Quest 2 Canaan (3) - end

After a week off the heights and heat of the repair, the world started rather awkwardly.

In one sense we subconsciously started to adapt to the re-gained freedom, albeit with challenges such as the heatwave and volcanic ash poisoning aside from the inconvenience of having to live in a place closer to a ruin than a proper house. It's still better than having to grow fin and embrace the floods as we turned into catfish (instead of just cat).

A sort of fuel that make us kick our own rear and drag ourselves out of the semi comfort zone is the potential to a fuller, better life, obviously without the natural disaster, and a proper house instead of a ruin. Aside of that, we are sitting on top of sum of money that comes from our supporters around the world. Money that they earnestly earn and give, a gesture that make every single coin glow with hope, and prayers, and pure power that we would really want to be responsible for.

The new team, when they come, half an hour earlier than their supposed schedule, is a three generation family that consists of a grandfather, a father and his brother, and a grandson. I found out about this as the supervisor came a little later and ask if the cats are generally OK with the new time. On the interview I mentioned that I have cats equal to the whole human village and if any of them show adverse reaction, I will call the contract off. He seems to take the threat seriously (he should, I am serious). I just laughed because at the time those people arrived, the cats were already inside the cage and sleeping with their stomach full and a dose of Pet Natural Vermont Calming Cat, donated by our supporters.

First thing first; I pointed out that the pipe broken by the previous team seems to be leaking, as shown by the growing wet patch on the new wall. The new team look at it, undid the wall, and when the first brick was off, was sprayed with a bucket of water that had accumulated over a week. They laugh it off as "a kid's work",  wipe themselves dry and re-done the pipe.

Within a half day the father finished the whole wall. Without chicken song, boiling temper, heart break, and stamp approval from one of our superintendent.

OK, where's that superintendent again?

In the afternoon when they all go home, this is the end result of the entire left side wall:

Over the next days, I noticed that the new teams have meeting a lot. Everyday before they commenced work, they gather around and plan what is to be done; grandpa in charge. Then when someone or some part has some issues, they approach each other again and discuss what is to be done. The way they do this make all four of them can work on separate part efficiently and effectively in less time.

The cattery is turned into their workshop, especially the grandpa, who is a carpenter.

After they are done with the left side wall, the pillars of the pathway is immediately installed, anticipating the rainy season due in few days.

Then they jumped into digging the hole across the pathway. Look small? This hole is 2 meters deep and 1 meters wide. In here will be the rainwater tank.

Then they install the roof over the pathway, so when it's rain, they can still work.

Then the right wall ...

Moving lemon tree...

the struggling lemon tree... (we'll get to that point)

And here comes the rain ...

mud all the way

Last month over Facebook, my Australian mummy Trish was complaining about a window in the cattery that shows the roof of backside neighbour and asked if it is going to be "fixed"

Actually it was I who asked that window to be made. From afar, that roof is not a great view, but when you look over the window, it's a different story. Since that window has wire mesh on it, the picture is not clear; so I climb the water tower and took the picture of what's actually behind the house, and why I like it so much.

to the left

to the right

close up

It's a traditional Chinese style graveyard. Chinese thinks that the afterlife is parallel dimension, so they build their grave as the "house at the other side" for their ancestors. It makes the grave less ghoulish and actually beautiful, especially at sunrise or sunset. I used to go there by going down through the small ravine at the back of the house, through vegetable field and small river, cutting my way through the whole valley, to feed stray cats and dogs that use those pagodas as their shelter.

I do not always watch the worker on site. Sometimes I have to order materials or take phone calls inside the house, or pay for material delivery. At other time someone send me a message over facebook or email so I am busy with my cell phone, but there is always someone representing The Whiskers' Syndicate going round the repair site to see if something goes wrong.

Her name is Florence Nightingale. She was a street cat that called our porch home last year. I gladly opened my door, and she repay us by nursing all the kittens that ever come to our domain, treating them like her own child.

At one point a few months ago, I didn't find any baby bottles to bring home. I don't know why, but I didn't see any, at least not one without the mother. At that point I heard that the material store just five minutes walk across the street has new baby.

