Kiliki-Kawan

Yesterday I came back from Kiliki-Kawan, a village near Ubud. Karen and I went up as part of our team’s efforts to outreach to nearby villages. This project is being spearheaded by Victor who lives in Kiliki with his wife Kimur. Dan and I went up the first time, not knowing what to expect. Victor took us by car to his house (house is an understatement–it is a beautiful piece of Balinese architecture, built by his father over 30 years ago) where we had a our first hot shower in many days. the next morning we went to Pangin Wahan, another small village. we unpacked our kit of travel acupuncture supplies at the townhall and one of the villagers rang a huge wooden bell to announce that we were ready to go. We treated over 100 patients that day. When Karen and i went up again it was to a different village. we met some more complicated cases there, including a little girl with Cerebral Palsy named Rini. Dan had treated her earlier and I was able to treat her again. When Dan first treated her she could barely open her hand. After just one treatment she was much better. After her second treatment she was better again. So we invited her and several other folks who were challenging cases from the village to come down to Ubud where we would have more time and resources to work with them. One of these was a woman who I diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Wayan is only 18, had a 3 1/2 year old daughter and we all felt that much of what was going on with her had to do with family pressures. As a daughter-in-law she is living isolated from her birth family, obviously married very young. Young couples are under tremendous pressure to have children and the mom’s an dad’s we see are so very young. Victor later told me that when arrangements were being made for our patients to come here to Bumi Sehat, Wayan didn’t know where Ubud was. For those of you who have never been to Bali, that is as if you lived in Oakland and had never heard of San Francisco, or lived in Brooklyn but didn’t know where Manhattan was. It is tough on the young women because when they marry they have very little say over what direction their lives will go. There is tremendous pressure on them to have babies right away, and especially boys.

the village bell, and townhall

dan showing rini’s family how to massage

kimur, alejandro and victor

xmas in bali

Just came from a very sweet gathering at Ibu Robin’s house. It is built in a traditional Baliniese style which means that there is no separation between inside and outside–the green of the leaves and fronds fill your vision as you sit under the shelter of the main hall roof. usually 2 or three sides are open-air and the rain falling creates as much of a wall as any other kind of material. We gathered all family of Bumi Sehat, whether staff or volunteers or loyal supporters. We held hands an began with a song of call and response led by Michael Franti (!) who is visiting here and a friend of Bumi Sehat. It was so sweet to look around the circle and see so many faces I already know, warm smiles and beautiful people. We feasted on traditional balinese food mixed with turkey (no idea how Robin pulled that off!) and cranberry sauce and young coconuts cut open to create natural cups of delicious water. I made friends with several young kids and a couple of puppies. Our group was embraced by this amazing community so much that we all felt at home. We sang songs and enjoyed beautiful music from Robin’s husband Will and sons, and Michael sang a song or two. It was a welcome respite for everyone and even the midwives all got to attend as there were (miraculously) no women in labor for the entire day.

I feel very blessed to be a part of this community to day and to be able to do the work we came here to do. I am also holding all of you in my heart, and wishing you all warmth and joy.

circle prayer

xmas feast

jamming

my new friend elinana and her friend puppy-puppy

In The Whirlwind

It’s sunday morning here at Bumi Sehat and for the first time quiet and calm. We arrived last week around this time and since then have been working non-stop. Bumi Sehat is an amazing organization with world renowned midwife Robin Lim at the helm and a talented staff serving Balinese families from villages far and wide. We have been working in the acupuncture clinic that was set up by the energetic Bobbi Aqua to treat the women who come for birthing as well as the general population and village kids. We are running several clinics here: a general clinic 3 days a week for anyone and anything, a pre-natal clinic twice a week, and pediatrics 3 times a week (2 of those days are dedicated to special needs kids with cerebral palsy and other congenital defects). As if that weren’t enough we also did a day up north in a village town hall treating 130 people with “guerrilla acupuncture” for all kind of ailments running from rheumatic pain to hepatitis and TB. Meanwhile, throughout all of this activity we are treating moms in labor (I’ve already attended and treated at 2 births) as well as inducing labor when needed, and doing post-natal treatments. All in all it has been an amazing and very busy first week!!

The clinic at Bumi Sehat

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A young patient.

We helped this mom progress with delivery. Ibu Robin said she had only a 10% chance of delivering vaginally and she did it!!!

Ubud

Arrival

We made it! Stumbling into our lodging past midnight–met by a very helpful and patient clerk who checked us in. We have 2 days here in Kuta to catch up on sleep and prepare for the trip to Ubud. We spent a chunk of our first day unpacking everything from our bags–which fortunately all got through customs though we had some explaining to do as to why we were packing so much medicine! We did a thorough inventory and repacked everything by category: acupuncture supplies, herbs, baby clothes donated from Wyoming, and yoga mats for a studio in Ubud who will use them for kids to sleep on who have no where else to go. Here’s Dan’s lovely photo of some of our supplies. We calculated that we will be using approx 60,000 needles while we are here!

Bali is as beautiful as everyone says, and the people as friendly. Our late night arrival was softened by the incredible scent of frangipani filling the courtyard of our hotel. It has been a good and important moment to catch our breath and tune into our new surroundings.

en route

Writing on the plane from JFK. 12 hrs to Tokyo, 2 hrs layover then 6 more to Indonesia. When we arrive we will have been traveling for 24 hrs. Bleary eyed already from long hours of preparation we were blessed with an auspicious beginning of our journey with a bump up to business class by a friendly ticket agent at 6:00am at JFK. I had been joking with a friend that after the hours and days and months of preparation for this trip having to sit still for 24 hours with only my books and ipod would be a welcome relief–and that I was looking forward to my airplane spa.. well as I sit in my magically reclining seat with a hot towel just delivered to wash the NY grittiness off, followed by sake and appetizers and a huge delicious meal, my joke has become prophetic. Japan Airlines rocks!

(Entering the blog from Dan’s computer in the JAL Narita business lounge… nice!)

Dan, Frank and I met up at the airport this morning, each checking 2 bags full of medical supplies. Estimated total weight: 200 lbs of donated supplies and special purchases with funds raised by family, friends and associates. So we truly are carrying all of you with us. In a few days Karen and Sara will arrive also toting donated supplies as well as portable radios so we can communicate between our sites.

Last weekend was the final training course, this one in obstetrics. We learned how to use acupuncture to help a woman go into labor, relax during labor, support the fetus, reduce pain of contractions, even help expel a retained placenta. We hope to try some of these new skills at Bumi Sehat–though if I was in Oakland Vanessa W. might let me try a few tricks! (good luck V!)

Now the preparation is done, and we are heading for a great adventure–both of terrain and the human spirit. Here goes!