The perseverance and commitment of a Catholic nun, who has started raising funds through a chain of emails and Facebook, has helped raise money needed for a delicate operation for a poor woman suffering from a severe disease.
This
is just one example of Franciscan Sister Klara Duha and the wider
Catholic world’s actions in favour of poor people in Indonesia.
And without distinguishing between Christians and Muslims, it embraces the faithful of all religions.
While constituting only 3% of the total population of
Indonesia - the world's most populous Muslim country - Catholics have
launched several initiatives for the needy, giving hope to those who
have no access to health care.
In Gungung Sitoli, the island of Nias, North Sumatra province, Franciscan
Sister Klara Duha has promoted and followed in person a fundraising
initiative – over a two month period - to find the money for the
treatment a woman suffering from " rectovaginal fistula. "
Yarn Helawa’s disease emerged during the birth of their first child. The birth had complications that led to the death of the child. Since
then the young woman had problems, for the formation of a hole between
the rectum and vagina; the dysfunction caused serious problems and is
only curable with surgery.
The fundraiser sponsored by the sister and her friendship
with Linda Nurtjahja Wijasa, human rights activist in the capital, has
allowed them to gather the funds necessary for the operation, which took
place in a hotel in North Jakart, through emails and Facebook.
The surgery was performed successfully and now the woman has recovered the "full" function of her genital organs.
"As a doctor - says Linda Nurtjahja Wijasa – I am personally called to practice love and charity towards others. I would like to share [love and hope] as we are morally obliged to do as Catholics".
The
doctor recalled the support received Catholic colleagues from Atma Jaya
and Carolus hospitals, adding, " the interest expressed by dozens of
people in Yarn Helawa’s story touched me very much”.
Sister Klara Duha’s work for the poorest, however, began
in 2002 when her father was able to help a "desperate" Muslim whose son
needed emergency surgery in Medan.
To find the money the
religious launched a fundraising campaign, stressing that the work of
charity "had nothing to do with religious belief" or any interests of
proselytism.
A second humanitarian project concerns Threes Rita, a lay
Catholic woman from the parish of St. James in Engadine Kelapa, North
Jakarta, strongly supported by Fr. Madya Utama, a Jesuit priest and theologian, along with many activists in the capital.
Their efforts have allowed to being a woman suffering from breast cancer, to a Catholic hospital in Surakarta in central Java.
Catholic personalities have joined the initiative in Indonesia, including the activist Mieke, Fr. Madya Utama and Dr. Irene Setiadi, together with the bishop of Palangka Raya Mgr. AM Sutrisnaatmaka.
Today Sister Paula is taking care of women undergoing rehabilitation after surgery.