Patients throng Alternative Healing House in Purworejo

By Tarko Sudiarno and Nugroho CH

PURWOREJO, Central Java (JP): A young lady from Jakarta was shocked when her doctor told her that the only way to save her life was to remove the tumor inside her womb. And that means the fetus she was carrying, which would be her first born, have to be "sacrificed".

At the height of her despair, she visited Father Handoyo Lukman in Purworejo, Central Java. A Catholic priest, Father Lukman is an expert in alternative medicine. He decided that the young lady would need no operation.

Through a healing process that uses the Magnetis Radiesthesi (Magnetic Radioaesthesis) method and complemented by a tonic made of herbs concocted by Father Lukman himself, the tumor inside the lady's womb disappeared.

The fetus in her womb also grew normally and she gave birth to a healthy baby. She named her baby Lukman Yunior, after the priest, in appreciation of his great service.

The photograph of Lukman Yunior and his parents is now on the wall of The Alternative Healing House on Jl. Sudirman, Purworejo. The photograph of Yunior's family is surrounded by the photographs of other children who were born thanks to the help of the healers at the Alternative Healing House, chaired by Father Lukman.

Father Lukman and his team in this center have also successfully enabled childless couples who have been married for a long time to have at least a child of their own.

Other patients with different complaints ranging from simple ailments to serious diseases like cancer, have been cured at the Alternative Healing House by the healers who have been trained by Father Lukman. Many have also come for help to find a life partner.

In fact, many businesspeople have come to seek ways to make their businesses more profitable or to curb work place accidents.

The Alternative Healing House is under the Romo Loogman Foundation. It was inaugurated by the then Regent of Purworejo H. Goernito on July 2, 2000. There has never been such a great Alternative Healing House in Indonesia. It took Father Lukman a long time before he could see his plan for an alternative healing center materialize.

Father Lukman acquired the alternative healing expertise using the Magnetic Radioaesthesis method by accident. This Dutch- Indonesian missionary was stationed as a priest in Purworejo in 1974. Amid his priestly activities, he managed to visit many of his church members who were ill. Most of them were villagers who didn't have enough money to buy medicines. He also visited the sick who were of different religions.

"For us, illness has nothing to do with religion. We are open to anybody," said J. Purwo Dwiatmodjo, deputy director of the Alternative Healing House.

Strongly motivated to help his fellow people, Father Lukman began to diagnose diseases with a ballpoint while at the same time writing down its prescription from the herbs that were easily found in the yard. Many of his patients were cured. Ever since then, people from many places came to see him.

As Father Lukman's patients increased, his church activities began to be disrupted. Fortunately a local businessman by the name of Tjio Oei Biauw allowed Father Lukman to use the second floor of Jaya Hotel, that he owned, as a "hospital ward". More patients began to come to this new place. To cope with ever increasing number of patients, Father Lukman began to train a number of people in this healing method of Magnetic Radioaesthesis.

As his practice continued to develop and thanks to the support and help of others, Father Lukman's alternative hospital that he was long dreaming of eventually came true.

The hospital was built on Jl. Gen. Sudirman, Purworejo. It was equipped with various facilities like a spacious parking lot, a waiting room and a Musholla (a place where Muslims perform their religious duties).

When the Alternative Healing House was established it was beset with problems. First Father Lukman's practice room was invaded by thousands of dog fleas ( kutu anjing ). Then many of Lukman's assistants began to suffer from headaches for unknown reasons. It was suspected that these disturbances were caused by people who were worried that their businesses might decline because of the healing house," said Purwo Dwiatmodjo.

According to Purwo, the Magnetic Radioaesthesis healing technique is not the same as alternative healing practiced by psychics. In this technique the negative effects of the earth's radiation are neutralized by a device called the neutralizer. There are 11 kinds of neutralizers beginning from those made from ordinary metals to gold. These neutralizers can be planted in the ground in the home area or work area belonging to the patient or can be worn by the patient.

Farther Lukman and his staff have also succeeded in creating 47 kinds of capsules, 17 kinds of boiled jamu (tonic made of medicinal herbs) and 66 different kinds of medicine that use herbs as its basic ingredient. One of father Lukman's assistants, Liliana Indrajaya, handles the production of jamu in Bogor, West Java.

Purwo said the Alternative Healing House is merely offering an alternative if conventional medicines fail. According to Purwo, medical therapies and the Magnetic Radioaethesis method are complementary. The House is open to patients on Mondays and Tuesdays. On these two days the House's waiting room will most likely be packed with hundreds of patients.

"As every member of the staff works hard for two consecutive days, they are given off on Wednesdays," Purwo explained.

Thursdays are when letters from patients are answered. "Nevertheless, if there are patients who come on unscheduled days, we won't turn them away," Purwo added.

The house is open on Fridays from 2 p.m to 5 p.m. Meanwhile, Saturdays are reserved for benefactors. "They have helped us a great deal. So, it is fair to give them a special service," Purwo said.

Despite the many patients, the management of the Alternative Healing House resists the temptation to commercialize it. Their main objective is to do social service. In line with their objective, patients are only charged Rp 6,000, which includes the cost of the medicines they receive.

"We will also consider the patient's economic background. If they are poor and unable to pay, we will waive the costs," Purwo said.

In fact, if there are poor patients who require medical attention, the Alternative Healing House will help refer them to the Panti Rapih Hospital in Yogyakarta. The Romo Loogman Foundation will pay for all their expenses. "We remain committed to serving the people and are not interested in turning this into a profitable business," Purwo said.