Obama 'Pulang kampung nih!' vs "Wedus gembel'....

 

Barack Obama

(image source from google)

A couple days ago  Barack Obama, a president of American people  came to my country in the situations which  you all known, Indonesia currently had so many trials and tragedies that befell our people.

All TV stations  almost everyday before and after Obama came to Indonesia  continuously broadcast about the news of Obama,  so the news about the Merapi  which still spew 'wedus gembel' (hot clouds) was almost stopped for a while, covered by the Obama news...

I can say   our   goverment seemed so busy to prepared all welcomed to Obama...Although my impression may be somewhat exaggerated Indonesia in welcoming this great guest.... which is usually not the case in other welcome guests from outside it. hmmm...?!

Even though   I didn't know  Indonesia  was got many advantages with the arrival of Obama or not.....   but I guess that's just a normal diplomatic visit...

However I really impressed and fascinated  by his visit...especially  by his appearance and his performance on his speech... I can see.. Obama was a very charismatic leader... His speech was like a conjured every person who was there (including me who was  watching 'LIVE'  through the TV) ... applause, such as excited cheers and rousing applause constantly blaring from the audience ... something that rarely happens when a country's leaders made a speech ...
I  can see  ... Obama is not only a president but also he was like a celebrity or even a superstar ... HA!!

 At the Mesjid Istiqlal (Michelle Obama wearing veil/hijab)

(image source from google)

I  also saw    he's  like a true democrat who really appreciates and respects the differences ...

I'm pretty impressed and felt honored  as a Muslim, when he and his wife Michelle visited the Istiqlal mosque, they took off his shoes and Michelle even dressed like a Muslim  wearing  the veil / hijab ...

Above all...  Obama may have a special relationship with  Indonesia because of his background who has lived in Indonesia  in his childhood ..

it is said his stepfather was a Muslim, who may also influence in shaping  him to become a person who really appreciate Muslims...
He also was fluent in Indonesian language,  he still remembered with Indonesian popular food  such as satay, meatballs, and fried rice ...
he also said that Indonesia has been  part of his life ... visit to Indonesia is like returning home (PULANG KAMPUNG NIH!) for him ...

I'm just hoping  the Obama's visit  or Obama's 'pulang kampung nih!'  will further enhance the friendship of the two countries .. especially could increase cooperation in various fields with mutually benefit from each other.

 Mount Merapi spew 'wedus gembel'

(Image source from google)

Meanwhile...

since Obama's arrival on 9th November  ago ,  my son Vincent was at  his granny's place in Sumedang west Java, because the college was closed for a week as the effect of the mount Merapi eruption..... He  can not  return home to  Palembang, because there was  no flights from Yogyakarta to Palembang, so he and a friend who also comes  from Palembang  and recently study at Jogja  just went to  his granny's home   by train for about 10-12 hours of travel ...

Now Vincent  is  on his way home back to Jogjakarta from Sumedang ... because the lecture will begin at tomorrow Monday..

While the  Merapi  still continued  spewing  the hot  clouds, although the eruption was not as crazy as before ...
Hopefully  the eruptions will stopped soon  .. so everyone can return back  to normal activities without feeling anxious and afraid for the safety of property and their lives...

What's Up with U.... 'Mbah Petruk"....???

Mount Merapi was spewing 'wedus gembel'

image source from google

 

Today was the 11th days since mount merapi erupted... but  it's  seemed this old guy still has not let up  his  anger...

His tantrums even seemed got more blazing day after day...

See..... burst of hot clouds and lava ceaseless gush from the mouth of this  volcanic mountain ...

even everyone could watch  the last eruption was so powerful with very loud rumbling sound ...
What a horrible... the event that never really happened before..

Mount Merapi,  this old guy  has been known and well understood by the local resident ... but now it's been  stunned them very much  on his very act of excessive ...

all wondering ... why and what's up with this old guy..!!

You know folks,   almost all Javanese people think that mount  merapi is not only the ordinary mountain.. but this mountain has a spirits or it could be said controled by some spirits which among others  called  'Mbah Petruk'...

