Fr. Avent Saur, SVD

Answering the Call: A mission for the mentally ill

Fr. Avent Saur, SVD never anticipated becoming a leading advocate for the mentally ill. Yet, a harrowing experience in 2014 profoundly shaped his calling and ignited a ministry that continues to transform lives in Indonesia. 

Shortly after celebrating Mass in Ende, Flores, a community leader requested that Fr. Avent visit a sick individual. Upon entering the home, he was overwhelmed by a foul smell and startled by cries of “help me” from a nearby room. Fr. Avent discovered a man who had been confined for three months. His legs were trapped in wooden blocks, and his ankles bore ulcerated wounds infested with worms. The man’s hands, bound by iron chains, were similarly injured. The man’s father, too, was unwell, suffering from asthma. 

“In my opinion, this situation should not be allowed. It’s totally inhumane,” Fr. Avent recalled.

A Lifeline for the Mentally Ill

Since that pivotal moment, Fr. Avent has become a lifeline for countless individuals struggling with mental disorders. Community members frequently report cases of shackling, vagrancy, and untreated mental illnesses to him.

“Based on reports from local people, I started registering cases of mental disorders and visiting mentally ill individuals in Ende and the surrounding areas. There are around 10,000 people with mental disorders in the East Nusa Tenggra Province,” he explained. “I also met mentally ill people wandering the streets, offering them food and drink. In collaboration with their families, I started helping them return home.”

In 2016, Fr. Avent founded the Human Love Group (Kelompok Kasih Insanis or KKI), a volunteer social organization dedicated to improving the lives of the mentally ill. By enlisting the help of doctors specializing in mental health who offered to volunteer their services, the organization expanded its reach across the East Nusa Tenggara Province.

Indonesia’s vast geography, with over 17,000 islands, adds another layer of complexity. Mental health and rehabilitation facilities are limited and unevenly distributed, leaving remote regions like East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) particularly underserved. In NTT, only five of the 22 public hospitals provide mental health services. Nationwide, there are just three government-owned mental rehabilitation homes and a handful of privately-run facilities, all with limited capacity. Community health centers also play a role in providing mental health services, but their quality is inconsistent, and frequent medication shortages disrupt treatment, slowing recovery for many patients. 

To address these gaps, Fr. Avent’s organization empowers families to care for their mentally ill relatives at home. However, limited budgets and medicine shortages remain significant hurdles. “We often access private health facilities, but at high costs,” Fr. Avent said. “We can help some patients, but the majority cannot be helped because of limited medicines and budget constraints.”

Fr. Avent’s work has gained the full support of SVD leadership, and in 2016, he received provincial approval to seek funding for his ministry. Two years later, his mission was presented at the General Chapter meeting as a unique mission of the SVD Ende Province.

Proof of Progress

For those who receive support from the Human Love Group, the impact is life-changing. Volunteers work to empower patients so they can return to their daily activities. “This really helps restore their self-confidence after being neglected for so long by their family and society,” Fr. Avent said. 

One such individual is Patrisius, a resident of Ende, Flores who suffered from mental illness for nearly two decades. When Fr. Avent discovered him in 2017, he was living in a hut that didn’t have walls or a roof and had been shackled for 20 years. His family told Fr. Avent that he was aggressive and made violent threats toward them. The Human Love Group provided Patrisius with food, medicine, and consistent care. In time, his condition improved and he was admitted to a mental rehabilitation center where he received intensive treatment for a full year.

Today, Patrisius has reclaimed his life. He works as a bus broker, owns livestock, and continues to receive medical therapy.

A Collective Struggle

Fr. Avent’s work underscores the dignity and worth of every human being, regardless of their circumstances. “Human dignity must be respected to the utmost,” he said. “Sick people should receive medical services. They need to be freed from social stigma and discrimination. And that requires a long and collective struggle.”

For Fr. Avent, this mission is more than a response to an urgent need; it is a testament to his calling as a Divine Word Missionary, serving those who are often unseen and unheard.