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October 20th Update
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Home » Expat Community Organizations » How you can Help October 20th Update |
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We are concentrating today to build the Ubud based volunteer teams and increase the flow of communications and joint efforts. There is a meeting at Bali Hati today 10am to try any increase the strength and organization of volunteer teams, that are supporting the work on the ground. ------------------------------------------------ VOLUNTEER & FOUNDATION UPDATES: Efforts to help those in need are becoming more consolidated and organized all the time. For example: NOTES OF THE MEETING HELD AT SANGLAH HOSPITAL SATURDAY 19/10/02 Present were representatives from: Doctors are all paid, volunteers are not. Needs that were identified were: A. Familes of deceased: Counseling, Employment, Educating kids, Funeral
expenses Other groups (not listed here) working with the same objectives are invited to join the next meeting which will be tomorrow at 3pm. ------------------------------------------------ UPDATES FROM MEDIA TEAM: A series of articles are almost ready for publication, media watch is underway and we are looking for more volunteers to help us with the increasing workload. For more info contact: ------------------------------------------------ A NETWORK FORUM has been established to try and increase the flow of information between various groups and individuals who are working hard to support. They will join the Bali Hati Volunteer meeting to day to look at needs and try and match those to resources that are available. ------------------------------------------------ IF YOU ARE IN BALI Join an established volunteer team, send them a list of your specific skills, and resources that you are able / willing to put at the disposal of the efforts. IF YOU ARE IN THE UBUD AREA Please call Casa Luna's hotline at 973283. If you have photographs that can be used to explain to the world the incredible human effort that is happening here in Bali please send them to the media team so we can get the message out. BY EMAIL PLEASE SEND ONLY LOW RESOLUTION JPGS (MAX 300K) SO OUR EMAIL DOESN'T GET JAMMED OR DROP OFF HARD COPIES / HIGH RESOLUTION SCANS TO THE OFFICE AT BALI HATI. ------------------------------------------------ PEOPLE EITHER IN OR OUTSIDE OF BALI A quick note to everyone that is forwarding our updates on, first of all thank you! we seem to be reaching many many people who are grateful for the opportunity to receive this direct account from the ground in Bali. Also please make sure that you are putting the people you are sending this message to as BCC recipients to protect the privacy of your friends as this email is circulating widely. Thanks. ------------------------------------------------ HOW THE BALINESE ARE COPING: "Normalizing the Soul" by Rucina Ballinger The Balinese live equally in two worlds, the tangible (sekala) and the intangible or unseen world (niskala). The daily tasks that one must do in order to survive do not exist only in the sekala world, as Balinese cannot live without paying homage or acknowledging the niskala world. This could be as simple as honking when going past a graveyard or crossroads (considered to be magically powerful places which need permission to pass) to elaborate purification rituals for the village. When someone in a Balinese family has an accident, a run of bad luck or illnesses, s/he will consult with a trance medium to try and find out why this has been occurring. More often than not, the trance medium (balian) will tell them that certain types of offerings must be made in order to bring harmony and balance into the body and soul. The belief is that by sending the essence of these offerings to the niskala world of spirits, deified ancestors and gods, that the spirits there will receive the offerings, be pleased and assist in normalizing the situation. If an accident has occurred where blood has spilled, offerings will be proffered at the site in order that the spirits of chaos (who are drawn to blood and illness) will not bother the spirit of the affected individual. What has happened in Kuta is inconceivable. The amount of bloodshed and horror cannot be reconciled. Ghosts of the bodies which have not been recovered are said to be hovering there and forces of evil are palpable. The entire island has become leteh or polluted and mass cleansings has been going on all week. One way the Balinese can find balance is through prayer, mediation
and the giving of offerings to their gods. Every Balinese Hindu
household has a family temple in the most sacred area of the grounds.
And every village has at least three major temples. One of the ways to
achieve harmony at this time is by putting a pejati penaur bayu offering in one's family or village temple. This particular offering is
meant to normalize the soul or to bring balance and sustenance back to
a person's spirit. Bayu is one's energy, which if not controlled or if out of whack, can do damage to
oneself or to others. This offering, says Ida Ayu Alit, an offering
specialist in Peliatan, Ubud, is meant to calm you down so that you "won't
be shocked or influenced by the bad things around us". After the
horrific bombings that occurred last week, all of Bali is hurting and
one way to help heal the spirit is through this particular offering. Try and imagine thousands of people worshipping at the same time in their
home and village temples, asking for closure and balance. According to the high priest
Ida Padanda Gede Putra Telabah of Denpasar, the upcoming full moon (October
21st) is the ideal time to meditate and "cool down" and ask forgiveness
from God. How can people donate money? To give U.S. tax deductible donations to the relief effort in Bali, please send your checks to: Bali Hati Foundation Please make checks payable to "Bali Hati Foundation". A receipt for your donation will be mailed to you. Bali Hati Foundation is legally registered in the US under the umbrella of The National Heritage Foundation. *NOTE: We would like to set up a similar account in the UK, Canada and Australia. If anyone has a suggestion of a charitable foundation that would provide this service for the Bali Relief Fund, please communicate directly with: casalunafund@yahoo.com In Bali, donations can be sent from anywhere via bank transfer to: BANK BALI CAB. UBUD, GIANYAR, INDONESIA In Bali, cash donations can also be given directly to volunteers at Casa Luna Restaurant on Jalan Raya in Ubud, or to Dewata Scooter Club volunteers. Receipts are provided, along with later acknowledgment in the Bali Post newspaper. This information can also be found on the following websites: Please call Casa Luna's hotline at 973-283, or email casalunafund@yahoo.com if you have any questions.
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