'Mbah petruk' cloud, appeared  on the top of Mt. Merapi a couple days before the eruption.

image source from google

A couple days  before the mountain erupted, one of the local resident  named: Suswanto (40 yo)   had been capturing   strange cloud on the sky which the appearence was really the same as 'Mbah Petruk' who has been  very familiar with most  Javanese people.

The 'Mbah Petruk'  cloud has been  believed by some people  as a sign   that something extraordinary (major disaster) will happen and the community is expected to be alert and prepared...

Believe   it or not... but the fact now Merapi this old guy has been fulfilled his promise as the most active volcanic and dangerous mountain in the world.

Appearance of 'Petruk' who had been very populer on the Javanese people

image source from google

And even    now the eruptions of Merapi which commonly understood by citizens, can't be predicted anymore ... every day people seemed to be left for  waiting for  the arrival of the awesomeness of this old guy's fury...

Noone   knows...

when will this old guy stop spewing the hot lava and 'wedus gembel' (hot smoke)...
when will  the people stop suffering  in the refugee camps due to this terrible disaster...
When will I stopped watching TV looking for the latest updates of  the eruption Merapi's  news
When will I stopped thinking about my baby son Vincent who  currently lived at  Jogjakarta for college, the place where  affected by the anger of this old volcanic guy...

Oh...   Allah...Oh... my Lord!!

Your hand is only the one who could stopped them.
There's noone  was the best helper except Thou...

At least...  a little prayer from all of you, folks...  would  be alleviate their suffering ...

Insha Allah! (May God willing!)

Ooo....Nooo.... Mount Merapi erupted!!

The Mount Merapi... 

This old guy seemed never tired for  blowing  smoke which usually called 'wedus gembel'

What an unexpected...  it's been a couple month ago me  together with my family   ( here !  in our 5 days trip to Jogjakarta... ) were  still enjoy and seeing the beauty of Kali Urang , the place where was shaded by  the mount Merapi  which is  one of the  most  volcanic mountain in the world... 

And nowadays the Mount Merapi seemed   getting  a big  anger...(as what the resident said)...

yeah... sir mount Merapi  currently was beginning to rage and  has been  erupted ... spewing the lava and heat to every corner of the land wich was  sheltered  by this mountain  with  peacefully  since along time ago....

Here are our pics when we visited 'Kali Urang' (a jungle tours  that place at the mount Merapi area) a month ago.... enjoy!

 Water fall , one of the scenery of Kali Urang

Vincent, Icha, Ochi, and Baim... try to climb...

It's really horrible... the beautiful place when I visited a couple month ago was  so frenzied and chaotic recently  as I  watched from the TV .... 

 Icha, Ochi, Vincent, Baim...

Go...go... climb...kids!!

Icha and Ochi...

with my hubby...

I'm so sorry but I haven't any pic of the appearence of Kali Urang  now after attact by the eruption of mount Merapi...

I just hope this natural disaster will be over soon...

And for all the victims...may The Almighty will give you all strenght and fortitude..
And for the goverment I also hope could handle this situation with all the best...

I actually more  worried  because of my son Vincent who was  currently in  Jogjakarta for college... even though his place was far enough from the   disaster  area ... 
Everytime I  pray for my baby son... May Allah always protect and blessed him wherever he was...

With all  humility .... here  I also wanna  ask  you all readers to  give a little pray to all brothers who were affected  by the eruption of mount Merapi... If it could... any  little help  from all of you... will be so meaningful for them..

Insya Allah, I will also contribute some funds to help ease their burden ...

Thanks for   all your kindness,  my friends!

May God bless you !!

And I Pray for Mak Ucih...

The scenery around the village where my deceased granny lived

This pic was taken when I return home for Eid a couple month ago...

That little girl was wept bitterly, as she found  Mak Ucih, the old woman who lived alone in a little house on the riverbank has  already died... It's said that her body had been taken by her family who lived  at the opposite village.....

