Griya Asih; A Visit To a local orphanage

The first week of my arrival in Indonesia, I was invited by friend of mine Denny Heribertus to join his group and visited a local orphanage Griya Asih in East Jakarta.  It was a challenging quest to find the location and we had to ask  people on the street the whereabouts. My Indonesian-style driving skill was a bit rusty and it took a lot of nerves to weave through traffic where motorcycles just everywhere and inches apart from your vehicle and not to mention frequent honking, it felt like I was in the middle of locust plaque. To get there, we drove through small alley just fit for one car and it was a two way traffic! My stress hormones shot up really fast and thank goodness before I lost some of my hair, we finally arrived at our destination.  After feeling like I just cheated death, the kids from orphanage welcomed us so warmly and with big smiles.

Griya Asih Members

They surely quenched my stress level as they tried to help us unloading some donation items from our car.  We came a bit late, Denny and his group were already there and the kids were doing some games instructed by one of our group member. Although it was about 32 degrees Celsius inside that room with near 90% humidity, they were cheered up and sang lots of songs accompanied by asmall group that played drum, bass, and electric guitar.  All the kids were really happy participating in the games and their happiness was so sincere.  Then we had lunch together and followed with cake cutting to celebrate those who had birthday in that month.  We gave away new shoes to all the kids and other necessities like vitamins, milk, notebooks, stationary, foods, and even a laptop.  Although the orphanage looks old but it is organized well and clean.  This was not the case some years ago according to Mr Alex, the current director for Griya Asih.

Mr Alex

It was dark and filthy, the restroom was really "scary" and the front yard smelled like urine.  Griya Asih was founded in July 1996 by the late mother of Mr Alex, Mrs. Tuti Murniati.  She was concerned with the kids who lived on the streets who begged for money and always in constant danger of sexual molestation, physical abuse, and other crimes.  She started a simple and small organization where she provided the kids with shelter, foods, and clothes.  Later, the kids were also sent to schools, educated with job skills and entrepreneurship mindset. It was not a walk in the park for her. She experienced many obstacles, hardships, and struggles to keep the organization running and unfortunately she was seriously ill and passed away in 2006.  From that moment, the organization went south and became so disoriented.  With poor management and direction, the kids went savage, especially the new comers.  The place was far cry from hygiene and the fund was really limited.  After a long and hard discernment, Mr Alex took over the management and he left his promising full time job to take care of the kids.  In the beginning he felt that it was not his calling to take care of the kids full time and to take over the organization.  He tried to steer away from this duty but his heart always felt restless. He decided in 2007 to lead this organization and he was sure of his calling to continue what his mother had started. But now he was about to face with greater problems and in dire need to restore the management, hygiene, and character of the kids who had gone wild. He had received multiple dead threats from the kids and from his own helpers who resisted change in management rules.  He also received threats from outsiders who alleged him of indoctrination of Christian value to kids with different religions. By his passion and strength which he claimed coming only from God, he could be persistent and continued to provide these kids with better future.  He also experiences a lot of hardships but he feels peaceful and he knows he is on the right track. He once said that he wanted to make this orphanage house like a nice supermarket quality which is clean, bright, and well organized.  His hard work is finally paid off. Griya Asih won national recognition in 2009 for good management and quality.  Even though the building still lacks of light, but it looks clean and well organized.  Some of the room, especially the music instruments storage room needs immediate attention due to damage caused by termites. 

Music storage  room

All the kids are so welcoming and nice, far from being hostile and wild.  Mr Alex have done a superb job restoring the order but he still has long way to go and he needs us!  He needs support both financially and of our prayer to run this house.  I am honored to have conversation with him and saw " Pak Alex ", as people usually call him, in person. To me he and his mother are the unsung heroes who dedicate their life to God and to these kids.  I see this verse comes into fulfillment " You shall love Your God and Your neighbors".




