Because of God's Providence
(A Journey of Faith, Healing, and Gratitude)
The Beginning of Writing
Today, after a video call with Pastor Chris Santie MSC in Manado and receiving a blessing, I felt a strong urge to write this autobiography. This is an expression of gratitude for my miraculous recovery from Covid-19 in Yokohama thanks to the help of the Lord Jesus .
1. Childhood & Refuge (1949 – 1953)
1949: Born in Lahat, South Sumatra.
1950: Evacuated to Palembang due to the uncertain situation in Lahat (a transitional period after the Dutch left, before the Indonesian government was formed). Many kidnappings occurred.
Memories: Grandpa (my mother's father), a Bukit Asam coal miner who helped build the Tanjung Enim railway, cleaned his pistol in front of the house while we were terrified inside. Grandpa decided to take us to Palembang to seek refuge.
1951: Sea voyage to Jakarta as a refugee with her mother who was pregnant with her 5th child, nauseous and had headaches.
Memories of Nearly Being Thrown Away: While on the ship, I was constantly fussing and crying because of the numerous boils on my head and the shaking of the waves. My frantic mother almost threw me overboard, but luckily , my nanny hugged me tightly and pleaded, "Don't, young lady... don't..."
1951 – 1953: Arrived in Jakarta and lived in the Kayoa (Roxy) area with Emak, Engkong, and Mama's younger siblings.
2. Life in Grogol New Town (1953 – 1975)
1953 – 1975: Moved and grew up in the newly opened residential area, namely Kota Baru Grogol (named after the Grogol Mental Hospital).
The Scene at That Time: The sky across the Grogol River was still filled with thousands of bats and sparrows. The Trisakti area was still a cemetery at the time. The Grogol Reservoir was planted with tilapia, where we would fish once or twice a year and swim.
3. Family, Education & Medical Career Journey (1968 – 1991)
1968 – 1973: Medical Education (FKUI).
1974 – 1980: Psychiatric Specialist Education.
1975: Married after a 6 year waiting period.
Childbirth (Assisted by Dr. Eddy Katimansah):
1976: First child born healthy. (In 1987, he had his first petit mal seizure; in 2005 he was seizure-free; and since 2015 he has been able to work part-time.)
1978: 2nd child born.
1981: 3rd child born.
1980: Study/assignment trip to India for 10 weeks (4 weeks in Chandigarh, 2 weeks in New Delhi, 4 weeks in Bangalore).
1983 – 1988: Assigned as a psychiatrist to Manado. (Returned to Jakarta in 1988).
1986: Had the opportunity to study opiate addiction in Chiang Mai and Bangkok, Thailand.
1989 – 1991: Studied child psychiatry at FKUI.
4. New Chapter in Vancouver & Life's Trials (1998 – 2013)
June 1998: Evacuated to Vancouver, Canada. Stayed temporarily at Cik Giok Tin's house and started life from scratch.
August 1998: Helped by Fr. Edwin Budiman to live at Guardian Angel Parish, Vancouver.
July 2000: Moved to the Boundary area.
2009: A house in Boundary caught fire. Thankfully, everyone survived and the furnace did n't explode.
November 2012 – May 2013: Farida was ill with lymphoma and experienced a miraculous healing after attending a retreat in February 2013 in Hamilton, Seattle, WA.
5. Miracle of Covid-19 Healing (2020)
January – February 2020: Took a cruise on the Diamond Princess cruise ship .
March 2020: Contracted COVID-19 and spent 24 days in Yokohama Hospital (including 6 days on a ventilator). By God's grace, he recovered and returned to Ottawa on March 8, 2020.
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