Mak Ucih was a best friend of that little girl.....

She knew Mak Ucih when  she spend her school holidays in her granny's home in the village... her granny also know who is Mak Ucih, but  her granny always warned her to not often  visit Mak ucih though... because her granny was too afraid that her granddaughter will slipped into the river or something... since Mak Ucih lived near the river and also a rather remote from others...

You know folks.....  that little girl was me... when still  in about 11 or 12 yo... I always spend my holidays school  in my granny's home in the village... 

Till now I always love the natural and rural atmosphere ... I think one day if I'm  getting old, I wanna lived and buy a house in the countryside area...hmmm... just a thought!!

That time I know better about Mak ucih from my granny... She said what poor Mak Ucih ... She didn't have a biological child, but she raised 2 children of her brother who fosterage lovingly ... and raising them from the babies until the adulthood, and  eventually  got married and lived happily...

but... what poor Mak Ucih... when she's  getting old and had no longer  property... her children seem like didn't care her anymore, even they let Mak Ucih living alone...
What poor Mak Ucih...!!
My little heart was deeply touched to hear the story from my granny...
so that what make me as a little girl wanna visit Mak Ucih more often... to comfort her ... and make her happy...  I sometimes I mean often brought  her some food which I'd taken secretly from my granny's kitchen...

Last time  when I visited Mak Ucih,  I've  promised   her but not told it   out yet , it's only a promise in my heart... since I saw Mak Ucih didn't have a Mukena (a special clothing for a Muslim for doing pray)  I mean she only  had one 'mukena', but it looked so old and worn... so I promise myself I wanna buy her one.. I have an idea...  asked  my mom some money for it or if not I wanna break my piggy bank..

It's trully sad that my promise couldn't fullfilled yet  while Mak Ucih was already gone...

The little me was crying that time... but also pray and pray for her...
It's make me  totally sure that Mak Ucih   has been  surely  rest peacefully with no more loneliness and suffering...
This memory was still kept good in my mind till now...

I think there're perhaps another Mak Ucih in this cruel world... I even read the story from my bloggy friend Doris, which already inspired me to write  this post ...  Thank you Doris!!  

I think you guys should read  an inspiring   post from Doris's site :  And She Prayed... I bet you will not regret!

Well... finally  from deep in my heart I  hope there will no other Mak Ucih anymore  in this world... 
And I hope one day if I'm getting old.. and being a granny ...I wanna be a happy person, not being a lonely grandma... or a poor grandma who was abandoned by our own children....   And I also hope the same  to all of you,  folks!  Amen!!

What An Unpleasant Surprise Welcome....

Alyasa Vincent in his room, before left

It’s been nearly a week my son Vincent was in Jogjakarta, the place where he recently lived for college…

Yeah… perhaps this is the feeling of how to live separate from who our loved one… The feeling of sadness and feeling of loss still has not gone from my heart ... Each time, especially when I pray ... my eyes are always watering ... which I myself couldn't hold it ...

I feel constantly worried about my son ... the prior incident when he had just arrived in Jogjakarta after the flight from Palembang on last August 25 ...

That morning I drove him to the airport ... He left with a lot of luggage, a large suitcase containing clothes and a large box containing other supplies including his painting equipment, kept in the trunk of a plane while carrying a bag containing a laptop and documents, as well as a small box containing a special food from Palembang named ‘Pempek' (which will given to my hubby’s business friend who will take care of my son there, and also pick  him up  in the airport) which he brought into the cabin ...

Because quite a lot of baggage / excess, my son-even charged extra for luggage as much as 130 thousand rupiahs ...

his luggage...

Actually this is not the first time my son fly to Jogjakarta... Since last july, he had been 3 times to get there...First time when he register to entrance exams to ISI, the university of fine art...that time he went accompanied with his dad..., the second times he fly alone to take the entrance exam for 3 days...that time he stay in hotel at around nearly the campus of ISI... the 3th times he fly again there after hearing the announcement that he passed the exam on ISI.. he's there to do registration and tuition payment...for only about one day....

then now he get there for the 4th times...

