Vee: A Child with A New Life

My name is Vee. I am nine-years old.

A few months ago, I told you my story. I used to live in Pedongkelan, Central Jakarta in a house which we rent with the money I earned from singing in the streets. My mother used to beat me up if I don’t earn enough money.

I live a new life now.

I have been adopted by Yabes Ministry and live with my elder sister, Dah.

I live in a clean and safe house and go to school every day.

The house is called Jabez House. Living with me are my elder sister Dah and 2 other girls and 2 boys. We are cared for by 3 teachers, Kak Kristin, Kak Rina and Kak Sari. They are my new family.

I share a room with the girls. The boys also share one room and the teachers share a room too.

We each have a foldable mattress and we share the same cupboard.

Every morning, we wake up at 5am. If we don’t, Kak Kristin or Kak Rina will tickle us until we get up. We take turns in bathing in the bathroom and cleaning up. We pray and read our devotions. Although Kak Kristin or Kak Rina prepare our meals, we pack our own bag lunches to bring to school. Kak Kristin and Kak Rina will always eat with all of us together.

Kak Kristin will drop us off at school and pick us up after school. We take the public transport all the time.

When we come back from school, we follow a timetable and do our chores like sweeping, mopping and clearing our room. We wash and iron our own clothes.

At the beginning, I was very surprised of the many rules of living in this new house. I had to learn to be clean – cleaning myself and my home. I had to learn to follow the time – to wake up on time, time to go to school, time to do the chores and time to study.

When I was singing and begging in the streets, I could sleep and play whenever I want. The money that I earn I can use it to buy food or anything I want.

Now, we are encouraged to change all these habits. We cannot fight or use dirty words, we cannot be disrespectful or argue or sulk. Kak Kristin and Kak Rina would give us points if we have good habits. If we make a mistake, they will take away our points. At the end of each month, the child who has the highest points will get a reward.

We attend the Budi Darma School which is close to our home. At the start of the lessons, we pray. Kak Kristin and Kak Rina also lead us in prayer and bible study at home.

But what I like to do the most is to learn. All these rules and chores are new to me. What we learn and do in school is new to me. But it is so much fun to tell Kak Kristin and Kak Rina at the end of the day, what I have learnt in school.

Every Friday afternoon, we will go for fellowship at Cempaka Mas. It is near where I used to live. I am allowed to meet with my mother and Merry and Kristian (my siblings).

My mother has not contacted me since I left to live in Jabez House. I miss Merry and Kristian very much. I love them very much. When I see little children, they make me think of my brother and sister.

Would I want to go back to my old home to take care of my brother and sister again? No. When I came to Jabez, my teachers made us write a commitment to learn seriously. As I started learning in school and living in Jabez House, I begin to really like to learn.

What do I want to be when I grow up? I want to be a doctor.

When I was still living with my family, my mother hoped that I would be become a doctor to help and treat many people, especially those who are less able.

Written by Wong Kah Wei and Briggitte Chandrawidjaya