How Are We Going To Live?

_Compassion 4 Kids International Reaching Out to Invisible Street Children Since October 2005
Non-Fiction: Author Joseph A Burke

Chapter 2
Continuing from Where Is Our Mother?

As they stood saying goodbye to their mother as a car was taking her away, the 3 children were looking at each other, confused as to what was just happening, and thinking as to how much money their mother was going to begin sending them.

Their father had died 3 years before and their mother had gone through all the savings and found a person who promised her a job in Malaysia. He had told her that they were looking for workers and would be paid at a higher income level than what they were being paid here in their town.

 Doud (David) being 10 was still very confused as to what happened in less than 24 hours. He was scared but knew that he had an older brother and sister to help him.

Johannas (John) being 8 was also confused. He did not fully understand what mother was telling them. But whatever she said, he would do his part until she returned.

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 Ika being 16, her mother had told her that as soon as she earned some money she would send them support so that they could live comfortably. She would work for about 3 years and would be able to also save enough money to return home to them as soon as possible.

Ika was a typical teenager, loving her girl friends and doing all those important silly things girls do. She was gone most of the afternoon after school every day, six days a week, with her friends having fun. Helping mom at home was not high on her ‘to do’ list. Now she was to take a complete change of life with her new responsibilities. No more going out with her friends every day as she had to be somewhere the boys would be able to come to her. She found out that an adult’s life had lot of responsibilities.

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When her mother’s car went out of sight, Ika turned to her two brothers and the fear of the future overwhelmed her and she began with a hug, placing her arms around her two brothers. They all were crying. The thought of them consumed her thoughts and how was she going to do all of this. Tears were streaming down their cheeks. Jon was not understanding all that just happened but he knew he was already missing his mother.

The three of them hugged each other for probably not a long time, but it seemed forever. Ika released her hug and spoke “Okay,” as she brushed away the tears dripping from her cheeks, “Let's go inside and talk as to what we will be doing.”

The boys agreed and they went inside and Ika begins “We have to now help each other more than we ever have. We need to take care of the house so that when mom comes home, she will be proud of us. We play outside with our friends. I will do the cooking but the two of you will wash the dishes and take care of them. We each make our own beds, wash our own clothes, take care of them, and also keep the yard clean of debris. I will clean the floors. Doud, mom said for you to keep firewood well stocked and Doud you boil the water so we have cool water to drink at all times.”

The boys nodded their heads in agreement.

Ika took inventory of the food that they had in their house. Food will need to be rationed. With no refrigerator, for the cost of it is 8 months salary and the electricity to run it is 1/6 of a normal family income.  Rice being the biggest food item consumed was bought 30 lbs at a time. They have a little less than one bag of rice. Most of the vegetables are leafy type and now they will have to go to the country area to cut their own from the foliage. There will be no snacks any longer.

After two months they had not received any money from mom. So Ika calls the boys together after school and says “We have not heard from mom and the rice will be gone if a few weeks, even if we eat less per day. So we are going to have to go to the streets and ask for money. We will wear clean clothes but not the shiny ones. We will go to different places in town and try to locate where we receive more than other places. We will need to obtain help of at least 200,000 rupiah (about $22) just for food. Also ask for money for going to school (that costs about 200,000 rupiah per month.) Then we also need money for our school clothes (uniforms), school books, and school workbooks. I know it is going to be hard, but we need to do something. If someone wants to hire you for a little time or weekly, you need to say yes and then do your best in working for them so that they will hire you again.”

Jon asks, “Do I need to do this also? I do not know what to do or say.”

Ika responds, “I know it will be hard. I have never done this either, so maybe we talk now and practice what we need to say. It needs to be short, tactful, and hopefully they will understand we are in need.”

Doud asks, “This sounds scary. Won’t people get mad at us? What if they yell at us?”

Ika understands and says, “It is scary to me also. I have tried to think of what to say and do and I do not think it will be the same words for everyone. We will need to learn how the people look as to what we say and do. If they have a smile on their face we might say ‘Hi, I do not have any parents and could you help us with some rupiah?’ If someone looks to poor to help because of what they wear, do not ask them. So in time we will learn more of who we can approach and be friendly.  If they yell at us just say something like ‘Sorry, have a nice day.’ and turn around and walk away.”
Doud responds, “That doesn’t sound too bad. I think we will learn what works and what doesn’t as time goes on but I hope we hear from mom soon. Let’s pray for her right now.”

“Okay,” Ika breaks in, “why don’t you pray Doud.”

“Dear Jesus, I know you love my mom as she said you love us also. She is far away and we do not know how she is. We ask you to put your arms around her and give her a hug. Keep her safe from harm and hope you help her send a message back to us so we know how she is doing. In the name of Jesus, Amen” Doud prayed.

“Thank you Doud,” as she goes to him and gives him a hug. Then Jon runs over and they hug each other.

During the beginning of January (2010) an aunt in Jakarta finally gets in touch with them. It was hard for the kids had no cell or home phone. She kept asking people that she knew in Medan and the surrounding area that may have known the mother. She finally found one and she finally was able to let Ika know to call her. She gave her regrets for the situation that they were in and could only help financially a little. Their aunt wanted to make sure they finished going to school until they were 18. She would send them money and it was for the transportation to go to school as they had to take a bus for $1.00 each, per day. They had to promise not to spend it on food or anything else. She will also send enough to cover the cost for books and work books.

This was very comforting to the three of them. They still had to seek out strangers to beg for their food money. Two months after their mother had disappeared they collectively were able to raise 50,000 rupiah a week. They needed to obtain 1,000.000 per month to exist.

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We found out about these three children from a neighbor to the children. They are now in the care of Cikal Hope for Children Foundation. Other children need your help. We can talk about numbers such as in Indonesia there are close or more than 2 million street children and in India maybe 3 to 5 million. We want to help one child at a time and that is by YOU becoming a monthly support person to help one or more children. YOU contact us, we respond and you begin your extended family.

No other charity will have the “EXTENDED FAMILY” support that you will have. Most people that support a child never know if the child they are sending support for is actually a child or their child of choice. How are we different?

We will have email delivery to and from each other.

Then we have internet communication and will improve some of them.
This is free and you will have the capability of seeing the child respond to you, and you by them, through a translator and you will keep up to date with their life situations, whatever that will be.

We will have internet communication on some of the different messenger programs through MSN and Yahoo. Both of these also have video chat which a web cam and voice connection.

We will be having Skype voice/video/typed chat very shortly. This can be done from any computer or lap top computer that has those capabilities.

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How and when do you start? Start by filling out the form below and submit the message to us. You can start your support immediately by going to the Contact Page and it informs you how to make out your check or money order or by credit card. We will respond to your message from below and obtain more information so we know how you want to direct your support.



    Start by sending us a message!

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