Bhakti Luhur in Malang, East-Java, Indonesia, provides housing, guidance and care for children and adults that are less privileged and unable to cope with Indonesian society. The aim of Bhakti Luhur is to support children and disabled people, using all possible means. Bhakti Luhur was started in 1959 by the Dutch missionary Paul Janssen. At the same time he created ALMA, an organisation of layman-missionaries. The ALMA manages Bhakti Luhur.

Whom does Bhakti Luhur care for?

In 80 houses in the city of Malang and its surroundings approximately 1200 invalids live, including physically and mentally disabled, homeless and neglected people. There are 175 disabled adults and also a small group of elderly people. However, the majority is under 21 years of age. Most of the children have had a difficult background before entering the Bhakti Kuhur centre.

A place to live

Each house in the centre provides a home and has an average of 15 residents, three qualified nurses and several students. The daily routine is approximately the same as in any average family. At the crack of dawn residents get up, take a bath, get dressed, have breakfast and by 7.00 a.m. go to school or to one of the sheltered workshops. Back home they assist with cleaning the house, play or do their homework. Some of them do excercises as prescribed by their therapists. A day staff lives with the children in the house 24 hours a day. This structure sustains close relationships like in any normal family.

Bhakti Luhur is a place where children feel secure and at home. Adults can develop themselves, sick people receive treatment and the aged may enjoy the last stage of their lives. To fulfill all those tasks a large staff is required. On behalf of ALMA, 800 group leaders are responsible for the education of the children and the supervision of both adults and elderly. To support the development of the children, the schools of Bhakti Luhur are indispensable : nursery and kindergarten for the youngest, primary, secondary, technical and specialized schools for retarded children with learning and physical deficiencies. There is a work therapy centre where young adults receive specialized training in e.g. carpentry, metal, sewing, batiking or clerical duties. These acquired skills should provide an opportunity to earn their own living and to be able to provide for themselves in future.

Schools are expensive. Most of the material used for learning is developed on the teachers' initiative. The workshops of Bhakti Luhur provide the necessary furniture. To learn a profession however, good tools are needed and good tools are very expensive. Many of the disabled residents of Bhakti Luhur need intensive treatment. The centre supports a hospital with several medical and therapy services. With financial support from the Netherlands it has been possible to create an electro-brainscan department, where the health of epileptic patients is checked. Physiotherapy may help physically in improving the body posture by practicing walking, standing and sitting. Occupational therapy provides adapted aids such as wheelchairs, eating implements and toys. Speech therapists help disabled children that have problems with swallowing or have language and speech impediments. Pedagogics is used for children with educational problems, psychology for research and diagnosis. There is play therapy for the severely physically and mentally disabled and work therapy for young adolescents. It seems quite obvious, with all these specialized activities, that a lot is being provided for the benefit of these people. But once again: Both qualified staff and required materials are very expensive. Financial support is therefore most essential.