Volunteer, Rescuer for Lives (27 Desember 2017)

Nothing Venture, Nothing Win. Being volunteer has a very high risk, physically and mentally. And it takes years and tears to fully conquer all the disappointment we have been witnessing over. Even Joseph Dancy and Lorraine (1996) emphasized that we were to embody ourselves through the act of caring, and enrich one another with more “levels of knowing” (wisdom) -notably patience and courage, along with rising truth and hope too. We wish there could be a better way to cope very well with it. But alas, many would rather keep merely lasting with their narrow-minded judgement. Still, we have to realize that volunteer is literally connected to the living of others. Oneday, we might not probably have a look at one as volunteer anymore, but as “rescuer for lives”.

Let It Flow

Here goes nothing. Difficult chance, harder luck; isn’t it? Miserably, honour is basically gained through such untrue success: fame, wealth, prestige, and so achievable things on. More than enough to reflect the way this world is being run every day, right? Consequently, it does apparently matter with people’s nowadays DNA: they spend more time in arguing and complaining rather than acting. How do we come to make this planet-earth a better place to live with less sacrifice?

Alright. Here is my own story which I want to share with everybody who reads this. It has been almost 2 years since I entered the volunteerism’s living. Starting it was very exciting, almost took my breath away. But I was not aware about the unpleasant things awaiting there. Until later, an inevitable shock suddenly came. My parents did not truly grant me for becoming volunteer; notably my father, who contrarily opposed me.

Still, they forcibly threatened me that they would have disowned me hadn’t I obeyed them. I told myself that this couldn’t have been worse. Even my mentor deliberately ignored my ask of help due to all the hardship as I was lacking of fortitude and forbearance as well to face it. I lost confidence, concentration, aim, act, gratitude, faith, and so all the eligibility forth I had before. Everything. Eventually I lost, wandered myself in deep-rooted misery. What else?

It was the hardest test I have ever witnessed. I used to have any grudge, almost put myself living in the hatred for the second time. Half and a year since the incident, I have always been seeking for justice. I keep fighting, fighting, and fighting, but isn’t it all worthy? Thus led me into more disappointment, as one thing did stay the same: disagreement (in family).

There, we need let it flow naturally, in gentleness and courage as well. Accept the fact, admit the circumstance, and acknowledge the truth. Further, one thing is to be remembered. Let our life be our prayer and our happiness unto the universe. That is the worth, the way of living as volunteer, the “rescuer for lives”. Simply follow the honesty from our very heart, believe it, and keep doing the right thing. Surely, it will lead all the man to inescapable happiness someday.

Clearer Vision, Louder Calling, More Responsibility

Rarely have we known the understanding of volunteerism and activism (Mark A. Musick & John Wilson, 2007). While a volunteer must forge him/herself to acquire much gain of well-being’s character (i.e. empathy, dedication, and wisdom), an activist has no similar objective to be done. No wonder every volunteer activity or organization is quite selective as volunteerism has the practice of spending more time yet energy rather than just the desire of collectivity -in which activism doesn’t.

As an example, Petualang Cilik, an activity for children at age 5-11 supervised by Rumah Perubahan, has been putting an excellence in mechanism of selection with the following main parameters: age, will, and social skills. Not to mention it did enable the organizers to have more time for preparation than use it up only in process of selection. Different activity, different approach. Socio Traveler (www.socio-traveler.com) did not require selection, but already had understanding in another extent. Yes. It is the epitome of travelling: not for knowing places, but to live our life for the fullest and happiest one. More, it reminded me of the reason I entered Socio Traveler when the opportunity was offered. Because Socio Traveler, apparently has a clearer vision: to find the wisdom, explore the nature, and fill the planet-earth with happiness.

Another instance is when we feel the urge not to avoid ourselves faraway in silence as if nothing happened. An encouragement that we should arouse the spirit of service to society again. Let’s say it a “louder calling”. Five months ago, I had no idea when I decided to involve myself in an agriculture platform named Tanee. Its aim is to promote the work of any farmer in Indonesia entirely by merging the use of current technology and training -including marketing, management, leadership, also horticulture. Thus literally attracted me. And a lot of ideas have emerged during the process of building application.

The same went on while setting myself in a community that is freely yet actively sharing and enriching one another through the books. Three weeks ago, it was the moment to find out “Sedekah Buku” by chance through one of the volunteers in which it led me to follow the community. Yet, have we ever been dreaming to fulfill equality through the being of volunteer? Because those who have been living very poorly, they need us.

There is Yayasan Bayi Prematur Indonesia (YABAPI) for the exemplary. It has been running the activity of lending freely incubator to all premature and yellow babies for almost these 6 years. As the core of the activity is the volunteers, they have more responsibility to be carried on. Here is a way the foundation (along with “Tim Inkubator UI”) put the selection’s mechanism in brilliance: each volunteer shall perform the roles to cover the production’s cost, accompany, and come after the incubator, and is not to turn the products into earnings. Rather, some often have to put the effort in looking for patients, proactively searching them.

Besides, the work in development for all necessary equipment is to be done in diligence. And we are opting for enterprising approach during the process. The next is to fully afford an eco-friendly NICU, the inexpensive one. We have been experiencing how costy the expense that preemie -also yellow- babies’ families had to pay, working in obvious duty for the sake of prospering creation. So, why not? Clearer vision, louder calling, and more responsibility. That is the object we shall aim higher, and even higher than today.

Higher Act

It is said that the true meaning of life is more than the truth, but the act of doing it. We are actually longing for the higher truth, but only a few are starting the higher act. And the universe is to gently welcome the higher act not in opposition; so are we to do it with our best foot forward. Because we would only obtain the higher truth if (and if only) we had done the higher act in a proper way.

Evil legacy is the root of every tragedy that has occurred over the whole world. We must be prepared to face cruelty for three prime reasons: threat from those having the privilege; main-stream people/society being surged in fear to do the right thing; lacking of ability to accept things in wisdom. While serving the society, we will have to ready for those all. We dare keep enduring such uncertainty within the foremost spirit of being volunteer: giving is far better rather than taking.

Do not weep towards every evil legacy we are witnessing. We have to fight against it, cope with it well, and put an end to it. Thus is the role, the higher act every volunteer must provide in any doing, any measure with all the cost it takes. For the sake to present the best service with all the might we have to community. As not out of perfection comes higher act, but out of higher act comes perfection. It is the epitome of being volunteer, being “rescuer for lives”. Last but foremost, never heave ourselves; otherwise do it fully, successfully, and happily. In order to save any life in despair, sorrow, and loneliness. Happy Christmas.

Juan Karnadi
Faculty of Engineering
University of Indonesia