Kasih’s Journey

Hi all,

just a quick update…. had an email from the medical clinic team yesterday… Kasih and her mum are travelling today to Ternate (the capital of their region) for Kasih to get her first tests… and to get her passport sorted.

Lets all believe that the bureacracy will be working smoothly this week so that Kasih’s trip is productive, all the tests get done and her passport comes through no problems…

An extract from the medical clinic’s email…

“Kasih and Mum stayed overnight last night - Kasih is full of beans as usual. They head off today with one of our staff to Ternate for all the tests and to get passports. Please pray that this all goes smoothly.”

I love the description “full of beans”  its such a great one for a little kid - I can see her full of energy and happy!!  Two key things needed for her to be able to travel to Australia.. healthy and well.

Cheers all!

Yesterday while driving to work, there was a devotional on Radio Rhema about miracles. Miracles abound in the New Testament -of course we all know of Jesus’ miracles but even in Acts, people got saved right up to Acts 16 because of miracles. (Acts 16 is the first story of someone getting saved becuse Paul “shared” about Jesus with Lydia). Jesus has given us the authority to work miracles in His name: ” I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12 got me thinking “when was the last time I expected a miracle?”.

To my surprise, later that morning I was contacted by Katherine & Peter who have previously spent time in Halmahera with Peter & Esther. Katherine loves photography and has made beautiful cards of NZ scenery with her own photos. Each card has a lovely verse of scripture on the back, leaving the inside blank. She & Peter have been selling packs of 5 for $10 each with the profits going to assist the work in Halmahera and now for Kasih. Katherine was in Christchurch for business and has just given me a whole box of cards for free so that the entire profit can go towards Kasih. So, if anyone would like to assist with selling these gift cards (great for a send a personal message esp overseas or give a full pack as a lovely gift), please let me know!

Kasih’s miracle is a journey that will take little miracles and big miracles. Thank you for being a part of her miracle. And thank you Katherine & Peter for your support, faith and gift of cards for Kasih.

love, Nicole

Hi everyone,

exciting news!! Kasih’s story is an amazing story already but it just gets better - as we see God unfolding a plan that is organised down to the last detail.  Two weeks ago, we were budgeting and trying to plan on who would escort Kasih and her Mum from rural Indonesia all the way through to Adelaide to arrive probably in September 2008 (Kasih looks like being booked into Adelaide Hospital for September)

Amazing… without asking or trying to put it together, we received an email from a fellow in Adelaide who also has travelled to the Medical Clinic.  He will be there in September and is returning to Adelaide on 24 September.  How incredible is that… surely there is a bigger plan at work than simply what we are trying to organise.  Kasih is definitely in good hands - the timings are coming together with amazing purpose and certainty.

I cant wait to see more unfold as Kasih gets closer and closer to Adelaide.  She really is a special little girl.

cheers

Lisa R

Well, it looks like Kasih’s Journey is all go!

Further discussions with the Australian CranioFacial Unit (ACFU) have given us a better idea of what Kasih’s surgical pathway will be like. When she arrives in Adelaide, she will spend her first week seeing a huge variety of specialists. As well as Prof David’s Plastic Surgery team, she will be assessed by Ophthalmologists, Dental and Orthodontists, Ear Nose & Throat surgeons, Paediatricians, Neurosurgeons, and Audiology and Speech language therapists. A critical role will be played by her Paediatric Anaesthetist, who will provide her airway while under anaesthetic, so allowing the surgeons to operate in this area.

Once she has seen these specialists, they can develop a “plan” to sequence her surgery and therapy.
Now that he has looked at her photos, Prof David has decided that she will need an approach called “tissue expansion”. This involves placing a silicone balloon beneath her skin, and then each day slowly filling it with saline to “grow” extra skin which then can be used to stretch across to where they need it.

Read more at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons or go to Wikipedia to see a picture of the device Prof David will use on Kasih.

