Indonesia: Doctors & Students Mark Christmas with Medical Mission to Remote Kei Besar Island

As gentle waves broke against a small wooden pier in Bombay Village on Kei Besar Island in Southeast Maluku, a motorboat carrying boxes of medicine and simple gifts came to a stop. Far from Indonesia’s urban centers and holiday crowds, this remote island became the setting for a different kind of Christmas, one marked not only by celebration but by service.

For many Indonesians, the Christmas and New Year holidays are a time to return home or travel to popular destinations. But in December 2025, physician Dr. Angelina Vanessa and her husband, surgeon Dr. Paulus Lukman, chose a far more demanding journey. They returned to Kei Besar, where Dr. Vanessa had served as a healthcare worker for 12 years, bringing medical care and companionship to communities rarely reached by such initiatives.

“Kei Besar has never left my heart,” Dr. Vanessa said. “This Christmas, we wanted to come back, not to rest, but to give.”

Reaching a forgotten island

Kei Besar Island lies on the eastern edge of Indonesia’s vast archipelago and can be reached only through a series of journeys, from Jakarta to Ambon, onward to Kei Kecil Island, followed by a motorboat ride of more than two hours across open sea. Distance, cost, and limited infrastructure make access difficult, particularly for medical services.

Despite these challenges, a small group of ten volunteers took part in the mission, which began on December 22 and will conclude on January 2, 2026. They were accompanied by Father Patrisius Jeujanan, MSC, a Catholic priest originally from Kei Besar, who helped coordinate community outreach and bridge cultural and pastoral gaps.

Dr. Vanessa’s two children also joined the journey, along with Sylvia Winnie, a nutritionist who had previously worked on the island. For them, the visit was both personal and reflective, an opportunity to reconnect with a community that had shaped their lives and values.

Young volunteers confront a different reality

Among the volunteers were three urban youths: Darren, a medical student in Sydney, and Chloe and Elise, students at international schools in Jakarta and Tangerang. Accustomed to city life, they encountered a starkly different reality on Kei Besar, where access to education, healthcare, and higher learning opportunities remains limited.

“There was no awkwardness at all,” Darren said. “The people welcomed us openly. This experience showed me a side of Indonesia I had never truly seen.”

For Chloe, the visit offered lessons beyond textbooks. “It changed how I see privilege and responsibility,” she said.

Elise described the journey as a formative step toward her dream of becoming a medical specialist, inspired by witnessing healthcare delivered under challenging conditions.

A Christmas defined by action

In the days leading up to Christmas Eve, the parish house of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Bombay Village was transformed into a temporary medical clinic. Dr. Vanessa and Dr. Lukman performed minor surgical procedures and offered free consultations. Volunteers assisted with patient registration, blood pressure checks, and the distribution of medicines.

There were no formal barriers between doctors and patients, or between visitors and residents. Conversations flowed naturally, and trust was built through presence and care rather than ceremony.

Beyond healthcare, the group also visited the St. Brigitta Learning Center, a community-run non-formal education space. There, they spent time with children and teenagers, offering encouragement and sharing information about scholarships and educational opportunities beyond the island.

“There is no university on Kei Besar,” Father Patrisius explained. “Without external support, it is extremely difficult for young people here to imagine higher education. They must leave the island in order to move forward.”

Solidarity beyond boundaries

The volunteers came from diverse backgrounds, including eight Chinese Indonesians, one Javanese, and one Moluccan. On Kei Besar, these distinctions mattered little. What stood out instead was a shared sense of responsibility toward fellow citizens living on the margins of national development.

Dr. Vanessa credited DoctorShare, a network of Indonesian medical professionals serving remote areas, for shaping her commitment to outreach medicine. “Healthcare should not be concentrated only in major cities,” she said. “Remote communities deserve the same dignity and care.”

For local residents, the presence of the volunteers was a tangible expression of the Christmas message. “This is a great blessing for us,” said Father Anselmus, MSC, who has served on the island for six months. “Christmas feels real when love is made visible through action.”

On Kei Besar, Christmas was not defined by decorations or festivities. It was found in the quiet dedication of those willing to cross long distances, endure discomfort, and offer care, reminding a remote island community that they are neither forgotten nor alone.