Last February 2023, I received a WhatsApp message from the MPATI Foundation admin. Honestly, I almost forgot I'd submitted the application, having already submitted it about two months prior. I then checked back into the MPATI Foundation, which stands for Masyarakat Peduli Autism Indonesia (Indonesian Autism Care Society). The interview went well, and before we reached an agreement the next day, I promised myself I would be involved in supporting this foundation in any way possible.<\/p>\n
So that's how I began joining the MPATI Foundation, which has been established in Indonesia for 25 years. They have implemented various educational programs and programs to support parents and educators. Therefore, having this valuable opportunity not only gave me a new family, new experiences, and new knowledge but also made me understand how complex, difficult, stressful, and extraordinary the lives of parents of children with autism are.<\/p>\n
What I'd seen of autism up until now was only the surface. In reality, there are many layers to it, and a deeper look reveals complexity. Honestly, not everyone can navigate it sanely.<\/p>\n
I believe that each of us has our own difficult seasons. In various religious teachings and self-development disciplines, there's always the emphasis that if we're facing something difficult today, tomorrow might be easier, or vice versa. However, witnessing the conversations of parents in the MPATI family group every day, I often wonder: will their difficult seasons ever end? Or will they last forever?<\/p>\n
Being a small part of the MPATI Foundation, educating about autism, and helping more people for approximately two months have given me a more profound understanding of things that previously seemed invisible. One of the most obvious things is that there are so many extraordinary parents and educators out there, in various ways, seeking the best path for their children and students to improve. There are those among them, both known and unknown to us, who, without us knowing, are secretly shedding tears of despair because their children haven't found the school they hoped for. Meanwhile, others may be frantically searching for their children who have been missing for over two hours. Elsewhere, some are struggling to decide what to prepare for their little ones today, while others are struggling with tantrums.<\/p>\n
I've been reminded that we can all do something: to begin to understand that autism is no joke, to start sharing important information, especially for parents, and to let them know they're not alone. We can reach out and offer a shoulder to rest for a moment. I probably wouldn't have realized this if I hadn't had the opportunity to help at this foundation a few months ago.<\/p>\n
The slogan \"Be Kind and Be Strong\" <\/em> currently being promoted by MPATI, is also a good reminder that we can actually show kindness to make someone stronger. I hope more people share kindness to encourage others to be stronger, and not the other way around.<\/p>\n \"\u201cWhen enough people care about autism or diabetes or global warming, it helps everyone, even if only a tiny fraction actively participate<\/em>.\" \u2014 Seth Godin<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The author is Yessica, Volunteer from MPATI<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Last February 2023, I received a WhatsApp message from the MPATI Foundation admin. Honestly, I almost forgot I'd submitted the application, having already submitted it about...<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10433,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,116],"tags":[135,9],"class_list":["post-10430","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dukungan","category-wawasan","tag-cerita-inspiratif","tag-dukungan"],"yoast_head":"\n