Blind Girl Opens People's Eyes
By Widjaja and Mie Lie Limawan with Goldie Chong
To see God’s work in her handicap.
“Your daughter owes a lot.” She must repay her debt. “There is no other way to break the curse,” the fortune-teller said, instilling fear and dread in our hearts. We lit a large candle, donated the specified amount to the temple, and dedicated Ritchell to Kuan Yin, the goddess of Mercy. The fortune teller predicted that our blind baby would have a difficult journey ahead of her. “You’d better keep an eye on her, so she doesn’t choke on her milk…” Because of these dire predictions, we were plagued by stress and anxiety daily.
“We were looking forward to our first baby in 1995,” recalled Widjaja, an Indonesian Chinese, “26th October was a beautiful day in Indonesia, but the news was ugly when the doctor told me that unless our 30-week baby was delivered, Mie Lie would die.”
Ritchell was born by emergency caesarean section, weighing only 1kg and measuring 35 cm, with only one functioning lung, bruised ribs, and blood loss. I begged God or Gods I didn’t know to spare her in desperation. Ritchell was discharged from the hospital after spending two and a half months in an incubator. We noticed something was wrong with her when she was about three or four months old. “Premature babies are usually slower to respond…” our parents reassured us.
But, at five months, we decided it was time to have her checked by an eye specialist. “Her retinas are about to detach,” the doctor said. There was still hope of finding a cure. So we applied for a visa and bought plane tickets to Perth, Australia, to see renowned ophthalmologist Dr Ian Constable. After two weeks of waiting, we finally got an appointment, only to be told that “her retinas have detached.” “There is a chance that with an operation, she may get 5% sight, but the risk is high – the eyes may be pulled inward,” he continued. “I would not risk it if she were my daughter.”
Mie Lie was devastated by this diagnosis and could not cope with it. She understood what it was like to have a blind child. “In our Chinese Buddhist culture,” Widjaja explained, “a handicapped child meant that the family was cursed.” It was a disgrace and an embarrassment. Disabled children were typically kept hidden within the home. What kind of life would Ritchell and his family lead…?” Mie Lie was desperate and wanted to commit suicide by jumping out the window.
“Can I pray for your wife?” a woman in the hospital asked Widjaja, seeing her distraught tears. Mie Li barely heard what she said in the offered prayer, but a few words stuck with her: “….strengthen her heart…God, use this child…in the Name of Jesus, I speak praise…”
Widjaja and Mie Lie’s relationship in Indonesia went through a rough patch. Distressed, hurt, angry, and troubled, they blamed each other, accusing each other’s families and pointing fingers at sins that could have caused this tragedy… They continued to visit temples in search of relief.
Mie Lie read about a Christian pastor who restored the sight of a blind person one day. She went to the church, determined to find this miracle worker. But she couldn’t persuade him to pray for Ritchell because so many people wanted him to. A friend convened a meeting to transport Mie Lie to the pastor’s home. When he saw her fear and hope, he gently told her, “I may not be able to heal your daughter, but I can tell you about the Great Healer.” Mie Lie was soon healed by the Healer. Her heartfelt at ease. She wished Widjaja would discover the Healer and find peace as well. But, while she went to church, he went to the temple. He offered to drive her to church one day. “I’ll come in for a while,” he said instead of dropping her off. His tears began to flow once he was inside, much to his embarrassment. “I’ve never cried so hard in my life.” “I had no idea what was going on with me.” The presence of God was palpable. Widjaja soon found the Healer’s peace. Instead of pleading for Ritchell’s healing, they prayed, “God, please use her.”
When Ritchell was three years old, they noticed that she could sing all of the songs and hymns she heard in church. As a birthday present, her teacher gave her a small toy piano. Ritchell was able to play all of the songs she heard by ear. Her parents then purchased her a proper keyboard.
When Ritchell was six years old, she told her mother, “God gave me a song.” She sang a lovely song. “Listen to these words God gave me,” she told her mother later. She also sang a song of praise. More music and songs began to come to her. Ritchell’s first album, “Heavenly Gift,” was released when she was eight years old. Her first concert drew over a thousand people. She gave concerts in Singapore and Indonesia.
Ritchell is now 12 years old. She attends a regular school and has a strong academic record. She was awarded a scholarship to a prestigious high school for gifted students. She recently released her second album, “The One Who Keeps Me Safe.”
Her untimely birth caused her family a great deal of grief twelve years ago. What the adversary intended for evil, God transformed into good. People are moved by her music and songs because they see God’s goodness and favour in her life. She performed in front of over 52,000 people in Singapore last year. Whereas it is especially difficult for the Christian message to penetrate schools due to opposition from other religions, Ritchell’s music opens the door. Thousands of people have gained spiritual sight due to her physical blindness, including her grandparents, uncle, auntie, and, most notably, her 95-year-old great grandfather.
This article was first published in Asian Beacon, used with permission.
Ritchell’s latest news: I graduated from high school in 2013 and was accepted into Perth’s WA Academy of Performing Arts. I am currently halfway through my Bachelor of Contemporary Music degree, with two years remaining until graduation. In addition, I’ve written a lot of songs, and I believe I have more than enough to record a fourth album (my third album, “Superhero,” was released in 2011), but I haven’t been able to raise the necessary funds. I’m currently saving money in the hopes of being able to record it in the near future.
In terms of my compositions, I believe the two most significant songs are “Life,” which won a national songwriting competition in 2013. I was one of four people chosen from hundreds of entries received from all over Australia. Another significant composition is “A Treasure In You,” which I performed at the Miss World pageant in Bali in 2013. I also performed at a Perth Wildcats basketball game held at Perth Arena in the same year. I travel around Perth, performing at churches, balls, and charity events. I have my own Facebook page as well as a YouTube channel.
My website: www.myspace.com/ritchelllim.
