Rina and her young children

Ever since meeting Rina and her two children in November 2011, I have made regular visits to the town of Weleri where they live, bringing them food, clothing, and toys .... and talking to them, giving them hope for better education and better life. I encouraged Rina and her husband to let Melanie (11) attend school in Semarang after elementary school. I assured them that Mitch and I would give her better education and hope for better future.

The family lives in a small 3 bedroom home with a dirt floor where they rent one of the rooms for the 4 of them. The other 2 bedrooms are also occupied by small families. Twelve people share one bathroom and one "kitchen" .... a u-shape brick stack full of ashes that looks like a small camp fire on which they place the pot to boil rice, cook vegetables and fry bananas and casavas. Many underprivileged families cook their meals using this open fire.... if they have the food to cook.

The family came to stay at our house in the city several times. By developing a good relationship with them, I can only hope that the family will accept my offer to sponsor Melanie to get a better education in Semarang. Without our help, Melanie (like many children) will only be able to finish elementary school because further schooling is not free in Indonesia. During my May visit this year, I received a word from Rina's husband, Rofa, that they support my idea of bringing Melanie to Semarang after she finishes elementary school in 2013.