But how, unfortunately, when he arrived in Jogjakarta for the 4th times… and that bad event happened to him… that both luggage of my son which stored in the trunk was lost some where ... My son was confused, he called me and I told him to reported it first to the officers there…

Me and my hubby  did not stay silent, we call the officer and asked why the luggage of my son could be lost .... Finally they told my son that his luggage probably left in Jakarta when the plane in transit, before the next flight to Jogjakarta ... You know, the flight from Palembang to Jogjakarta … must be in transit first in Jakarta before toward to Jogjakarta…

Posed with his dad before left...

The airport officer said, the luggage of my son will probably arrive around 3 or 4 hours later with the next flight.... then he said my son had to go back to the airport around 3 or 4 hours later to pick them up ... WHAT…??? with full of fury my hubby call up the airport officer... and said that they’re who should deliver my son’s luggage to his place... it's all their fault ... not the fault of our son ...

My hubby pointed out, they have to solve the problem as soon as possible ...... because of their negligence then our son have to suffer…

Finally they agreed to deliver our son’s luggage to his boarding place ..

Alhamdulillah finally at about 8.00 pm they came to Vincent’s boarding place to deliver his luggage ...

At the airport ( Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport - Palembang )

Probably  that is the first ‘surprise’ for my son (an unpleasant surprise welcome, of course!)) in his first time to start living outside,  and he must handle it by himself... next time perhaps there will be 'other unpleasant surprises else' which will come appear around his life there ...

Even though my heart was feeling very very badly, I always thinking that everything like that ('the unpleasant surprise') maybe will help him to become more mature and independent ...

However I will continue to pray for him so hopely he can endure the better life there day by day....

May Allah  always be providing grace and blessing to my son, Vincent....Amen!

And Time will be Coming.....

Alyasa Vincent

Only a couple days left  my eldest son Vincent  could  stay  here with us… On the coming 25th August he’ll fly to Jogjakarta to continue his study at ISI (Intitut Seni Indonesia) the university of  fine Art, for about 4 and a half years…

Jogjakarta was  located  at the center of Java, the other province in my country. It take about 2 hours from  our place to get there by plane, or about 2 days by bus..

Vincent  in  a  painting  contest held in my city Palembang, he's got the second champion ...read the story here!

I’m  a little busy lately  did prepare all what he  needed  to lived apart from his family… I’ve  bought him about  2 dozen underwear, some shirts, jackets, pants…and anything else…but till today I always think there’re  something sketchy…

With a  help of my hubby’s business friend  who lived at Jogjakarta , Alhamdulillah  finally we’ve got a boarding place for my son...  and also a former motorcycle which we bought through him to facilitate my son to easy transportation he needed…

Me, my hubby and Vincent,  attending his high school graduation ceremony... read the story  here!

Yeah… time goes by as the wind blown… my sweetie  little boy who’ve been cared and raised  with all my love.. now was  ready to leave us…

It’s truly sad…  but nevertheless I should be able to accept it ... Maybe this is what being a parent ... one day  we gave birth to them, care for and raise, and  then ultimately must be prepared to release them  into their  real life itself ..

Vincent with the school band, Global Band in a band festival.... read the story  here!!

Maybe someday when we're old and they’ve been independent in all things ... good economy, education and other things ... we can only watch them from a distance, praying for their happiness ....they are … our children ...

Hopefully they could achieve what their  expected and dream ... so by then perhaps I can smile happily and could  live for the rest of my life peacefully ... Amen!

Ooo...No... Apil was Missing...?!

                                 Apil

"Ma, Apil was missing!!",  my son's voice was quite startling  on my cell phone.

I'm on the way to pick up my daughters  Ochi and Icha at their school, after did shopping my daily stuff at the mall, not too far from their school.

Without much more conversation with my son Baim on the phone, I immediately turn my car back toward our home.

I found my two sons Baim and Vincent were trying to look for our cat Apil around our house.

