RIP Arthur 6 months 1 day
on Really Out There Experience (Indonesia), 13/Feb/2010 06:54, 34 days ago
3 February 2010After an illness of only 5 days Arthur Leopold Christian died in VIP ward at 14:30. He was the only child of the principle pharmacist who lives in the mess opposite my house. Her husband had been home for some time but had only gone away again to work last Friday– leaving a healthy son. Arthur is thought to have died of aspiration pneumonia; but we have no post mortem facilities here. The hearse took his body immediately to his father’s family home the other side of Baa. As I was going out to eat one of the other neighbours came over to tell me I would be collected later to go to the house for prayers. I was very touched that I was seen as part of the wider hospital family and it was just assumed I would want to go. About 20:00 a group of us set out on motorbikes. At the house Arthur was laying on a double bed sized dais surrounded by drapes. With the immediate family around him. There were prayers and the rest of us were sat around outside the house but with chairs angled to see in through the door and window. After this we had cake and coffee before filing in to pay our respects. 5 February 2010Today was the funeral and again it was just assumed I would go. Desi came round to tell me the service was 15:00 and that was the real time so we would be leaving at 14:30 sharp not jam karet– literally rubber time– which means anything up to an hour after the time stated. Just about everyone from the hospital went and transportation was a logistical nightmare with helmets and motorbikes being borrowed from anyone and everyone. The service was again at the house with us all sat outside under tarpaulin which kept the worst of the sun off. At the end of the service the coffin was finally shut up– this was rather traumatic as the mother her sister-in-law had to be pulled away to allow it to happen. The funeral procession then moved to the top of the garden where the family members were buried and Arthur was interned. As I am sure you can understand I did not take any photographs although the number of flashes from mobile phones indicated that it would have probably been quite OK. As we had cake and water the male members of the family filled in the hole with stones and then concrete. 7 February 2010The final formal act of morning was a requiem mass this evening. The grave had been built up and decorated with what looks like crushed coloured glass. Lots of candles were being lit and being put on and around it. This time the service was followed by a large spread of food. However since then there has been a candle lit each evening outside the families room at the hospital. They are yet to come back but colleagues have been in a removed all Arthur’s things.