Celebrating Christmas with the handicapped

Primatmojo Djanoe, Contributor, Jakarta

What is on your mind when Christmas is just around the corner? The beautiful and melodious Christmas carols that are sung to praise Jesus Christ? The lights from Christmas trees which twinkle luminously as if inviting us to celebrate the happy day? Or the content and peaceful feelings of attending Mass with the entire family?

What if someone is prevented from experiencing such joyful things because of physical dysfunctions or disabilities? Will Christmas be just another ordinary day to pass by in sorrow?

Not at all. In fact, for disabled people, Christmas is as beautiful and memorable as it is for other people: An inspiring day which inspires the spirit to go on and to survive.

Just like millions of children all around the globe, Murti, a 13-year-old multihandicapped girl, feels her heart pound with excitement when Christmas is near. She expects her Christmas gifts to appear under the Christmas tree, wrapped in colorful paper, and hopes they are exactly those gifts she had dreamed about for years.

This year, her Christmas wishes include a pink gown, a pair of jeans and a pair of shoes. Sadly, it will not be her parents who will hug her warmly and give her presents. Murti, who is blind and mentally retarded, has been living at the Rawinala Education Center for the Multihandicapped for eight years, since the institution rescued her from a scavenger who kidnapped her from her father, demanding a ransom of Rp 250,000 (US$26).

Murti is among Rawinala's 62 students who will be permanently handicapped for the rest of their lives. The student body comprises those with multiple disabilities, including the deaf- blind, the blind and mentally retarded and the blind-mute.

Rawinala is the only educational center for the multihandicapped in Jakarta, and was established by Prof. Dr. Soedarmo of the Jakarta School of Theology (STT Jakarta) in 1973.

Currently, the education center is equipped with a number facilities including a deaf-blind unit, a workshop, a pediatric ward, a voluntary team and a rehabilitation center for children under six years old.

"The children are as eager as a beaver when they talk about Christmas. They keep asking us when the Christmas celebration will be. And their disabilities do not prevent them from participating in the preparations," said Sigit Widodo, Director of Rawinala.

Teachers also nurture the children's enthusiasm in discussing the Christmas spirit, which is everywhere at Rawinala, and which is called Cahaya Hati (The Light of the Heart) in ancient Javanese.

The theme for the center's Christmas celebration varies each year. Last year, the theme was "Celebrating in Togetherness". From parents to students and from children in the pediatric ward to administrative staff, all gathered to enjoy various performances by the students, including a musical ensemble, an angklung (musical instruments made of bamboo) performance, a poetry reading and a vocal group.

A day before the celebration, everyone at Rawinala is overflowing with the Christmas spirit. The students, together with their teachers, joyfully decorate the classrooms and stage, with some rehearsing for the long-awaited performance.

"I will sing a number of songs from White Christmas to Senyum Malam di Bethlehem, and to songs from Iis Dahlia, my favorite singer," said Murti shyly. Surprisingly, singing on stage was not new to Murti.

Murti and seven other members of the Rawinala Vocal Group and Ensemble are frequently invited to perform in Christmas celebrations at malls, churches or even at the offices of multi- national companies.

"Taking part in Christmas celebrations in various places really boosts their self-confidence, showing the public that good education and proper treatment for these children would encourage them to contribute to their communities. For the students, their own talents will help reduce their dependencies on others," explained Sigit.

One cannot help but feel both empathy and sad at the same time when discussing Christmas with Murti. One time, she made us laugh for telling, with her rapid gestures, of how she became impatient one night and tried to jump onto the stage to sing, although it was not yet her turn to perform. Another time, we could only sit in silence listening to her wishes for Christmas this year.

Several children at Rawinala's pediatric ward have the same condition as Murti, Sigit said, and will most likely spend their entire lives here. "We do our best to take care of them, providing them with various activities and continuous therapy. Stagnancy will only make their already limited physical abilities worsen over time."

In essence, Christmas is about rejoicing and being grateful in what God has granted to us, and sharing love with everyone. If we keep this in mind, we will remember that Christmas is more than just a tradition.

"It is the heart that speaks," as Helen Keller, a celebrated deaf-blind writer said, "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they must be felt in the heart."