Collaborating with Tunas Karya Foundation, GHTH has established TTS (Thong Tju Sen) Foundation to help K-12 school students and their families to navigate financial challenges caused by C-19 pandemic. TTS real name is Tjhin Khin Djun. Thong Tju in Khe dialect in Bangka means pig killer and or seller. This is a nickname given to him because he sells pork meat in the market. Born in Litpak or SipHo village near Sungailiat in Bangka Island, South Sumatera province, the young TTS had to walk on a muddy road about 2 hours to reach the nearest school. This, however, did not deter him, but strive, and he even went to China to pursue his education before coming back to Indonesia. He loves education so much that inspires his children, including my family and I (in light green) to continue my studies in the US. I owed him and others (my older brother-Yulianto and my academic advisors) who have helped me. While I will never be able to repay what I had received, I would like to share at least TTS’ life philosophy 永远不要因为艰辛而放弃。决定成功的不是充裕的条件，而是奋斗的精神. It means “success is not determined alone by what and how much resources that one has materially, rather by his or her fighting spirit”. Founded in 2008, GHTH is a means to help, motivate and inspire others who are in needs. Not to quit or give-up when things and life are getting tough because there will always be light at the end of a tunnel.
GHTH also helped to rebuild a church in Rokap, located in eastern Indonesia. With this new worship place the villagers are able to celebrate their first Christmas ever. Sponsored by GHTH, the children in the village received the first Christmas gift from the priest (Romo. Alex Jebadu). After the first mass ever celeberated, villagers get together and having lunch.
“Happiness can be found in the most simplest way, and at the most humble place. One can find happiness by helping others. A small box of cookies makes the children ecstatic. Very simple and humble, yet generate lifetime impacts”
Involvement was also extended to Haiti. Collaborating with the MOP (Ministry of the Poor) Missionary we helped to provide food to the most needy population.
Sharing Resources
Starting on the third week of February 2021, GHTH went in full speed to help others who are financially challenged caused by Covid-19. At the operational level, GHTH forms new way to help students and their family through the TTS Foundation. These activities focus on helping them who are facing great challenges to pay the school tuition. Some of these families have stopped paying the tuition and owing the school as many as 8 months or more in tuition. Covid has added financial burdens to them, who may have experienced economic hardships in life prior to the pandemic. Most of the islands in the area of GHTH’s targeted activities in South Sumatera may have limited economic activities prior to the pandemic. C-19 changed the situation from challenging to worse. Each household has to make a choice, either to buy food or pay the tuition. GHTH through the TTS Foundation is trying to solve these two challenges simultaneously. Kids cannot learn well, while their tummy is rumbling. Therefore, if you happen to read this post, you can contact us and make contributions. However, we would like to remind you that GHTH is a registered non-profit organization in the State of Tennessee. However we are not register as 501(c3). Therefore, your donation should not and cannot be applied to reduce your annual income tax.
GHTH Appreciates and Values Your Participation
GHTH has different point-of-view on the motivation to make donations. We follow the “Poor Widow’s Contribution” principle as written in Luke gospel Chapter 21, verse 1-4. GHTH is trying to make your contributions to have a higher value, not earthly, but heavenly. Motivation is important in giving alms. The amount of money that you give matters–the more donations that you make, the more families can be helped. But, without your generous donations, these economically disadvantaged families’ life will go on. For the Lord will never abandon His children. Even though, it seems that was the case as captured in this Pulitzer winning picture taken by Kevin Carter in Sudan in 1994. The Divine Providence will always keepst His families intact in miraculous ways. For them poverty is not a curse, but special blessings. A ticket to go to heaven through the Creator’s super highway.
To magnify our understanding about the purpose of life, related to this topic, let us invite the readers to read the gospel of Luke Chapter 16:19-31. The parable of the “Rich Man and the Lazarus“. One may say, oh, this is just a parable–nothing will really happen when a person die. That is exactly what one will hear from school children who are uncomfortable in learning mathematical concepts, and say what the classes have anything to do with their life? The school kids can say that, because they are not at the level, at the point in their life, where they can comprehend the importance of knowing mathematical concepts. But, they will, down the road. Perhaps, at that point, it will be too late. Because they are not at the “down the road” point yet, does not mean that mathematical concepts cannot be taught and something that needs to be avoided.
The same parallel can be drawn to understand many parables. One may not be able to comprehend the Words of God, without receiving the wisdom and Divine Providence’s guidance. This “Rich man and the Lazarus” parable is the abstraction of what the reality is–but the reality after one’s death. A person can have the same blessing as Mr. Scrooge (From the Christmas Carol story) has. The question is, how many people will have this incredible opportunity like him? To be alive after visiting the death world? This is the closest way that the Son of Man’s inclination to put it in the human’s context. This is the real deal shared to mankind on how to govern their life, while they still have time to do so. Helping others is the fulfillment of the second secret of life namely “love your neighbor as yourself”. There are so many secrets of life that have been revealed to mankind. Yet, they blind themselves. Human try to find the meaning of life in horrendous ways–through power grasp, telling lies, cheats, coup d’état, money, wealth accumulations, alcohol, drugs, sex and any other kind of world pleasures. This world-defined success, is nothing but imprisonments which led to one’s bigger failures.
Starting in the end of February, GHTH through TTS Foundation has helped paying part of more than 200 students’ tuition debts. While the amount of help is just a drop of water in a bucket, it has given hope to these families. Giving the message of hope will strengthen them, and it has the everlasting impacts. Simultaneously, we also share the food that include items such as rice, cooking oil, sugar and others to the student and their families. There were more than 300 households that have received these small tokens from us. The food was distributed through the students’ school with the help from schools’ principal, teachers and staff. The list below shows where the food donation was shared:
1. Regina Pacis (Kindergarten, Elementary and Middle School) in Tanjungpandan, Belitung island on March 06, 2021.
2. Sharing the blessings in Pangkalpinang; St. Paul Elementary, St.Theresia Middle School and St. Joseph High in Bangka Island on March 1, 2021.
3. Karya Kindergarten and Elementary School, Toboali, Bangka Island.
4. Hilarius Kindergarten and Elementary School in Parittiga, Bangka Island.
5. Santa. Maria Elementary School in Muntok, Bangka Island.
