Ovie,  Jakarta

I have always been a sickly child.  Hospitals have become my second home. My parents’ hard-earned money were spent to pay for my treatments.  I am the eldest of four siblings, three girls and one boy.  I was a victim of  leukemia otherwise called blood cancer, and epilepsy.  Having taken too much medicine  since childhood, my kidneys and liver were not functioning well.

Because of my illness, I did not perform well at school, I did not even manage to finish Junior High School.  I suffered fainting spells, foaming at the mouth.  Sunrays had the same effect on me.  These fainting spells could happen any place.  In the end, I became like a girl kept secluded.  I could not associate like other girls my age.  But there was nothing I could do about it.  I obeyed my parents and did not leave the house.  Watching television was my only consolation and entertainment.  I knew about the existence of malls and other places of recreation from watching television only. How I wished to be there in person.  As for love, young people in love, this I learned from the films shown on television.  I did not dare imagine some young man falling in love with me.  When my sadness reached its peak, I was often angry with God for being born to suffer only.

Late in the year 2001, I was hospitalized again.  I was fed up with going in and out of hospitals, but my parents were worried seeing me so weak  the only thing I could was lie down.  I knew that to pay for my hospitalization, my parents had to ask and borrow from relatives and friends.  I therefore chose to be treated as an outpatient.

Night and day I prayed asking for God’s help.  He pointed the way to my recovery when my mother was helping Mrs. Tuty Sarwodi (Mrs. Ning Harmanto’s elder sister) cut the mahkota dewa fruit.  Mrs. Tuty gave me a concoction of mahkota dewa, sambiloto, temulawak, pegagan and dewa leaves.  Though it tasted bitter, I consumed the concoction as directed.  Thanks to God, it was like being granted new strengths.  I did no longer  feel weak, faint, exhausted and  could sleep more soundly.  My health kept improving, and  the fainting spells  never occurred again.

Mrs. Tuty Sarwodi, inquiring about my health, was pleased. My parents’ ordeal, though, was not over yet.  My sister who attended university in Yogyakarta, was stricken by a rather severe illness, and swelling of abdomen and feet.  When she heard about this, Mrs. Tuty Sarwodi gave her the same concoction like she had given me,  but in instant form. Amazingly, within two weeks time the swelling disappeared, and my sister  could attend the university lectures again.

Had I  been able to acquire the mahkota dewa concoction earlier,  perhaps I did not have to endure my prolonged suffering.  But I should not talk hypothetically.  Though late, I thank God for releasing me of my prolonged suffering.