Tzu Chi's Love for Zeba

Journalist : Erli Tan, Metta Wulandari, Photographer : Editorial Team

Friday, March 25, 2022, at Zeba's house in the Cipondoh-Tangerang area, two Tzu Chi volunteers namely Goh Poh Peng (left) and Ernie Lindawati (center) carefully and tenderly persuaded Zeba to take the school exam.

"You're going to have an exam later, are you ready..."

“Erm...”

"You need to take the exam... The teachers all love you, come today!"

"Yes."

"If you don't want to, the teachers can't help either. You yourself have to be intentional, you have to be enthusiastic, help yourself. So you want too right? Are you ready...?”

With the gentle and careful voices of Goh Po Peng and Ernie Lindawati, two volunteers from the Tzu Chi Committee persuaded Zeba Rachma Mawardi (15) who was sick and bedridden. They took Zeba's hand and stroked it gently. Shortly persuaded, Zeba smiled seeing the two Shigu (a nickname for Tzu Chi volunteers equal to mother) whom she had known since childhood. Even though she tends to be silent and every shigu's persuasion is answered briefly, Zeba finally agrees. Yet it is natural for Zeba to be a little moody, spoiled, or emotionally unstable while sick, especially at her young age.

That morning, Friday, March 25, 2022, at her home in the Cipondoh area, Tangerang, Banten, apart from Goh Poh Peng and Ernie Lindawati, Zeba was also visited by four of her teachers from the Tzu Chi School, Cengkareng, West Jakarta. This visit is to provide school exams for Zeba. For the past three months, Zeba has not been able to focus on school because her legs are paralyzed and she can't walk. According to dr. Gunawan Susanto, Sp.BS, who examined Zeba at Tzu Chi Hospital some time ago, the paralysis in Zeba's legs happened due to bone tuberculosis.

From January 17, 2022 to March 9, 2022, Zeba was treated at Tzu Chi Hospital. Here Zeba also underwent a decompressive laminectomy procedure, which is a surgery performed to free the spinal cord from clamping caused by destruction and dislocation of the spine.

The symptoms she experienced started with lower back pain, then gradually worsened until finally she could only lie down. "Zeba started not being able to walk on December 23, 2021, previously she could still come to her brother's wedding on December 19, 2021. She can still stand, but it's already different in my eyes," said Edi, Zeba's father. After a week being unable to walk, Zeba was then taken by her family to the Cinta Kasih Tzu Chi Hospital, Cengkareng for examination. However, due to incomplete facilities, Zeba’s health problems cannot be found out.

Because Zeba has been absent from school for two weeks, Tzu Chi volunteers and school teachers also visited Zeba's house on January 13, 2022. Seeing Zeba's condition that needed further treatment, Tzu Chi also recommended that Zeba be taken to Tzu Chi Hospital in PIK, North Jakarta. So from January 17, 2022 to March 9, 2022, Zeba was treated at Tzu Chi Hospital.

At Tzu Chi Hospital, after being examined by Dr. Gunawan Susanto, Sp.BS, Zeba was diagnosed with herniated nucleus pulposus (pinched nerve) and bone tuberculosis. The doctor recommended that Zeba need to be operated on immediately so that her condition does not worsen. With the approval of the family, Zeba was operated on January 25, 2022. The operation that was handled by Dr. Gunawan for 6.5 hours was a decompressive laminectomy procedure, which is a surgery performed to free the spinal cord from clamping due to spinal destruction and dislocation. A spinal implant is then performed to support the patient's spinal strength.

"The doctor said the possibility of walking is very small. That's what makes the family’s mental drop. But right after surgery, and routine physiotherapy, she was finally able to sit up, and she can also feel her legs. If you pinch it, she can feel it. We become more enthusiastic and believe that there might be a hope,” said Adis, Zeba's older brother who accompanied her at the hospital.

Wednesday, March 9, 2022, Zeba left Tzu Chi Hospital, accompanied by volunteers and Tzu Chi Charity staff and his family, namely his brother Aris (second from left) and older brother Adis (fourth from left).

Family Like Relationships

Zeba, who is currently in grade 3 of Cinta Kasih Tzu Chi Middle School, is the third child of the deceased. Zainah Mawardi, who during her lifetime was a teacher and Principal of the Cinta Kasih Tzu Chi Elementary School and a dedicated Tzu Chi Committee volunteer. Mrs. Zainah is one of the figures who have contributed to the Cinta Kasih Tzu Chi Elementary School because she has participated in pioneering this school since it was opened in 2003. When Mrs. Zainah was sick before, volunteers and teachers accompanied her with love and care that was as close as a family, with Goh Poh Peng being one of them.

Adis, Zeba's older brother, from the beginning actually felt reluctant to tell Goh Poh Peng about Zeba's condition, because he felt that they had received too much assistance and care from Tzu Chi people when Mrs. Zainah was still alive.

“In the past, my late mother had been helped a lot, we didn't want to be a bother anymore. After my mother wasn't around, I also rarely kept in touch with the shigu-shigu. It turned out that they still thought that my brothers and I were their children, and they really cared about us. I am deeply moved because Tzu Chi still cares for my family. It's really really good," Adis said sadly.

In 2017, Zeba's mother, Almah Zainah Mawardi (far right) accompanied by Goh Poh Peng (center) during the inauguration of the Tzu Chi Committee volunteers in Taiwan. During his lifetime, he was a teacher at the School of Charity and a dedicated Tzu Chi volunteer.

