Dear Friends,
Today, I ventured to an exciting part of Jakarta to meet some new friends, 24 to be exact. My new friends attend Sekolah Bisa! (SB!) that is strategically located in the Bodyshop compound in Bintaro. The school name includes the "!" because it simply shouts... "Yes, we can!"

Conceived, designed and managed by students in the IB Diploma program at The British International School, SB! is a life-enhancing institution for 25 shanty-dwelling primary-age Indonesian children who formerly did not enjoy access to school. It has also won many international awards. Awesome, isnt it?

(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sekolah-BISA/183193601711840?fref=ts)

My new friends live on a shanty but this quote taken off SB!'s facebook website sums up how I feel about them... "Witty, artful, spontaneous, expressive. Wasted on a shanty. Wonderful at a school." Many of these children lived in Bulaken, a waste-dumping site. Not long ago, their houses were destroyed to make way for a new development. But in the turmoil of being re-homed, many of these children still appeared focused and happy. How extra-ordinary SB! children are.

Their ages may range from five to thirteen years, but their enthusiasm in getting to know me was equally heightened, as they settled down to listen to my story. The two hours I spent at SB! was packed with memorable moments. There was story-telling by Kak A'ang. I was awfully surprised that the children could remember my parents' names. Can you?

They all had a blast coloring and did their best to make Didgit rainbow colorful. Cici, Ikki and Rahmat took meticulous care to make me gorgeous on paper. Thank you, my SB! friends. The older SD kids attempted doing sketches of my parents, Piko and Tera.. They did such a good job too!

Please go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Didgit-Cobbleheart/192806127441999 to check out their drawings. Anik and CiCi volunteered to re-tell the story, and Ramadan and Andik also did a commendable job for the boys' team as well.

Today, I received a pleasant surprise as well. A TV crew was interviewing and filming a family of 4 children who attend SB! and they decided to visit SB! as well. I was so excited at the sight of the man with the huge video-camera.

This man made footage of our bags, plants and brought the camera so up-close to the kids that many were so excited and happily posed for him.

Before I knew it, my time with the SB! children was over as they gathered in the Bodyshop pondopo for lunch. As I said goodbye, my heart filled with pride at having made friendships with such motivated, resilient, spontaneous and happy children.

Till we meet again, my Sekolah Bisa! friends...

Yours truly,
Didgit