This is the loosely translated version of a letter that appeared in CIS (Center for Internally Displaced People Service) website. Wiston Rondo is the head of this volunteer service, and here is his letter.
“After 6 years of marriage, finally the Lord allowed us to have a beautiful daughter that was born on June 20, 2007. This was after my wife, Pastor Desiana Rondo Effendy had to go through 4 separate miscarriages over the years. We were so delighted and happy for the most delightful grace that we have received.”
We named the beautiful baby girl Liliane Gratia Imanuela Rondo, and we were so grateful for the grace of God after these long waiting years. Gratia was born via a C-section since Alfonsium Anapaku MD had diagnosed that the placenta had dried and there was no sign for a normal child birth. At that time, the heart beat of the baby could not be detected since the signal was too weak. After this long and tensed C-section procedure, Gratia finally was born with a total length of 51 cm (20.8 inches) and 3.1 kg (6.8 lbs).
Gratia seems to be healthy and fat, even though her body looks slightly jaundice and pale. She also drank bottled milk without any difficulty. On the 5th day, Simplicia Fernandes MD (Pediatrician) told us when we took her for a check up that she thought Gratia had a VSD (Vertricular Septal Defect) or a hole between the lower heart chambers based on the noise the could be discerned from her heart. However, she suggested to check further with pediatrician in Surabaya or Jakarta. We were shocked and horrified, since Gratia looked so healthy. Out of frustration we took her to see two other pediatricians, Sammy Nalley MD, and Frans Taolin MD. The two doctors drew the same conclusions, however they said even though there was some indications of VSD, but it might be relatively small and in most cases like this, there could be some self-healing process with the grown of the babies and the nutrients they received. The doctors did the normal chek up and she also got her immunization shots.
After 3 months we started to see the conditions of Gratia diminished, with little improvement in her size and weight. She had more breathing problems, crying a lot and hard to swallow milks. Her caughing had never improved, her breathing rate seems to be faster and faster even though while she was sleeping. Since the condition never improved, one week after her baptism, with Simplicia MD’s encouragement and recommendation, we then took her to have a check up at Harapan Kita (Our Hope) Cardiovascular Center in Jakarta. On September 28, after a series of check ups via EKG, ECHO, X-ray and blood test, Poppy Roebiono MD concluded that there were at least 3 different holes in the septum (the wall between the chambers) of our beloved daughter Gratia with a variation of size up to 9mm. Prof. Bambang, another pediatric cardiologist also concluded that there was some infections in the lung due to the heart problem.
Doctors recommended to get a heart surgery and gave the family 2-week time to consider. We could only felt so sad and depressed since we have never thought that our beautiful and funny baby turned out to carry such a tragic burden. We called all our friends and families and requested their support in prayer, and we still hope that the miracle of our Lord Jesus would happen. We deeply believe Gratia is own by God and every way or intentions of God is always beautiful even though it is often bitter and hard to be understood by mortals like us.
Now our family is worried on what to tell doctor Poppy on October 10 for their plan to operate Gratia’s heart. We were overwhelmed by the amount of fee that we have to pay for this operation. Day-to-day I’m only an activist of an NGO at CIS TIMOR Volunteers Organization. Our duty is to manage the former refugees from East Timor in different refugee camps in Belu District near the border to East Timor. My wife Desy is a pastor of GMIT (Gereja Masehi Injil Timor or Protestant Evangelical Church of Timor) with a small congregation in the region of Airkom, 40 km from Kupang.
I’m writing this letter and asking for your prayer and a possible help with Gratia’s operation. We are very sorry to come to you with this request, but we sincerely believe that we were not alone here. There is always a light at the end of the most darkest tunnel. Right now we are living with a family at Semper-Plumpang of North Jakarta. You can contact us at (+62) 21-4409887, or Wiston CP (+62) 8113-83960 or Desy’s CP (+62) 8113-82643.”
Note: All the volunteers of CIS Timor hope for the support of all the readers of this site that would share with us and pray for the recovery of Gratia – the darling daughter of our brothers Winston and his wife Deasy Effendy.Signed:
CIS Timor Volunteer
Loosely translated by drt.
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I talked to Winston (the father) early this morning and then I talked to Dr. Maria Tan and we decided to make a 3-way call so Winston and Dr. Maria Tan might talk directly. It would be much easier for me to set up a conference call using Skype than expecting Winston to make a phone call from Kupang. Dr. Maria Tan said that Gratia’s situation was different from Lukas, since they found Lukas during the mission to Waingapu, Sumba, however, Dr. Maria Tan gave her moral support for Winston and his family.
I also called my niece in Kupang asking for Dr. Frans Taolin’s phone number. I had talked to Dr. Taolin few times in the past, and we knew each other since one of his cousin was my classmate while I was in college. When I asked whether she knew Dr. Simplicia Fernandez, my niece Enny told me that Dr. Simplicia was her neighbour. I then asked Dr. Simplicia’s phone number too. When I couldn’t get through Dr. Taolin’s phone number, I called Dr. Simpicia Fernandez. She confirmed that she was the one that seeing Gratia and using her stethoscope she thought that Gratia had VSD at that time and suggested them to take Gratia to Jakarta. I’m writing this note to convince our International friends that this story has been checked out by me to the source in my hometown, Kupang, in West Timor, Indonesia.
Birmingham, 11 Oct 2007 (01:01 am)
I just received the letter from Gratia’s father, Winston Rondo that they have to postpone the operation because the money was still not enough. The doctor said that they need to have at least 80 million rupiahs. Winston said that they only have less than 20 million and they have to make final decision in 22 October 2007. So, if you want to support Gratia, please contact his father (Winston): +62 (021) 4409887 (home), +62-811383960 (mobile), or email him directly: w-rondo@telkom.net. In Indonesia you can donate:
Here is the account information:
c/o Winston Rondo,
Bank Mandiri Cabang Moh. Hatta No. 145-0005186198
For International Transfer, the Swift Code is: BEIIIDJA
I will try to up date every news related to Gratia on this side of this blog. Thank you Om Aris.
Elcid
My colleagues John and Amy’s son Ben had to go through some operation few months back so I asked Amy to check this blog and this is what Amy wrote back to me. I have removed some work place related info, and thanks Amy for sharing.
“Yes Aris, this is one of the same “holes” Ben had. He also had an ASD as well, but that was rather small. We experienced the same problems, slow or no weight gain, heavy labored breathing (all the time, even during sleep), etc. The good news is that VSDs are the most common heart defects and can be repaired! There are many many doctors that perform hundreds a year on children and infants and although there is always the chance of death, the odds that a successful surgery will be performed is upwards of 95%. They are costly, and I would imagine $9000 US currency to be grossly underestimated. If there’s anything we can do, please don’t hesitate to ask…..
Amy”
XE.com gave the following Live rates convertion at 2007.10.11 02:07:46 UTC
1.00 USD = 9,087.35 IDR
That means, for 60 million IDR needed, they are still looking for some US$6000. That is not a big number if we can ask the right people. There is also not a big number if we can find 6000 people chip in $1 each. OK, let see if we can make this work.
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