The tissue expansion procedure would be the first step, and would be in place for 3-4 weeks (being filled with saline daily) before Kasih is taken to theatre. So it looks like her surgery would then be late October or the first week of November.

With all going well, the ACFU team hope to have Kasih home in time for Christmas!What a wonderful Christmas present she will have for her Daddy as she returns to her waiting village!

Go Kasih!

with love Nicole

Last week some staff from the medical clinic in Indonesia, travelled to Kasih’s village to visit with them, and help with the logistics of planning Kasih’s upcoming journey. 

Kasih is doing well - she has not long had her first birthday!! (Happy Birthday Kasih!) - I will put up a photo of her and her parents in their home on the photos page. 

Home isn’t much “to write home about” really.  A simple wooden hut, with cardboard linings.  Cooking is done on a kerosene stove…they certainly don’t have a phone, and life is very simple - Dad is a labourer.

It got me thinking about how much harder helping Kasih would be, if we didnt have access to the internet, email, and the benefits of our first world living.  We are really all quite blessed - if you can read this, then you are literate, have access to the information highway, and have a basic education…  a lot of people in the third world will never gain any of that…

We may not be able to make a huge difference in the world, but we most certainly influence those around us - and can reach out through our networks to go even further.  So far, Kasih’s story has travelled to a dozen countries, and down through many people’s email chains. 

Kasih has not long turned 1 year old now. This is a big story for a little girl, and chances are she may be in Adelaide for her second birthday - what a difference that birthday will be - this is our chance to send Kasih a belated first birthday present, and an early second birthday present!  Our small gifts are HUGE in Kasih’s life - it’s exciting what we are achieving!!

Blessings everyone, we will check back later with more news.

Warmly,

Lisa R

PS - please drop by the guest book and leave a birthday message for Kasih!

Kasih’s Story is many steps closer to Adelaide this week -

I attended the ANZAC day Dawn Service in Christchurch today - hundreds of people gathered as the sun rose, to commemorate the efforts of those Aussies and Kiwis who have fallen in war around the world.

I was wearing my grandfather’s medals, and those of his best friend Johnny.  I never met my grandfather, yet every ANZAC Day has become special for me when I bring out his medals and remember him as my Granddad.  In my ideal world, he will be there in Heaven to meet me when I arrive 

The ANZAC Spirit of comradeship and mateship lives on in us today - and its very evident in the support that is being offered for little Kasih.

Kasih had her first birthday just recently.  Wow… ONE YEAR OLD!! - I wonder how the family celebrated?  Its a two sided celebration I think…. the joy of their little girl turning one, but also the fear of how little time may be left..

The ‘ANZACs’ of today are doing what Aussies and Kiwis do best - getting behind a cause and standing up to say “we are going to make a difference - we will help to make it happen”.   Kasih WILL look forward to her 5th birthday, her 10th birthday, her21st!!  Because we can make that difference.

Kasih’s supporters are not just Aussies and Kiwis though.  We are a melting pot of people from all around the world - a micro demonstration that everyone can get along, can make a difference individually, and that the world can be a good place.

The spirit of ANZAC is alive and well - it shows in stories like Kasihs Story.

Warmly

Lisa

 Thankyou everyone for the generous donations to date…

Together we need to raise the funds to get Kasih to Adelaide, and so far we have sufficient to start the process and get the pretravel items covered off:

1) SURGERY and ANAESTHETICS: Adelaide Hospital in association with the South Australian Government have generously agreed to be our principal partner to fund the surgical costs - thankyou Professor David!

2) ACCOMMODATION and MEALS: The hospital will cover the surgery, but accommodation and meal costs in and out of hospital need to be raised.  Kasih and her Mum may need to stay in Adelaide for several months.

3) AIRFARES and TRAVEL EXPENSES: It’s a long trip from Kusuri to Adelaide….  a four hour minibus trip followed by two hours on a boat, a taxi ride to the airport, and then two flights to Jakarta… Jakarta to Sydney and then onward to Adelaide.  This will be a HUGE trip for little Kasih and her parent… 

4) OTHER EXPENSES:these are numerous:  You can’t get Visas and passports in Duma - Kasih and her family will need to make the four day round trip to Jakarta just to apply to come to Adelaide! 