One day, Florence was gone, and I cannot find her. I saw her once or twice going into that material store, but when I chase her, she's gone.

When the repair start, I bought from that store, and it was when I start seeing her again. She stays in the store, and the people there give her food, but she is so very thin, it's really hard for her to walk more than ten steps without stopping for air.

I feel sorry for her, so when at one time she followed me out, I asked if she wants to "go home" because we missed her. She rubs herself onto my leg, so I pick her up, and bring her home.

I gave her special food because at that point, she can no longer stand straight, much less walk. She moved several step and sit, and then sleeps all day. I give her vitamin, milk, digestible protein, whatever cat nutrition I have and can afford to buy at that time.

Slowly, she is better. She does not seem to gain weight significantly, but she can walk around the house without falling because she is out of breath. A few days later she started her "tour of duty". Every one or two hours, she would go out to the backyard, walk round it, and sit at some spot where, when I come by, always find something wrong. The workmen called her "Misses Supervisor". If there is nothing,  then she would lay down and relax beside my leg.

When Stubby or Jane Marple gone out to the rest room (they do their business in the bathroom) and one of the baby cry, Florence is always the first responder.

And then at one point when I bring this Little Prince home

again, Florence nurse him like he is her own child. If he slips out between the cage bars (he's tiny) and walked out to the backyard unnoticed, Florence will follow him and as soon as I am back inside the house, will automatically notice that there's something wrong and thus get the naughty prince back inside.

Florence is still with us today, appointing herself the governess of the six kittens that's now start to run and jump. She is the only cat approved by the mothers, while other cats usually earns loud yell and some claws.

At the outside, we have another superintended patrolling the perimeter to make sure no one pick some brick when we're all busy at the back.

Hanshin is one of our longest residence. He followed me to my boarding house as a kitten in early 2009, and he grow up as Whiskers' Syndicate develops.

The efficiency and effectiveness with which the workmen handle their work made the entire process runs fast and smoothly. It brings amusement for the cats as they never ran out of places to play

The Orient Express

Though I scold him many times, Bon Ami (white and yellow) can't stop his addiction: scratching on the cement sack.

and the one behind the camera is paparazzi :D

Three weeks, and all the messy muddy backyard is turned into something completely different.

But to be honest, it's not what I want.


My idea was - at the start - a small pathway along the left side of the wall, maybe just 1 metre (3 feet) wide pergola, and drainage, so the cats and I don't have to run under the rain when they eat.


Something like this:

Instead, what I get is around 3 meters (9.8 feet) wide pathway that is raised 20 centimetres (around 7.8 inches) high, which make the drainage above the ground level, because the workmen didn't want to waste any material (e.g. cutting the roofing sheet). I did ask why the drainage seems to be floating above the ground instead of under it, but the workmen keep saying that they are not done with it yet, so I just stay quiet.

So, since we don't want to demolish everything and start all over (over my dead body!) we have to dig the entire outdoor area (where the water tower and lemon tree are) to accommodate the drainage.

I ended up with three (large) truck load of muddy soil on my front yard, and the entire Sunday supervising another contractor get all the dirt away back to the mountain. It rained that night before and all those mud left marks on the wall, making my front yard looks disgusting.

It's a lie to say that I am not disappointed. I had dreamed of a nice garden where the cats can go about frolicking the greenery and fresh air, and I even already picked some plants that I am going to grow at the back.

Now I have a 100 square metres (328 square foot) town hall; and it's so empty, our voice echoes in there.

But hey, that means the cats have more space to hang out. That means the cats doesn't have to crumple inside the cattery and instead can choose to lounge outside in the evening.

That also means the mobsters can run and play even when it rains.

Forget about the town hall. We want a small garden, and God give us Olympic Stadium.

""For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD  ~ Isaiah 55:8"

Fine :)

And then, one day, the dad approach me and asked, "Don't you want to paint the walls? It doesn't seems to be in the contract, but those grey walls will look ugly"

I just look at him, wondering how I should answer it (that the building actually ended up much larger than I thought and that it isn't suppose to need paint), he continues, "We had to make you spend extra money with all those dirt, so if you want to buy the paint tomorrow, we'll paint the building for you, for free"

Those men can't see it, but my psyche was rolling all over with grinning from ear to ear. Ho... Ho... Ho... Merry Christmas!!!