Meanwhile, Edi, Zeba's father, admits that he is actually still traumatized by the bitter experience of the past when his beloved wife left him. Hearing Zeba's diagnosis, he was surprised because the process was also very fast.

"I'm still very shocked. I'm still traumatized. Honestly, it is hard for me to take another loss. So when I find out Zeba is sick, I’m thinking what should I do? I’m very scared. That's why I wish her a speedy recovery. With the support of volunteers, I become more enthusiastic. Zeba is also excited because there are many shigu accompanying her,” said Edi relieved. In addition to moral support, all costs for Zeba's care and surgery while at TCH are also assisted by the Buddhist Tzu Chi Indonesia Foundation. After leaving the hospital, Zeba was also given assistance in the form of a patient bed, wheelchair, and a sitting pot.

Endless Assistance

When she returned from Tzu Chi Hospital on March 9, 2022, Zeba received a surprise in the form of a poster containing words of support from his teachers and school friends. This poster was then pasted in her room.

“As long as her mother (Mrs. Zainah) is gone, frankly (I) don't pay much attention to her (Zeba). I just ask the teachers, and they always say it's fine. Yes, that's all. But after knowing she was sick, my heart felt sad," said Goh Poh Peng a little regretfully. In order to "patch" this shortcoming, when Zeba was about to leave Tzu Chi Hospital on March 9, 2022, Goh Poh Peng also thought about how to make Zeba feel happy.

"I want to give a surprise, I ordered the teacher, made a card, welcome home for Zeba so she will be happy. Laoshi (teachers) all work together very well, they make cardboard (posters). So when we came, we opened it and showed it to her, she was very happy, and then we read, 'Which teacher is this from, what does this mean', she was happy," said Goh Poh Peng with mixed emotions.

The poster contains words of support and encouragement from his friends in grade 9B and her teachers. Apart from Indonesian, there are also those who use Mandarin, English, and Korean. This poster is then pasted in Zeba's room, where it is easily visible to her. In this room also in a reclining position, Zeba is taking school exams which coincidentally her first schedule is Mandarin.

“Zeba was lying down, so I asked her, 'Zeba, do you want to sit or not?', she said she wanted to lay down first. I also don't want to force her. She did the multiple choice questions by herself while I was waiting at the side. For the comprehension section, I helped her by holding the cellphone and enlarged the font from the phone’s screen so that she could see it better,” said Christina Tjung, a Mandarin teacher at Cinta Kasih Middle School explaining the process while Zeba was taking the examination.

Zeba takes the Chinese exam lying down. She was accompanied and assisted by her Chinese teacher, Christina Tjung.

According to SCK Student Affairs Teacher , Nur Qomariyansyah Sucipto, even though Zeba has been sick for three months, it turns out that Zeba is still following all the information in the school group. So that from the school it was not difficult to immediately prepare exam questions for Zeba.

“The goal is clear, we want Zeba to graduate and have a Tzu Chi Love Middle School diploma. We don't know what the future of our students will be or what they will be like, so we really want to know how to make this child graduate and have a diploma," said Nur Qomariyansyah Sucipto, who is usually called Pak Nur. The school is trying as much as possible so that the education of its students does not stop. According to him, this treatment for Zeba is not excessive, because even for other students if this is the case, all will also be treated the same.

"Yes, as long as we can help, we will certainly help, whoever it is, but coincidentally Zeba is one of the children of the late (Mrs. Zainah), so... if you say it's different, no, but we are more like... 'The deceased is awake, you know? our school', now what can we help with, yes, this is one of them,” explained Pak Nur, who admitted that he had recently become close to Zeba's family since Zeba was sick. He was also very grateful when Zeba said he was willing to take the online exam after that. “Quality does not differentiate sick children from healthy ones. I'm so grateful!”

Everyone's Hope

Edi, Zeba's father (right) received guidance and explanation from Nur Qomariyansyah Sucipto, teacher for Student Affairs at the Tzu Chi Love School regarding Zeba's learning and exams this time.

After the Chinese test, Zeba was again approached by the shigu-shigu in her room. Goh Poh Peng and Ernie held hands again and stroked them gently. Goh Poh Peng whispered, “Don't frown, you have to smile, okay…! Dear Shigu, dear Laoshi too. Yes…” This time Zeba's face was sullen again because the shigu-shigu were about to leave home.

Zeba's journey is still long, the assistance provided will not stop here. Zeba still needs to do the control as an outpatient of the hospital. Everyone hopes that Zeba can continue to live a quality life.

"Hopefully she can continue her education, not feeling depairs due to illness, because all this time she has been a bit desperate. So maybe we, the shigu-shigu and the teachers, should be closer to her, assist her so that she can be strong again to continue her high school or vocational school, "hoped Goh Poh Peng.

Edi also doesn't want to force her daughter, he leaves all choices regarding education to Zeba's own will. “Yes, depending on where Zeba wants to go, it depends on her own thoughts. So I'm just supporting her. There is also guidance from the teachers," said Edi.

On that occasion Edi once again expressed his gratitude to all those who had helped. "It helped me a lot. I really thank everyone who has helped, especially Doctor Gunawan, volunteers, foundations, and the Tzu Chi School of Charity who really care for my daughter Zeba from health treatment to school exams with great love and attention. I am very thankful to all the teachers and shigu-shigu,” said Edi gratefully.

Translator: Olivia Tan (Tzu Chi Volunteers)