Then there are passport costs, airport taxes, basic living expenses, nappies!!, and every other everyday thing that a family might need when away from home - remember, Kasih’s family will have none of the things we take for granted - maybe not even a suitcase…

There are a few ways to donate. 

1.  Donate through Kasihs Fundraising Link on the right hand side of this site

2.  or go to www.kasihmeanslove.com. 

Warmly

LisaR

Hi all,

Five days in and we are well underway with Kasih’s fundraising.  Today we are at $2200.00.  That’s going to get her to Jakarta for passport, visa applications and start some of the pretravel medical workups etc that Kasih will need.

FANTASTIC!!

We are aiming to have Kasih here well before Christmas… and you are all making it possible.

Check back soon - I will have more information from Kasih’s family shortly - the medical clinic are sending a team out to her village to ‘catchup’ with the family and share with them whats happening - I am really looking forward to seeing some photos of Kasih soon!!

Dont forget - www.kasihmeanslove.com  your chance to contribute to Kasih’s journey of hope.  Please donate now - you are saving her life

Warmly

Lisa

“The simplest act of compassion is not to look away”

Being on a mailing list for a number of mission, aid & humanitarian organisations I read of many children in the world who deserve a chance.

Who shall we stop for?

Who shall we advocate for? 

Who shall we give to?

Who will we respond to?

I guess for me the answer is “those the Father shows me”. Kasih is one He has shown me.  And, actually, if you had met Kasih and her loving parents that day in a village so remote you can’t even find it on “Google Earth”…I’m sure you too would not have “looked away”. The only response you could have is “we have to do something to help this wee girl”

In faith, her parents gave her the name “Kasih” which means “Love”. I believe the Father inspired them to give her this name.

Her journey is going to be one of extreme faith: sure to be tested at many steps along the way…but God who is Love will make a way, and He will transform her story into a miracle of Love.

Thank you for joining us on Kasih’s journey.

When the Lord met Moses on Mt Sinai He proclaimed His name as

“ The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” Exodus 34:6

Truly, God is compassionate and abounding in love. God loves you Kasih!

Nicole

I am constantly amazed at the way in which God can bring things together.
What are the chances that Nicole and I from New Zealand would end up visiting a clinic in Indonesia at the same time that Kasih’s family visited the clinic seeking a miracle of hope for her future?  What are the chances that Kurt and Laura from Adelaide would also be there at the same time, and that our search for a hospital to do Kasih’s surgery would put her on the path to the Royal Adelaide Hospital - just down the road from Kurt and Laura’s church - a community that supports many Indonesian families and needs - and several members who have visited the very same medical Clinic that Kasih attended.

What are the chances of that happening?  I don’t think it’s chance - I think something much bigger than us works to bring good in this world - God acts when we believe and take action - Nicole and I (and every other person journeying with us) believe that Kasih deserves a chance - and this fundraising is our faith in action.  We believe that God has created the amazing circumstances so far, to have a support team for Kasih in Adelaide, and everywhere else that she will need to travel on this road to recovery.

It’s been less than 48 hours since we sent out the first emails telling everyone about www.kasihmeanslove.com and Kasih’s fundraising needs.  Already we have raised over AUD$1000.00 from supporters far and wide - Jakarta, Bankok, Melbourne, South Australia, NSW, Christchurch (New Zealand).

This is amazing - Kasih’s family need to arrange marriage certificates, birth certificates, then visa applications and passports - they will have to travel to Jakarta probably to get this sorted - it can take two days of travel each way to make that happen…. so we have reached step one - getting the preparations for travel underway…

Please spread Kasih’s message far and wide - send it to all your friends and contacts - ask them to help a little so that Kasih’s story can bring hope to her village and a smile to her family for a long long time to come.

Warmly

Lisa