So the next Sunday, when they have their day off, I went around town looking for eco-friendly and cat-safe paint.

On their last day of work, came another surprise.

I thought they only come to pick up their stuff, clean up things a little bit, take their payment, and be gone.

I found out that the day before their supervisor told them about what I do and that I live alone. So since I give them a lot of stuffs that I no longer use, including some excess materials that they actually ask (wire mesh, cables, boards etc), they come down for one final bonus:

the cattery

the hallway

and the front yard! Look at all the mud, and that blob on the wall. Yuck. 

The end result:

The hallway

The window to my room, where all those mobs peek inside just to tease me when I work

The Syndicate's life saving washing machine is as bright as sun!

Everybody's favourite daisy brick

The cattery from the outside

and from the inside. That's Tao, one of the hammock kitties, coming forward.

Looks pretty empty, don't you think?
Animalrescuemarketing.com is rallying to help us buy new beds, blankets, toys and cat trees that were damaged or lost in the flood.
If you would like to participate, click the link below:

https://rally.org/whiskerssyndicate

If you have a facebook account, even if you cannot give, you can help the fundraiser grow by pressing "like" on the top of the page. The more people press "like" the more the page is exposed to the public, the bigger our chance to get sponsor/donor. Won't you help us?

A few months ago during our fundraising, our friend Kay Meow campaigned on our behalf and made this picture:

Today, I give you the answer. The new home of  Whiskers' Syndicate, that all of you have helped us build.

Thank you. Thank you without end for making our dream come true. We are alive today because of you.

Quest 2 Canaan (2)

It's 2 am. In one hour, I will have to start a new day, but my today is hardly done.

Half an hour ago it would be easy to blame it to the cats. Each of The Whiskers' Syndicate with their own antics and personality; sometimes annoying, often endearing, always entertaining; a perfect distraction that never fails.

But now that the last shadow of their upright tails and galloping silhouettes had died down by the moon, I am back with my cellphone, that I have been using as a calculator, a mixed salad of bills and receipt of the ongoing repair, and the bitterness of an ass hole.

Apologize for the language, but there is one in the team. Some tough anti emancipation chauvinist who still lives in 16th century thinking that woman is nothing but a bed mat, a sex slave, and brainless masochist. This tough guy has been lifting his nose as high as sky every time he pass me while subtly whispered some sex offending words that reduce my kind, sometimes race, into the sort of garbage.

I have been quiet because my mind is too full with all sort of things, and I figured I don't have to handle him as long as his supervisor still realize that I am the one who pays their salary, but at a certain day when he sings out loud, all day long, for two days in a row about chickens (chicken is an Indonesian slang for whores), as an assault because I told him directly to stop goofing around with his team mate the whole day and do his job, this one particular brainless masochist strikes back.

There's a 5 centimetres (2 inches) gap between my wall and the house next door, and I told the supervisor to manage the gap. The supervisor told him to fill the gap with cement when the wall is done and dried, and there he is singing about chickens again, this time while walking around me three times.

He must have thought he's a winning savage who dances around his victim before boiling her into a soup; while the only thing that boiled is my blood. Lucky his supervisor saw what happened, call him, reprimand him, and send him back to his work.

I am not sure what he is trying to prove, or if he is just angry that his supervisor is sided with a woman he seems to despise, but he work very fast. Brick after brick, one scoop of mortar after another, while singing even louder about the chicken. But his work is not neat. There's a lot of mortar falling to the ground, and he broke many bricks that he throws away haphazardly to the ground, some hit his team mate and irritate them.

I watch him with a smile. Someone is digging his own grave while singing about whores.

And God never sleeps. He saw what is happening and deliver His people, me, from injustice.

As soon as his wall is done, he jumped down from the scaffolding, get himself a bucket of dirt, and fill the gap as full as he can.

10 minutes into his gallantry, the still-wet wall crumbled.

And while that happened, his supervisor looked in disbelief, and the team mate who got hit repeatedly with bricks failed miserably to hold his laugh.

OK... who's the idiot again?

