My reading of this difficult translation: Lia was living with her own grandfather when he died. They lived in the same building as a woman who was employed by Lolo and Stanley Ann (Eny) Soetoro as their housekeeper.
(Note that this girl says it was 1964. When she was 7. She was born in 1957. If this is true, then it’s an inconvenient truth because the “official” version goes that Stanley Ann and Lolo didn’t marry until 1965 (although one of her passport applications does say 1964) and that S. Ann didn’t go to Indonesia with little Barry until a year or more after she married Soetoro. Ruh oh, if Lia’s speaking truth.)
Going on with my take on the translation: After Lia’s grandfather died, the lady who was Soetoro’s housekeeper (Siti?) took her with her to work. It sounds as if nobody wanted Lia, perhaps grandfather was her sole remaining relative. S. Ann liked her and wanted her to become her foster child, so Lia moved in with the Soetoros and became like a sister to Barry, since he had few friends and Maya wasn’t yet born. She probably also was conscripted to do household chores. We know from other documents that S. Ann had domestic servants. Help me out—was this listed in the Soetoro divorce papers? I think it was.
As I recall, Lia says they took her in even before Barry came from Hawaii to Indonesia. So there’s another discrepancy between Lia’s tale and Barry’s “Dreams”. S. Ann was in Indonesia in 1964. At some later point, she went to Hawaii to “pick” Barry up. S. Ann had told Lia how wonderful it will be for her to have a brother.
Lia talks about Barry being abused and ridiculed by the children of the neighborhood. After one incident when they both came home bloody, S. Ann kept Barry inside and Lia kept him company. It sounds as if they attended the same school together for a time, and then Barry went to the other school—the Muslim one. The gift of a monkey is interesting. Remember that charm that Barry carries around—Hanuman, the monkey god?
We need a better translation.
I really haven't been following all this, just sort of grazing a few threads now and then.
Obviously, there is deep back story here, as there is everywhere in zerOs life and milieu.
I remember that too. I know I read about live-in help in either the divorce decree or separation agreement, but can't find it again. If you find it, please send me a link.
I was surprised to see the mention of live-in help when Barack has been claiming his mother was on food stamps. I doubt she was ever on food stamps. Her mother and father would have been helping her out.
One thing about the divorce decree I found two children mentioned — one under 18 and one over 18. Could the over 18 have been Lia? I don't know if the under 18 is Obama or Maya. This is the first time I have heard of Lia and now find out she died. It would explain Obama’s reluctance about going to Indonesia.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/9940006/Soetoro-Divorce-1980-9-Pages-Merged
INFORMATION ON CARE OF CHILDREN:
Living Arrangements: (include type of home, rent/own, number of rooms, number of occupants)
oldest child in university
mother resides with youngest child in 4-bedroom house provided by mother's employer (USAID); household includes 2 full-time live-in domestics
mother's work hours coincide with youngest child's school hours so child care not a problem
Finances:
mother spends appr. $300 a mo. on domestic help, including after hours babysitting if necessary