I started grumble  while help them search out  for our Apil. Felt tired... but Apil still didn't found yet. I saw my watch, it's about 3.20 pm, time for pick up my girls. I called my hubby, said that I'm busy looking for Apil... so asking him to pick up them.

                 Apil posed on her 'palace'

A few moments later I heard the roar of my hubby's car outside. But without our girls.. Again I started grumble...  "I wanna look for Apil first,.. let the girls home by bus just for today!!"  he said to me.

I glanced at him with my evil eyes.

My son Baim was running to his room...  he must afraid for his daddy's scolded, coz he's the one who make Apil left... He let the door opened while Apil not in her cage... so it's  perhaps make Apil  run out...

Then suddenly  Baim cried loudly: "Ma..she's here!!",  he shouted.

We all, me, my hubby, and my son Vincent  ran to his room at once. OMG, I saw Apil was sitting in the corner under Baim's bed  staring at us  with the blank eyes. I approached to her, then grabbed her...

Alhamdulillah, thanks God... finaly Apil was found...

Apil, a Persian cat was about 8 months lived along with our family... First time she came to our house as a baby cat, bought by my hubby as a present of Ochi's  birthday.

so actually Apil was Ochi's cat... but lately she become our family baby... we all love her so much , especially me and my hubby... perhaps because we feel a little emptiness in our heart, seeing our kids grown up...and none of them wanna treated as a baby anymore...(they never wanna hugged or kissed anymore....just like before )

Again my hand-phone rang... must be a call from Icha and Ohi.... I grabbed my car key....drove straight away to their school... Left a father and two sons gathered around their baby  pet...

Back to My daily routine...

my youngest son,  Ibrahim/Baim (11 y.o.)  a 6th grade student of primary school

Long holiday was over... All my children  was back to their school...  Me   must also back to my area.. my daily routine.. my busy line as a mom of 4 children...

Even though I sometimes feel bore about this routine, but I always keepin my heart happy as I thought that every little bit I done to our children would generate lots of thing and spirit for  them, especially for their future...

my oldest son Alyasa vincent (17 yo) a first year student of ISI Jogjakarta, a university of fine art)

Actually my daily routine will got a little change this time as my oldest son will left our home as soon as posible to continue his study in University. He will study  at ISI Yogyakarta, the university of fine art located at the other province for about 4 and a half years...  It take about 2 hours by plane or about 36 hours by bus to get there... a so far away from our home...

Yeah... thinking about living apart with my son was really make me feel sad...

Probably I must prepare a room in my heart for placing my giant miss feeling to our oldest baby son which will surely often attack me soon...

However I should be able to entertain myself by keepin my mind in positive thinking that my eldest baby son's departure would make me more easier to handle and take care of my  3 other children's left.

 my 3rd daughter Aisyah/Icha (13 y.o) a 2nd grade of junior high school

my 2nd daughter Nancy/Ochi (15 y.o) a 1st grade student of senior high school

As a parent I just hope they will suceed in their education and also certainly in their life where ever they are...

I love you all my kids!!

                 just came back from their school

Remembering My old Friend...

A couple days ago I was surfing the net and found a very interesting Indian’s blog which posting I read had a title ‘I’m Free”  talking about  someone (Vivek)  and his view about the concept of  'one God'…

It’s making me feel impressed and also remembering me to a friend of mine when I was still a student of a university ...who thought had almost the same experience like  Vivek…

I ussualy call my friend Mr. Silent.

Mr Silent was a very kindly friend… he has an angel in his heart, he always  unconditionally there when people or his friend in trouble… I’m not too closed to him, but sometimes he chit and chat with me just like a best friend..

One day he told me a very interesting story about his journey to search the real truth of the religion he believed…(as he said to me that time)

I was so surprise when he said… that he has embraced all religions which exist in our country…

How could it be….???