I walk straight from the house right to the supervisor and clearly stated that I don't want to pay for damaged or wasted materials, that I will cut the money from the agreed contract, and that I want to make sure this is the last incident and if there's still some shit left in that worker's brain, he'd better realize that I, a woman, is working hard for this money, that I am responsible for each penny spend, and most of all, I pay their salary, and that include his.

From the corner of my eyes I saw the most sour pout ever,  though the chicken song is still on air a few minutes later, though I heard the supervisor said "One more tune about chicken and you're dead, how's that? Are you insane or idiot? Don't you realize what situation you are in?"

Three hours later I was on the phone ordering some material when I heard water gushing in the back. I politely apologize to the material shop, hung up, run to the back and found the next door's house's water pipe burst out.

It was such a magnificent sight. A lot of water against the sun, a little rainbow, and a wall fountain in my backyard. The only thing is I didn't remember ordering some Niagara Falls with the contract.

I am lucky because the owner of the house was out at that time, so the owner won't come over to yell at me; those workers are unlucky because that means they have to wait until the water run out before they can fix the pipe and meanwhile, has to throw away all the water from the backyard, one bucket after another.

Where Niagara Falls um... well... fall.

At the end of the day, the supervisor sent everyone home and ask if I am going to cut the extra repair from their contract money too. I said yes, of course. The supervisor told me that they made little money and if I continue to cut their money they won't profit.

I told him that if he is interested in making profit, he should train his men better than allowing them to sexually harass a patron - since he too has been quiet about the chicken song - and that I have lost trust in him despite all the reference he gave me. Two stupid incidents in one day is too much for me.

He tried to persuade me into keeping the contract and cut only half the damage. However, I never intend to squander the money we all fund raise with sweat and tears so at the very end, I fired them still.

And that is partly why I am sleepless tonight. I have to find out how much material I lost and how much money I should make to replace the loss because I am not sure I can fund raise for more.

So the repair was halted for three days, while I work to gather the money, and looking for new repairmen, and in those three days I felt that, the temperature is steadily increasing.

This is not Bandung. Bandung is never this hot, even in the dog days of summer. All of a sudden there's no rain, no wind, just the increasing heat.

Regardless, I interviewed other repairmen after work. Learning from past experience, I want to see the whole team instead of only the supervisor, and found one that are reasonably priced and seemingly pretty decent. Their houses are nearby, and better yet, they are ready to start immediately.

The answer come from my brother the next day. He called to tell me that Mt. Kelud, a few hours drive from my family home had suddenly exploded, and my family house was covered in volcanic ash 1 inch thick. He also told me that the wind is going to the west, and Central Java already ashed under.

It's raining ash the next morning for the whole day, and the days after. Bandung was all white.

It's not all that bad in our place. The ash was not as thick. Though we have sore eyes, and occasional cough, we can still handle it.

What we can't handle was the heat wave. We were at roughly 40 degrees Celcius  (104 F) at 6 am and climbing along the sun. I usually have to chase the cats around to get them into the cage every morning, but this time, they voluntarily went into the house and piled themselves up in our tiny bathroom and around the air purifier that I turned on almost 24 hours a day. I don't think I want to confine them in the cage the whole day and let them bake under the heat, so I called the repairman and postpone the starting date until the temperature dropped a little.

The heat took us another three days, during which we ironically wish for the rain (that we loathe so much ) to fall.

God is merciful to our prayers. It rains during the weekend, washing away all the ash, and bring some relief to our lungs. It brings the temperature nearly normal, and so after a week of Siesta, The Whiskers' Syndicate is back to track toward dry and warm sanctuary.

What comes next? The second round of repair, with a whole new team, up to the completion of our sanctuary.

Here's a spoiler:

Island In The Storm

as appeared in SPCA International's Blog

Sunday, March 9, 2014

With Love From San Fransisco Woof To Indonesia Meow

as featured in animalrescuemarketing.com

later picked up by Catster.com

Ocean Blue Presents "Causes Around the World": The Whiskers' Syndicate

March 5, 2014

Our mascot Ocean Blue searches for causes around the world that she thinks are worth barking about!

