Indonesian Immersion

Special report from Indonesia

As students and staff settled back home after their  journey of ''Good Works'' in Indonesia, enjoy an insight into their experiences through the following letters written this week to the College by Mr Ah Fong, and to participating students' parents by Ms Kyd . . .   

Selamat Siang (hello)!

We are now over half way through our Indonesia Immersion tour and I  am sure many of you have kept up to date of the tour on Facebook (St Norbert College Indonesian Immersion 2019).  However, I wish to share with you some of our experiences.

We were all so pleased to land in Bali without any difficulties and carrying with us about 210 kg of donations.  It was hot and sweaty but we were welcomed by our drivers, both named Ketut.  It brings back great memories  of that popular advertisement  in Australia "Eyes on the road Rhonda".

We started our service on Thursday at the Smile Foundation, Cancer House and the Paud Samaritania Rescue Home.  The Smile Foundation is a non-profit organisation that brings health care to people with craniofacial disabilities.  They have children from the different islands around Bali and we met a family from Timor island whose child was receiving treatment.  Our students and staff were brilliant in interacting with the children and bring some joys to them and make them feel appreciated.  Leon, our guide, told all of us to ensure that we do not cry when we meet the patients at the Cancer House and to try to bring some joy to them.  We told our students that they can speak to us if the situation is too much for them and we would speak to them outside.  However, there was no need for it.  Our students made us proud.  They interacted with the patients, overcame the language barrier and showed compassion to the patients.   Our students put hand cream on the patient's hands, did some drawings, had conversations with the patients, danced with them and got to get to know them.  The Paud Samaritania Rescue Home welcomes children whose family cannot financially look after them.  We were all shocked by the difficult living situation of the children there.  There were no running water and the children lives in only one room with some mattresses to share.  Their room was hot and with only one fan.  Colette, Fran and Juliana were amazing in cooking for 167 children and adults.  They did in it in kitchen with no running water and with only bare minimum. Our students were again amazing in playing with the children and were very creative in their communication to engage the children.  Laura was our Dancing Queen and got all the children to join in different dances.  The children and adults were very appreciative.  We were able to give some much-needed donations to all three institutions.

The next part of our Immersion was to visit the families and children living at the Sanur Tip.  We went to the top of the tip where we were shocked to see the working conditions of these families.  We saw adults going through the rubbish, some collecting food and some collecting recycling materials.  They would then bring these materials to their home to clean and sort them again.  They earn $0.15 per kg of materials which is then sent to Java. The families were very grateful to us when we distributed Nasi (rice) and small donations of toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste and soap) to them. Our students taught the children living at the tip and again brought lots of joy to them.  We found it a humbling experience when the children said thank you to us; they would shake out hand and then place our hand on their forehead.  Many of our students had their 'besties' at the school.

 We also visited the Sidhi Asti Teka Orphanage.  We were able to give donations to them and we found it a humbling to see the children there going through the donations and choosing some clothes that they could wear.  We bought Australia to those children in the afternoon with a special Australian children's birthday party.  We met the Sisters and we organised lunch and dinner for them.  Sister Clementia ( We call her Sr Tim Tam, as  she likes Tim Tams) is 80 years old and has provided service to others for over 60 years.  A highlight was the disco on the Saturday evening. We would fluro bands and the children loved them. Our students interacted with the children and attended mass. It was very emotional for the Children at the orphans when we had to leave with many of them crying, including our own students.

There are many stories that I am sure our student and staff will share with the College Community.  We are so proud of our students with their conduct and how they have embraced the spirit of this Immersion.  Bali is known as a tourist destination and yet very few would know the poverty of so many Balinese people.  We are privileged to have the opportunity to serve those in need in Bali and to live our College Moto.  Terima Kasih (thank you) to staff, students and parents for their donations as it is making a difference and bringing smiles to people.

Selamat tinggal (Good bye)

                                                                                                                                       Mr Patrick Ah Fong, Head of House

'So proud and impressed by your children'

"The immersion staff have been so impressed with every student from Day 1. The photos of the students at the Cancer House told a thousand words about the love, respect and empathy your children showed for people suffering from cancer. 

At the  tip school, the students were wonderful with their prepared activities and had a great time with the children teaching them English and lots of new games and songs.

The aged-care facility was an eye-opening and challenging experience for us all. There were lots of tears to start, then love and laughter at the end. This is a special place.

The rescue home was also a challenging place to visit. It’s hard to believe that so many children live there without running water, a convenience many of us take for granted. We were so happy to treat them to a special meal cooked by Mrs Colette Miranda and a meal at a local restaurant. We proudly know that our efforts in fundraising paid for these special things. 

Handing out donations at the Sanur school was a humbling experience. One student said: 'It was like handing out brand new iPhones as the people were so grateful' to receive a bag filled with laundry detergent, soap, toothpaste etc. 

For most of our students the highlight was the orphanage , where close bonds were formed and friendships were made.  Our guide Leon kept saying, “I love your kids, they serve from the heart” and they really did. We were so proud of them every single day and tonight they all told us that they had the 'greatest experience ever'. 

                                                                                                    Ms Margaret Kyd,  Student Ministry Co-ordinator