Letter of thanks to JEAP Donors:
Sonia Graduation from University
The first Jaredita Foundation assisted student, Sonia, has graduated from Universitas Sebelas Maret. The document below contains an email that was forwarded to me from Elder Subandriyo and a couple of photos of her graduation. Lower in the posts you will also find a letter from Sonia back in 2008. On behalf of all of the contributors to the Jaredita Foundation I would like to congratuate Sonia on this marvelous acheivement in her life!
New Student Photos
Please look at the Student Page. New photos of the current Jaredita Foundation students have been posted.
JEAP in Solo Video
New Video
2009 Students Assisted
Dear JEAP supporters,
In 2009 JEAP funds were used to provide assistance to Indonesian students in the following grades and educational programs:
Elementary 13 Students
Junior High 11 Students
High School 27 Students
College 3 Students (majors: English, Chemistry, Law)
Audio Visual 3-month course: 10 Students
The board members of JEAP sincerely thank all those who made contributions over the past year. You are making a real difference in the lives of these young Indonesians.
Sonia Story
We received the following letter from Elder Subandriyo. It is written by a young woman who is able to attend Sebelas Maret Universitas English Program with the assistance of JEAP:
In the first time I’m very disappointed, but I must receive it.
Then one day, President Subandriyo came to the English class when I teach it. Next day, President Agus Sutadi told me and my father if President Subandriyo called him and said “JEAP will help you to go to university to take D3 program in English subject. JEAP will help you to pay the school payment in the first and the second year, so your father can look for and save the money to pay in the last year you in university.”
“Wow……… is that real?” I say to my self. How great bless come to me that time. I can go to the university. I don’t know what must I say but, I’m so glad and happy.
Thank you for JEAP to help me. My family is very happy too. They support me to always do the best.
I know I must work hard.
When Elder Subandriyo said it to me, He also want me to teach the English class in Solo Barat and Solo Tengah branch after seminary to replace Elder and sister Roberts because they have to go home.
Now I studied at Sebelas Maret University ( UNS ). my family and I were thanksful for all this help.
I can go to university and can partice my English in teaching the English class.
thank you so much. thats all…
Sonia
There is a need to expand help for college students
10 October 2008
To: JEAP Directors and Donors
From: LDS Employment Resources in Indonesia – Elder and Sister Reber
One of our primary goals is to help match the needs of members with available resources, with the ultimate objective of helping members find employment or upgrading their employment. In the world today, education is the key to success in finding good employment. In Indonesia, unemployment is extremely high and poverty is a very real problem. For most Indonesian members, unless there is outside help, they will not be able to get an education beyond high school and thus their chances for good employment becomes very limited.
It is especially difficult to see our bright, faithful, dedicated Indonesian missionaries get released from their missions and not have a chance for further education or good employment. We would love to have the Perpetual Education Fund (PEF) available for them but due to legal issues it is not available.
For the past several months we have been selecting and visiting good universities and technical schools from around Indonesia to recommend to our youth. In early 2009, we plan to visit the various Church Districts and share this information with the youth and their parents and encourage them to continue their education at either a university or a technical school.
A big concern now is whether there will be enough available resources from JEAP to help those who will need help to go to school. Without help from JEAP we are afraid that much of our efforts will be in vain.
It is important to note that the format for helping students will be based primarily around the PEF guidelines with the main focus on the development of education for returned missionaries and adult sisters of comparable age. This group is certainly where the future of the church lies as they have the faith, leadership ability, and stability needed for church growth and development.
As we see the young people who have been helped by the JEAP funds and the contributions they are making in the church and in society in general, we are so appreciative for the generosity of those who have contributed to the JEAP fund and those who are continuing to donate. We can assure you that this is an inspired program that is blessing many lives and future generations.
Sincerely,
Elder and Sister Reber
Story of helping Ginsa
We want to introduce you to Ginsa, one of our great English students. He is sixteen years old and just started high school. He is the oldest son of two faithful parents. He has a younger sister who is ten and a little two year old brother. His Dad, a returned missionary, works very hard making bricks to provide for his family. They have a little store and they live in the back of it. Money is extremely tight. They live a long way from the church and only have one motorcycle so they have to take turns coming to church.
Elder Subandriyo has a vision of the youth of the church learning English so they would be prepared to go to the MTC in Manila and also be strong leaders in the future able to speak English. We wanted desperately for Ginsa to be able to come to our classes, but knew it would be almost impossible for him to come the great distance from his home four nights a week. Elder Subandriyo suggested maybe the RM fund could help him. When we talked with the father about the class and suggested that we might be able to help, he said, “Let us try to do it on our own first”. We knew it would be a tremendous sacrifice for the family but they have been doing it. Ginsa is always the first one to the class and was elected president of the class by his peers. He is a very smart young man and is learning English quite rapidly. We had FHE with his family a few weeks ago with the young elders and they gave the lesson in Indonesian. We told Ginsa he would have to translate for us. He protested and said no, that he wouldn’t be able to do that. I insisted and he did a fantastic job, surprising himself and pleasing his parents.
His mother has tremendous faith. One time when we went to visit them she said, “I have been praying that you would come. I thought you would come yesterday, but I’m glad you are here.” Because they only have the one motorcycle she usually has to stay home with the little children so doesn’t get to go to church very often. Recently I felt impressed to go visit her and tell how much we appreciate the sacrifice she is making for Ginsa to attend our class. When I asked if anyone from the branch had been to visit them, tears welled up in her eyes and she said, “No,” then she laid her head in my lap and sobbed as she said, “It is so hard, sister, it is so hard.”
She told us that Ginsa needed three million rupiah to start in the high school he wanted to go to. She said they had one million and they didn’t know how they were going to get the rest of the money. The next week Elder Subandriyo announced in a youth fireside that the fund would give one million rupiah to every student going into high school that had a grade point average of 8 or above. Ginsa was concerned about his test scores but he said, “I know if I read the Book of Mormon everyday and partake of the sacrament every week, I will be blessed.” Ginsa’s grade point was way above the needed 8 points so he received the one million. That million was such an answer to the prayers of a faithful family. He has been helping his father make bricks and we have also hired him to wash our car to help make the other million. Ginsa said that he is so appreciative for the gift from the fund that is giving him the chance to go to school. He is a bright young man with a sweet testimony of the Gospel. He and other young people in this English program are the great hope of the future of the church in Indonesia.
Elder and Sister Taylor