It began when he is still in high school… first time he believed in Buddhism , he felt sad as he miss a girl he loved, but couldn’t meet her… so with the feeling like a heart broken, he pray and wish the God to meet the girl with the Buddhism way … on and on… then the next 2 days, he can meet that girl…

After several year… he switched to Catholic … (I dont know why...!!!)

he saw a priest who did drive out the evil spirits which residing in his house…

And last he switched to Islam, but he never tell me why and what kind of miracle he had been experienced in Islam like he always say to me whenever he embraced one religion, first he got a miracle…

It just seemed he drove seriously to be a Muslim… I often saw him spent all his time in Mesjid Salman, a mosque in front of our campus, learning about Islam…

Last time I saw him at about year 1992 or probably 1993… That time he’s still embraced Islam.. I hope till today he’s still a muslim, not change his religion anymore...

Now I’m thinking about Vivek… who enjoyed and believed in all religions like Mr. Silent before, and even also pray with all religions ways  and their festivals… .

I just hope Vivek did the best for himself whatever his choice

For me my self my religion is just like my identity… I wonder how about someone who had more than 1 identity…

Anyway I always appreciate all differences and views of others…

I’m not judge anything at all…

The craziness of World Cup was coming up to my eyes....?!

Another craziness of World Cup 2010

Didn’t know why …. seemed the World  Cup fever was infecting  me too…  as the fact that am not interested on soccer before… probably this ‘virus’ was  coming from my best fellow blogger Cheqna who really crazy of soccer and always update the crazy World Cup  on her blog almost every little day…even though her team was failed in the early game…haha... Cheqna  really felt sorry for that my dear fren…sabaar yaa..!!  
Last night I even stay up  all  night  with my daughter  Icha to watch the  all out battle between Germany vs Spain… 

My daughter Icha was so excited…  she  jumped up and down like crazy… when  saw her fav team Spain conquered Germany with the score 1-0…  She also immediately asked me 50.000 rupiahs as she won a bet  for Spain… huh… I see... I know... I said to her before the show began… if my  fav team Der panzers  Germany won then she must massage me about a week every night, but if the Matador team Spain got  won she want me to  pay her 50.000 rupiahs… and deal…!!  haha… but that’s all just a kidding.. not a seriously….  Am I crazy….?!  i'm a moslem and a bet wasn't the right thing to do....

Mmm… this is the craziness of World Cup... and it  was coming up to my eyes….OMG!!

 

My lovely daughter Icha who's really a crazy soccer

The Moses Miracle....

What do you think about ‘The Moses Miracle’……?
As a Muslim, a Christian or other religious I’m sure you must have known about it.

From the holy Quran I’ve heard about the story of Moses Miracle.
It was began in Egypt, where the Children of Israel had found refuge with Joseph over 400 years before. The beginning of these events involved the struggle of Moses and his people had to endure under the oppression of the Pharaoh (RamsesII).
The oppression ended, however, when Moses with his stick parted the Red Sea by the permission of Allah , and then left it for Allah to close over the Pharaoh and his army.

Do you believe that the amazing natural phenomenon looked like the splitting of the Red-Sea at the time of Moses recently happened in our planet…?!
It exactly found in Jindo island, South Korea.
People also called…’The Moses Miracle’,
despite the fact that it has nothing to do with the story of Moses.



This phenomenon occurs 2 times a year during a low tide, a land path 2.8 km long and 40 meters wide that connects the island of Jindo and Modo for a few hours.

There’s a legend behind the phenomenon of the Korean's ‘Moses Miracle’.
One day a Jindo village was attacked by tigers. All the villagers ran to Modo island, except the helpless old woman who was left behind. Out of despair she prayed to the sea god, who then split the sea and helped her escape from the bloodthirsty animal.



Actually The Moses Miracle was largely unknown until 1975, when a French ambassador visited South Korea and wrote about in a French Newspaper.

Now.. The Korean's Moses Miracle was known by all people around the world….They came every year to attend the festival which dedicated to this natural wonderful phenomenon…



Hmm... there’re so many miracles happened in this earth…
And they beyond the laws of science, it was all fulfilled only by Allah's will and power.

As a muslim I just can say…Allaahu Akbar….!!