Operation Oasis

Written by Chan Gin Kai.

 
Lombok, Indonesia... A land of majestic beauty. A place for tranquil retreat.

 
A juxtaposition of luxurious comfort, and rural poverty


Three of us jogged up a hill to try to catch the sunrise. The sky was clear and the air was fresh. But up the steep slope, the jog became a slog.


And then we heard the children’s laughter, crystal clear and joyful, as they made their way up the hill. Serendipity? Or perhaps an epiphany? This was a moment that changed our lives...

 
We followed them up the winding path, to a school upon the hill. We saw broken down classrooms that the students could no longer safely use. And a canteen we’ll never allow our kids to buy food from. But it was a canteen only a few among them could afford.

 
And then we saw the water-tanks… Two holes dug into the ground, lain with a ground sheet to catch rainwater. One hole was for washing and the other for drinking. The only difference between them? The one for drinking had metal sheet covers.

 
And we learnt from their only English speaker, the English teacher: Some students walk 8km to school. That’s 2 hours each way, 4 hours everyday, up and down the hill. Drop out rates are high, and we needn’t wonder why… We’ve walked the distance, felt their environment, and seen their poverty. Yet Education is their only way out.


And a quiet question grew within our minds… What if we could do something for these children?

 
After some fundraising barbecues, persuasions and presentations, the overwhelming generosity of the donors fulfilled our dream to return 6 months later...

 
The completion of the water-tank!