Selong Belanak Party Week 29May - 5June

Sempiak Villas and Laut Biru Café’s parent company, PT Mitra Alam will be holding its 6th Birthday celebrations from Sunday 29th May until Sunday 5th June around Sempiak Hill and Laut Biru Cafe and on Selong Belanak beach.

There will be all sorts of competitions involving staff and the local villages :

Lomba Sampan – outrigger boat races (with outboard motors and without).
Tariq Tambang – Tug of war
Gendang Beliq – Big Drums!
Kecimol - Saucy Saucy!
Lomba Sepeda Pantai – Bicycle races on the beach
Football.
There will also be a more serious side as we host our regular Orphan's Day, where 100's of less fortunate children come to receive a medical check up and medication, meals, and gift packs of useful items.

It will be a great opportunity to come and enjoy some local fun at beautiful Selong Belanak.
Come and have a drink or meal at Laut Biru Café too. We’d love to see you all.

The first opening event will be the exciting Lomba Sampan Boat Races. Thrill at the hair-raising efforts teams to win the prize.
Sunday 29th May 9am – 12 midday.
See : https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156352957764406

There is plenty of parking at Laut Biru Café or past the Cafe at the beach. And you can’t miss our sign to Sempiak and LBC as you come into Selong Belanak.
I will post updates of events here, and photo links too.

Hope to see you soon!
Adam
Lomba Sampan Pic 2010

I wish I could be there

That's awesome doing the orphan kid medical check up's too - great idea.

I agree. Good that you are giving back to the community. Curious if you have any method for screening for kids who aren't actually orphans or if you will let that slide. I know there are some very poor people in that area who would like try to receive the things you speak of. One difficulty I have when giving charity is where to draw the line. There are so many deserving people there but you can't give to everyone. No matter how many I give to someone always gets left out. But again, good on you for giving back to the community where you do business.

Thanks Freogirl and Tom,

Yes, there is no doubt a much wider need for assistance to many families in the area, and to be honest we were somewhat 'flexible' in the end in accepting a range of children who probably were not strictly orphans - mostly those who were not, had only one parent living. In the end at the last event we had around 250 children and it was not really possible to turn people away.
This time however we are organising things a bit differently, including organising the transport ourselves to pick up the orphans from the participating orphanages.
I will put some pics up of last year's event when I post the event time.
Thanks

Hey Tom, did you know that quite a few of the children that live in "orphanages" in Lombok are not strictly orphans - that is, they have one or even both parent surviving. However, their parents are so poor they have to put their kid in a home otherwise that child will likely starve or not survive an illness due to no medical attention. It is why such institutions are usually referred to as children's homes, not orphanages.

I know you are a parent yourself. Can you imagine what it must be like to have to make that decision - to put your child in the care of someone else because you can't keep them? It is such a sad and desperate act, very hard on all involved. Unfortunately, sometimes, the parent/s never return for their kid - sometimes the parent dies, sometimes they just can't bear not being able to look after them. Other times, parents will come back for their child when things improve, and some are in and out several times over the years.

So, I wouldn't be too concerned about whether a poor kid is actually an orphan or not.

I also totally understand what you mean about not being able to help everyone. Places like Lombok can be overwhelming - and if you had a million dollars to give away it still wouldn't be enough (although I sure could make it go a long way). You really do just have to pick who you will help and not be overcome by the other demands. Well, that is my experience anyway. If everyone does a little bit it adds up to a whole lot.

I agree that if enough people help out it really adds up. In the surf travel community it is becoming common for an individual to give or offer service to a charity while traveling. I wasnot concerned about the worthyness of any of the kids. Like I said I know there are alot of poor people around there. I was just curious was all. I'm glad alot of kids got helped out and hats off to the organizers.

Tug Of War - Tarik Tambang Competition
Selong Belanak Beach
Sunday 29 May
3pm - 4.30pm



https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172765766113868[url=2010 Tug of war]https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172765766113868[/url]

Great work Adam. Would like to come over but the road is just so bad at the moment I cant face it. I heard work was meant to be starting in April between you and Awang... any sign of the raod crews in yet?

Wish we could be there!!
Congratulations on Orphans Week - what a wonderful concept!! Great work!!
Deb.

Hi Gemma,
No sign yet.
The Governor of NTB was here recently (via the road from Kuta), and said they would be fixing the road starting may/June....

To our Cafe guests from Kuta, we often suggest taking the road up to Mangkung, then across to near Sengkol and then down to Kuta. Further in distance but same time on a pretty good road.
Adam

TUESDAY 31 MAY EVENTS : Selong Belanak Party week - PT Mitra Alam 6th Birthday

Today we have Lomba Tarik tambang again - finals this afternoon
Bicycle/bmx races on the beach
Lomba Lari Karung - which I guess is sack races, also on the beach.

Facebook event

GENDANG BELIQ, PUKUL BANTAL COMPETITIIONS
Wednesday 1 June, approx 10am onwards. Jam Karet without a doubt!
Sempiak Villas, Laut Biru Cafe - Selong Belanak

Well we are building up a bit now - the big drum bands from the area will be battling it out for the title.
Always a great sight and sound.
[url=https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.157706584297002.39144.133611983373129]


[url=https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=218050658218757]

The Gendang Beliq was great. Team Serangan took out first prize, followed by Team terake, the Team Jogor.

Thursday 2 June - KECIMOL Competition
Saucy saucy saucy! Great sounds, beats - an amazing fusion of music. Usually over amplified -= but hey that's part of the charm! Come and join in, or just watch and enjoy. From around 11am tomorrow.
See you then.
Adam
Facebook event

Well the Kecimol was a blast! - hundredes and hundreds of spectators, willing participants, not to mention the 5 great bands and their singers. Wow and Phew.

Today is a quiet day, being Friday, with rest and prayers later.

Tomorrow is our Orphan's Day
Saturday 4th June
ORPHANS DAY

10 am - 4pm approx
Sempiak Villas
200 - 300 children expected
Doctor check-up
A big meal
Each child gets a bag of useful items and food to take away with them.
Hopefully everyone leaves with a smile on their face.
Orphans Day Event

All welcome to this event as well.