Sekilas Tentang Griya Asih

Late Mrs Tuti Murniati

1996 bulan juli berdirinya Yayasan Griya Asih yang didirikan oleh seorang ibu
yang sangat konsen terhadap kehidupan sosial anak- anak yang tidak wajar, hidup di jalanan dengan berbagai resiko mulai dari pelecehan seksual hingga kekerasan serta eksploitasi anak dsb. Maka terpanggillah beliau untuk mendirikan Yayasan yang khusus mendampingi anak2 jalanan dan terlantar, dengan tujuan mengentaskan mereka, mengembalikan mereka kepada kehidupan yang wajar.Sejak berdirinya hingga sekarang, jatuh bangun telah dialami. Seperti halnya pada repelita I dengan pelayanan menyerupai rumah singgah dengan tata kelola seadanya, dan keuangan yang juga minim (saat itu jumlah anak yang dilayaninya cukup banyak), namun seorang ibu Ch. Tuti Murniati yang gigih selalu ingin mengembangkan pelayanan tsb . walaupun saat itu pelayanannya masih sebatas kepada pemenuhan kebutuhan pokok anak yaitu sandang, papan dan pangan. Pada Repelita ke2 Griya Asih ingin mengembangkan program menuju pelayanan yang lebih nyata dengan memenuhi kebutuhan anak- anak yang tidak terurus tersebut, maka Griya Asih mencoba meningkatkan diri dengan meeningkatkan tata kelolanya, yakni anak- anak tidak boleh lagi keluar masuk panti. Pada tahap seleksi /identifikasi diperoleh hasil 30% bisa sekolah formal, 45% dibina dengan ketrampilan dan sisanya 25% dididik wira usaha. Pada akhir pelita 2 banyak persoalan yang datang bertubi- tubi, salah satunya dimana pendiri sedang mengalami sakit yang cukup serius dan makin parah hingga akhirnya pada bulan oktober ditahun 2006 beliau wafat dengan tetap senyum menghadapi penyakit kronis yang diderita serta masalah-masalah lain yang menderanya. Awal pelita ke3 yakni hingga tahun 2007 akhir, keadaan yayasan semakin buruk, tata kelola tidak baik, fisik kotor dan anak-anak tidak tersentuh menjadi “setengah liar”, bahkan sekolah pun banyak yang terbengkalai. Setelah kepergian Ibu Ch. Tuti Murniati, secara legal pada awal tahun 2007 kepengurusan diketuai oleh Bapak Alex yang dipilih dalam rapat pengurus karena bapak Alex turut ambil bagian dalam membidani lahirnya yayasan Griya Asih ini, dan ditunjuk pula seorang “caretaker” mengingat ketua masih terikat oleh suatu institusi dalam pekerjaan. Setelah resmi bisa lepas dari pekerjaannya dengan mengambil pekerjaan Free-lance, pada awal th 2008 merasa sungguh terpanggil untuk memegang tongkat estafet pekerjaan mulia yang telah dirintis oleh Ibu Ch. Tuti ini. Namun kebingungan mendera tatkala mulai terjun langsung karena pekerjaan besar telah membentang dihadapan mata, yang ternyata hampir semua sisi perlu pembenahan besar-besaran. Tiga pekerjaan besar telah menanti segera dibereskan dari mulai FISIK, TATA KELOLA DAN MENTALITAS ANAK dan masa ini kami sebut dengan istilah masa TRANSISI. Dalam masa transisi ini pekerjaan yang paling berat adalah pembenahan tata kelola panti, dimana pengurus baru justeru mendapat perlawanan yang luar biasa dari dalam yang tidak hanya menguras energi, pikiran dan biaya. Namun juga rasa malu, marah dan keamanan.
Dengan komitmen yang kuat dengan menjadikan Yayasan Griya Asih seperti tata kelola super market yang bersih dan terang, maka dengan penuh rasa syukur kami, semua agenda besar dapat dikerjakan dengan hasil yang sungguh menggembirakan, dimana VISI dan MISI Yayasan dapat dilaksanakan dengan baik. Hasil ini mengantarkan Yayasan Griya mencapai prestasi sebagai Organisasi Sosial Beprestasi sampai dengan Tingkat Nasional tahun 2009.

Dalam perkembangan pelayanan dan pengabdian kepada bangsa dan negara serta sebagai ujung tombak pelayanan ini, Griya Asih tetap eksis melayani mereka terutama mengentaskan anak2 jalanan dan terlantar menjadi anak yang mandiri seperti anak-anak lain. Kami mengundang Bapak/Ibu/Saudara/i untuk turut berempati kepada mereka karena mereka adalah anak/saudara kita yang mempunyai hak yang sama dengan kita.

                                                                 Salam Kami

To transfer financial support from outside Indonesia, here are all the things that you need: 

Bank Name: Bank Central Asia (BCA BANK)

Bank Branch Name: Kantor Cabang Pembantu (KCP) Jalan Batu Ceper, Jakarta Pusat 

Address: Jalan Batu Ceper Number 18 A-B
              Central Jakarta - Postal Code 10210
              Indonesia.  Phone : +6221-3853383
Bank Account Name: Yayasan Griya Asih
Bank Account Number : 224 300 9511
SWIFT or ABA Number : CENAIDJA

Volcano Eruption-Mt.Merapi, Central Java, Indonesia.

Indonesia, the beautiful archipelago and the 4th populous country in the world, has been faced with many natural disasters for the past decade. Most of us still vividly remember the tsunami wave that killed more than 200,000 lifes in December 2004 which was triggered by massive historic earthquake with 9.0 on Richter scale. Many other natural disasters such as: major earthquakes, geological mud flood, broken levee, and smaller tsunamis have been rocking the country since then. Just in recent months, another tsunami hit the coastal area of mentawai and killing about 350 people. It seemed like mother nature still had something to unleash, a day after, Mt. Merapi erupted and was spewing hot clouds, vulcanic materials, and magma killing 34 people and tens of thousands got relocated. The government was fast in response and coordinated the related posts and departments to provide the victims with shelters, foods and water, medications, and protection. Our friend, Vonny Muljono, an ex-member of Yosua prayer group who was there after the disaster told us that food supplies were abundant and the same true with other kind of aid that were needed at that time. But soon, she said, they will be diminished as the media draw back and slowly stop publishing about this disaster. This is when our ministry, Salt Of The Earth, tries to fill in the void so they don't feel left behind and being forgotten. Also we try to give help when most of contributors had withdrawn. Last month, we managed to collect $1100 just from members in Yosua prayer group, Irvine, CA. Yosua prayer group is our main gathering event every Friday

night for the past 8 years and the birthplace of this ministry.

Based on the conversation between Mr Adikarto, the village chief, and our associate ministry correspondent(Domus Karitatis Ministry), the people in his village need the following:

1. Mattress, blankets, and foods for 56 families (192 people-97 men and 95 women)

2. School uniforms for kindergarten, elementary, and high school students. They all live below the poverty line and their houses were buried in the volcanic mud.

Our monetary donation, combined with money collected from other sources, was helping them in the following ways:

1. Rp 70,000 per family for foods

2. Rp 100,000 per student for new uniforms and new shoes

note: Rp is Rupiah, an Indonesian Currency. $1 equal to ~Rp 8800

We are unable to buy them the mattresses at this time since their houses are still buried in mud. The leftover balance will be applied toward the second phase aid and miscellaneous or urgent needs or whichever comes first. We would like to thank all contributors who have helped this program. We are excited because we have many more charity projects in the near future. We pray that more generous people will join this action, touching one soul at a time, we do small things with great Love!