FEATURED CAUSE: THE WHISKERS' SYNDICATE IN BANDUNG, INDONESIA

Describing founder Josephia Liem as a super woman is an understatement. The Whiskers' Syndicate is a an animal welfare organization in Indonesia whose mission is to rescue the street animals of Bandung.  Even workaholic Ocean Blue is amazed by Josie's relentless efforts to care for street animals everyday and also manage a sanctuary for rescued cats -  even if it means building one with her own hands. Read on and be inspired by the story of Josie and her pussycats!

Whiskers' Syndicate founder Josephia Liem with "Braille"

 Tell me about the animal crisis in your country and your vicinity. How does the cause relate to the country's culture?

As the breeder capital of my nation Indonesia, Bandung is overflowing with unwanted animals of all breeds, and the stray management is often, if not always, too gruesome to be true. Sadly, the self appointed "big nation" has no animal welfare laws, and conservation efforts are tainted by fearless corruption. Our country is still behind in terms of animal welfare and nature conservancy. Biodiversity is still considered a mere resources or tools of trade.
Devoid of any protection, animals in Indonesia are victimized by poachers, illegal trade, excessive milling, and all types of abuse. Be they household animals, farm animals, or those in the wild, they are treated as “things”. Breeders take out a kitty-mill cat from inside a motorcycle baggage cabin (that tiny, airless space under the saddle right at the side of gas tank) or they will tie dogs to an open truck and drive them miles away to the vet if the dog is not able to produce a litter. And if the vet discovers the dog is ill, owners are not willing to pay for care.

Share a little background about yourself.

I was born into generations of an animal loving family -  my grandfathers, my parents, and my siblings. I was partially raised by a German shepherd named “Boy” who my grandfather rescued from the streets in the chaotic post-Indonesian war for independence, where there were countless other homeless animals.
When I took a job offer in Bandung 2008, I had no idea of the dark sides of this resort town dubbed “Paris Van Java”. The way humans treated animals, the environment and each other disgusted me, but it also taught me ever so strongly that I needed to be the change for these animals deserving better lives.
I was a full time executive officer in a large company by day and an animal rescuer by night. My passion for animals took over me, and I answered its call without hesitation, leaving behind my material world.  I still look back now and then, but I never regret being where I currently am.

When did you decide to make a difference for animals?

Honestly? I don't remember. I followed my grandfather and my father around rescuing animals and as soon as I start having my own income at 12 years old. I always found myself among paws and tails (and wings, and claws, and what not) - street and tormented wild animals.  Although I grew up to be like the mainstream kids - going to college, then climbing the corporate ladder - going home to me has always been about reuniting with my family that included my animals.

Tell me about your decision to start a rescue and to tackle this cause. What convinced you to do so, and what did it take to actually create the organization?

I lived in a boarding house during my first year in Bandung and my landlord had a pregnant pet cat. Her toddler son was fond of tormenting her. To get away, the cat would run away to my room. She gave birth right beside me on my bed! My life has never the same. I named her Grace.

 

When did you officially start? Tell us about the changes The Whiskers' Syndicate has made in your community, both in the lives of humans and the animals?

I started The Whiskers' Syndicate at the end of 2008, and I have not stopped since. As of today, I have rescued more than 168 cats and a few dogs from the street of Bandung. Some were adopted, some unwillingly threw in the towel as a result of the harshness of street life, most still live on the streets but underwent TNR (Trap Neuter Release), and those who otherwise could not survive the streets stay with me. During the first years, we lived from one rented boarding place to another, until I managed to buy a property in 2012 which is now home to The Whiskers' Syndicate.
98% of Bandung residents are backyard breeders, including the vets.  In terms of the impact we've had towards humans, my natural connections with vets around Bandung has successfully sparked awareness. It goes to show the effect that can be accomplished by a single person. Information about TNR was known only to the younger vets, while vets of the older generation still believe that Spay/Neuter is sinful mutilation, and that breeding is necessary to keep pets healthy (otherwise they turn crazy, get sick or die), and there are many other false myths they still believe. Five years into the establishment of Whiskers' Syndicate, I see more vets suggesting TNR to commoners who pick up stray cats and dogs (out of pity), and recently l learned that more younger vets are offering discounted rates to people who bring in strays to get spayed and neutered.

