airport transfers..
Many do not own the cars the banks do.
Majority owe the banks for their motor bikes , their houses, their small Warungs..
This time of year it's quiet season there anyway but it will be more than quiet soon, we are still in the calm before the storm phase..
The hotels and restaurants are presently working out their plans ..who and how many will be on reduced hours ..it will be implemented soon.
I have told those I know there to be very careful with any money they have .It will need to last..
I have spoken to Luh on many occassions about this.. to try and pay off everything you have.. get rid of any debt..live with less now to avoid stress later..
And here we are exactly what I was talking about .
Cars , motorbikes , houses will need to be sold again if the tourism down turn continues..
Often only at a cheaper price..
Majority live on the financial edge normally ..
It will be those that are quite rich that will have prosper..
And as for what's happening on the health side of things..
People have been messaging me on my views..
My view and from weeks ago to is that there would DEFINITELY be more cases in Indonesia and in Bali too no matter what the government has to say..
With minimal testing of course you cant be recorded as positive.
I discussed this with many when I was there..
I am still reading " Bali is safe " ..
Safe for what..
No where that has planes, boats arriving from other countries is " safe "..
Including Australia..
It all comes down to how much risk you want to take really..
It's you that has to feel comfortable and prepared for whatever you are doing..
YOU need to assess your own risk.
Read and listen to what information is available..
If you were in Bali and things started to heat and you decide to stay I would personally look at staying somewhere quiet with a view on the beach or in the lush green areas with less interaction..sometimes I'm thinking this would be a nice way to isolate..
The risks aren't just in contracting the virus whilst holidaying there or anywhere else..
It's money too..can you afford extra time off.
Extra $ to pay for extended time in a hotel etc
Do you have work responsibilities.
Do you have others who may need help?
I myself have my 72 year old mother 5 hours away with no relatives there and she doesn't drive ..
My parents in law are 92 and 94 ..these are our considerations not just of them getting sick but making sure they have what is needed is medications , food etc
These are all the added factors..
The hospitals here in Australia are issuing new directives nearly everyday..
Some have already put into place protocols for limiting visitors others are from what I hear are trying push through as much surgery as they can now - just in case they need the beds.
They are looking at recruiting retired nurses..
It's all a wait and see...better to be prepared though..
How they will manage this in Bali I don't know..
I already have seen small doctors rooms crowded with people outside awaiting their appointments for whatever they have wrong..
MANY things they could go to an Apotek or chemist for but they have no understanding of this..
The local hospitals were already fairly full when I was there last year..with various ailments of infections, dengue and those dying from cancer etc
What are they going to do with visitors ?
They come from hours away.
Whole families sleep/ live on the verandahs whilst the relative is an inpatient..
The families provide a lot of the care and basic needs not the hospital.
Now many are asking what is happening , what have I seen or heard in the Village areas..??
Yes there had been people sick but at present have not heard it's any more than usual for this time of year..
Dengue Fever, colds , flu ,strokes ,HIV, tumours etc ..
Wet season is a bit like our winter many always get sick..
We were doing the big distribution days with the other foundation from Singaraja at that time but no information about any increased illnesses.
We met with Village Heads but same no unexplained unexpected deaths SO far..( that we have heard about )..
We did do talks in many different areas .
Reinforcing this over and over..and with those we sponsor..
A little bit of play acting and Luh translating about hand hygiene , coughing etc..
It may fall on deaf ears but we can only try..
Its hard though - many don't even have running water , no hand gel or masks are available..
Any other information they get is often second ,third , 20th hand.
Many still believe if they pray enough their Hindu gods and rituals will protect them..( we also help Muslim people too but I don't know enough about their religion to comment)
At times people are sick or die - it's believed to be from Black Magic.
This is the difference ..the religious beliefs come into it too..
All I can do is keep you updated with information I receive from many of the different areas both in the tourist and village areas.
NOW WHAT I DO KNOW is things are going to become very tight , desperate even..
We have my driver going up to Lovina soon with a van load of the recent donations ā¤ā¤ā¤ā¤
Thankyou so much everyone. !!
They will probably be the last for a while now ..ā¹
WHAT CAN YOU DO ??
If you are still in Bali we would so welcome any donations you can buy and drop in or we can try to pick them up..
- toiletries, sanitary pads, bags of oil, dancow powdered milk, washing powder, rice , noodles masks , panadol if you find any ..
OR IF YOU CAN DONATE any money to us for RICE..
Food is going to be in SHORT supply ..there will be NO $$ to purchase it..
Those working in the tourist areas will head back to the Villages to their families as their jobs are cut or lost..and further strain will be put on those who are already struggling..
They will all have to share whatever they can..
We can still get the food to those in need..BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW..!!
PLEASE !!
A heartfelt plea from Judith (and Luh) from Bras for Bali :)
