Part of my wife Kathryn’s annual trip to Bali includes a visit to the schools sponsored by the Bali Children’s Project. Kathryn has been involved with the charity for the past four years and has become the unofficial leader of the Southern California chapter. My role is to support Kathryn in small ways, usually through accounting, physical labor and my superb luggage packing skills. I love it when I can get within a pound of the maximum weight per bag. My dad would be so proud!

BCP is a true grass roots organization. When Kathryn first contacted them when she was searching for a college application project for our kids, their response was completely open-ended: “What would you like to do?”

The non-profit organization consists of individuals around the world who have travelled to Bali and have been touched by the kindness of the people and beauty of “The Island of the Gods.” As in many developing countries, many families in Bali have to face the difficult choice of educating their children or having them stay home to help support the family. This decision is exacerbated by the cost of education. BCP can support a young student in Bali for about $100 per year but this amount still beyond the means of many parents.

To break this cycle, BCP identifies the children that are most in need and pays their education expenses for as long as necessary. Through the Southern California chapter, we are currently supporting about 40 students and the number grows yearly as people learn more about the work we do.

This year, we’re especially excited because one our southern California donors has funded the construction of a new kindergarten in a remote village. The students from this village had previously been held back for one or more years in first grade because it was their first classroom experience. Now they can enter first grade on the same level os students from surrounding villages. The village leaders donated the land for the school and BCP is funding the construction and two years of support. After that, the village must figure out how the continue the operation.

I love the BCP because it is a true volunteer organization that provides a direct connection to the people who benefit from it. There is no paid staff and if you feel a need to serve, BCP will find a way to use your skills.

BCP also has great leadership on both sides of the Pacific. The local coordinator is a 25-year old woman named Iluh, who is herself a graduate of the program. Iluh’s story is remarkable but not unique to the families of Bali. When she started 1st grade, Iluh and her sister walked an hour and half each way to reach school. Since school started at 8:00, that meant she had to walk in the dark because the sun rises around 6:00 all year round. She carried a torch to light the way through the jungle. This story beats anything I’ve ever heard about walking to school. When the suns goes down, Bali is a very dark place.

A local gentleman named Nyoman noticed the two girls walking to school each day and offered to help. At first the girls were hesitant but gradually he earned their trust and started to support their education. From this act of kindness, BCP was born.

Iluh was a very bright student and excelled in school. When she graduated from high school, she decided to continue her education at the university and at the same time give back to the people who had supported her for 12 years. She became the local coordinator for the program and has more energy packed into a tiny body than anyone I’ve ever met. See photo below.

Iluh is now married and has a two-year-old son and is expecting another baby soon. She wonders how she will be able to juggle the demands of motherhood, her studies and leadership of the BCP. I know the challenge is significant but with her tenacity and intelligence, she will no doubt continue to achieve great things.

http://www.balichildrensproject.org

I’ve already been in Bali for four days but I haven’t had a chance to post anything until now. I arrived on Sunday afternoon local time after 22 hours in transit from LAX. My son Collin and his friend Reme travelled with me and the flight was actually pretty good – I was able to grab an exit row seat for both legs which makes a big difference when you’re tall.

We had a lovely dinner the first night which gave us a chance to catch up with my wife Kathryn and her friends who had arrived about ten days earlier. We are staying in a fabulous new villa that lies near Ubud, a major cultural center. All eight of us are enjoying the luxury before we head up to the mountains for more basic accommodations.

Our schedule the first day was hectic but fun. We got up early and rode mountain bikes through small villages and rice fields into Ubud. The trip took us along local narrow roads and even some footpaths with occasional stairs. After the bike ride we hopped in a raft to continue our journey down a small local river. We finally rolled back into Ubud around 4 pm and dropped into a day spa for a massage. needless to say we were cooked after all that activity and jet lag.

But our day wasn’t over yet. That evening we went out to dinner and a traditional dance show. Luckily it lasted only 45 minutes so we got to bed at a decent hour.

So here’s a brief aside on what it’s like to be in Bali. I’m writing on the patio of a nice hotel in the Munduk mountains region. The room costs $20 per night. We just had lunch for 4 persons and paid $20 with tax and service included. Now here’s the best part. As I’m sitting here enjoying the stunning green mountains and distant Bali Sea, I’m watching two guys in the tree about 30 feet away. They’re picking cloves while standing on single pole ladders about 30 feet off the ground. They have large white bags which they are filling with cloves that they pick individually. As they work, they chat amiably back and forth. The best part about Bali is the people.

On our second day in Bali we arranged an early morning trip to Tirta Empul, one of the most sacred places in Bali. We arrived around 7 am, before the crowds and vendors turn the grounds into a circus of humanity. In the early morning, the ritual of purification is free from distraction. Our friend Wayan is joined by his sister and together they become our spiritual directors for the morning. First, we prepare our offerings of flowers and incense before entering the two pools. We are clothed in traditional sarongs and enter the cool water carefully to avoid the stone bottom and resident small fish.

At each spout that enters the pool, I pray for a different intention – my relationship with Kathryn, the welfare of our children, my new business venture. I pray for our friend Wayan, my mother in Arizona and my wife’s parents in San Diego. I find that each spout eases my tension and acceptance fills the space instead. After leaving the pools, we move into the inner temple grounds to make our final offerings and prayers.

Before going to the temple, I was tired from the long trip and hesitant to get up early and return to a place I had been twice before. As I left the grounds, I realized it was an important step on my journey of letting go. To emphasize the point, we heard the clatter of workers and equipment as we left. We had arrived before a major maintenance project that would have prevented us from our ceremony. The circus had begun.

Our home in Ubud.

In 1952, Paramount Pictures released the move The Road to Bali starring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. Bali was the sixth of seven “Road” movies and the only one filmed in color. I remember watching the film several times when I was a young man and I still marvel how  much fun a movie can be without special effects.

The reason I mention this today is that I have two connections to the movie: the first is that it was released a few days after I was born. The second, and more relevant, is that my road to Bali starts tonight at 1:55 am when I fly from LAX to Denpasar.

As I finish packing and paying the remaining bills, I’m feeling more apprehensive than I usually feel before a big trip. I’m sure a major unsettling influence is that I ended my job of 11 years about an hour ago. One month on the road and not sure what will be waiting for me when I return.

The reaction I’ve received from my now former co-workers is congratulations and a fair bit of jealousy. It seems that everyone would be like to take a month off from work sometime but there’s always a reason not to.