Walk me through a typical day for you.

You will see my head poking from behind my bedroom door at 3 am. Some of the cats are still sleeping by then. When they wake up a few minutes later they will find me cleaning the litter boxes, washing their cage's trays and clean the house. When the sun rise at 6 am the cats will have their breakfast. Then I will be occupied by my various side jobs. If I am not working in day shift, or if I can work at home I will be handling the sanctuary's accounting/finance/banking, replying emails, handling social media, blogging, or tending to our charity shop in Etsy. Other times, I am doing the laundry or rushing cats to the vet. In the afternoon, I roam the streets of Bandung distributing food to the strays. In the evening, I am often visiting the cemeteries where abandoned cats or dogs ghoulishly call grave sites their home. I usually call it a day at 11 pm, but on days when I need to respond to with grant writers or charity givers from abroad, I skip my sleep all together so I can properly handle all the raised issues.

What are the best marketing strategies you employ today?

Be a human being, be yourself. While larger communities or organizations make a deep impact, there's this unseen connection between grass roots animal rescues worldwide. We grass roots people might not have the power of a million dollars, or the spotlight to do so, or the voice of a celebrity, but we are closer to the animals than even the smallest established organization and it is that direct connection to the animals that make us one.

Our entry for “Artist Exposed” event on Etsy (photo shown above) where we featured what we do for our cause, including the artist in one picture. Our entry featured our best selling organic catnip mouse and our rescued cat Bon Ami :)

As a grass roots animal rescue, people look at you - the person behind the scenes, the face behind the product. They do not look up to the unattainable sky. They look right in front of you - and you'd better be there to meet them eye to eye. They are human, they relate to your pain, the share your vision, they live with the same heartbeat, they have your passion. That also moves us together as one, no matter how much world is between us.

What would you like to accomplish in 2014?

Flooding as a result of Typhoon Haiyan.

Currently we are home to around 60 cats and kittens inhabiting 1,000 square foot. Following the unfortunate brush with Typhoon Haiyan last November 2013, our sanctuary was flooded and damaged, forcing all 60 cats to crumpled into a tiny 387 square foot space.

The cattery: Resident "mobsters" attempt to find a dry spot

During our bout with the typhoon, five minutes into the rain, our backyard was already under water. The cattery was completely soaked.

One small dry spot shared by a few lucky "mobsters"

My biggest goal right now is to repair the sanctuary so that the resident "mobsters" can have better living conditions. We've managed to raise enough funds to start the repair, but we are still in need of replacements for all the toys, cat trees cat towers, and bedding that were damaged in the flood. I am sure the cats would love to have beds and cat trees again!

The second goal, after all the repairs, is to restart our TNR operation. I am using every opportunities to approach communities around to adopt TNR in place of culling. Since animal welfare has not yet exist where we are, we do not have funding from government or communities and have to fund the operation ourselves. I hope to be able to raise enough fund for these TNR in the hope that what we do will be a living example of humane stray management.

What does it mean to you to be an animal rescue advocate?

The world.
My life as animal advocate had shown me the saddest places, the most gruesome practices, the desperation, the negligence... but it also shows me - in the forms of friends and supporters, as well as fellow animal advocates - the shining core of humanity. I cannot be more proud to be part of that shining race, the race that is worthy to hold itself as those created in God's image.

JOIN THE CAUSE!

Animal Rescue Marketing wants to help The Whiskers' Syndicate in a big way. We have been following the plight of the repairs and reconstruction efforts for the sanctuary, and we ask you, fellow rescue advocates, to please use your animal rescue marketing know-how to get more donors and supporters to help Josie and The Whiskers' Syndicate raise more funds to replace the cat trees, bedding, and toys. Are you interested in hosting a Causes or Rally.org page? Or  something clever that can get this message to go viral?  Contact us with your ideas and to let us know that you can help! Thank you!

 

Ocean Blue wants to lead the way! Check out her Fundraising page on Rally.org for The Whiskers' Syndicate. Ocean wants to raise enough money for new beds and cat trees for the kitties. Click this button and contribute to her cause!

https://rally.org/whiskerssyndicate