“Kak, ni untuk kakak.”
“Cut, ni kepunyaanmu. Kakak tak bisa ambil.”
“Ambil kak…” kata si gadis yang tidak lokek dengan senyuman itu. Dengan muka yang penuh pengharapan, Cut menghulurkan sebuah buku yang kecil dan kelihatan lusuh dek penggunaan yang kerap.
Aku lihat hadiah itu. Sebuah mathurat yang dipinjamkan olehnya pagi tadi.
Adikku, buku ini sangat bermakna. Adik berikan sesuatu yang luar biasa nilainya. Iaitu pengharapan pada Allah. Doa-doa yang baik diamalkan. Doa-doa yang dapat menjaga diri dan orang tersayang dari kesedihan, kesakitan, dosa dan yang ghaib oleh Penjaga yang paling berkuasa, Allah.
Best gift ever adikku. 😥
Ya Allah, berkatilah kehidupan insan2 suci ini. Sungguh, luahan hati aku tak mampu nak gambarkan betapa tersentuhnya sanubari dengan segala yang dilalui di Aceh. Kepada insan-insan di Aceh mahupun members projek Aceh yang dikagumi, kalian telah memberikan aku sesuatu yang tidak ternilai di dunia. Dan aku harap ia dapat kekal bahkan dapat menembusi tembok-tembok ujian di sini agar terus kekal hingga ke sana.
Ukhuwwah Islamiyyah.
Post di blog ini, diharapkan bukan sahaja dapat menjadi sebagai wadah berkongsi pengalaman singkat aku. Namun juga sebagai catatan yang sempat aku tangkap lalu diikat dalam bentuk tulisan agar aku sentiasa ingat, amal dan bersyukur.
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Where does one even begin? It’s been a whirlwind of emotions around the many experiences within the 5 days. How can one wrap every touch, sight, step and feeling into a simple post?
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It all started back in 2016 when Kak Nurul and her team came to Masjid Kampung Siglap, spending their last 10 nights of Ramadhan in Singapore. Kien was there when we talked about the idea of reciprocating the trip, to visit these mashaAllah wonderful sisters at their homeland, Aceh. Ramadhan came and went while the intention of visiting them was kept in between prayers and whatsapp messages.
What started out as a casual chat slowly began to take its course. From a 2 man show of backpacking and a casual visit, the idea that was bounced off between different stakeholders in MKS finally rested upon the agreement of 3 organisations. (Youths of MKS, youths of Darul Aman, Aljunied Young Tahfiz Scholars of Darul Quran)
Stress was inevitable at that point. I couldn’t understand why should we reel in so many people or the fact that a selfish duo dream has turned into a massive project. A first for each of these organisations.
But Allah never gives something that we cannot handle. He never leaves us on our own. Constraints such as time, meetings and commitments were managed as each individual contributed and sacrificed their nights and weekends. Funding was another factor for stress as we grapple with mediums such as direct donations, fundraising and grants. Our application was initially rejected as the proposal was not full proof and with many loopholes. But the rejection was a blessing as we came back together to improve and build upon their constructive comments which led to their approval at the end of the day walhamdulillah. Shoutout to Kak Zah and sis Kien for playing such integral roles pre departure.
Day 1 – The Travel |12 December 2017
Day 1 was filled with nervous smiles of parents and project leaders whose hearts were drumming furiously. Getting ready to embrace the unknown while leading such bright minds and excited souls in a 5-day expedition was another level of experience for me. Equipped with past year’s overseas community project with team Gazaab<3, allowed me to prepare as much as I can but each travel has its own set of challenges. Hence, let’s just say, I went with a new set of expectations and intentions – a will to learn and give more.
We traveled via Air Asia airline with a short transit at KLIA + a delay before finally reaching Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport in Aceh. It was definitely an eye opener as one travels through each airport and in all honesty, we cannot discount our personal thoughts in comparing each one and that, ultimately serves to remind us to stay thankful.
Especially liked the moment we took off as it was a virgin trip on a plane for quite a number of our members. Some went “oooooh” and “ahhhhh” as if one were on a roller coaster. It was hilarious, and the priceless expressions were regretfully left uncaptured but still etched in our minds, recalled each time we took off for subsequent rides.:’)
Sampainya di lapangan terbang Aceh, kami disambut oleh pengetua sekolah Fajar Hidayah Pak Haikel, isterinya dan anak-anak mereka. Such dedication and warmth :’) Oleh kerana sudah lewat untuk acara pembukaan di sekolah, dengan tidak membuangkan masa kami terus memunggah barangan dan menaiki bas sekolah.
Fun fact: both doors were open throughout the journey from the airport to the school which took about 20 mins. (perkara biasa. Alhamdulillah tiada kecederaan)
Putri-putri Fajar hidayah sudah sedia untuk menyambut kami. Asatizah juga langsung membawa kami ke Guest Rooms setelah bersalaman dengan semua. MashaAllah, ada bilik yang sudah siap dipasangkan aircon, ada yang kipas. Dalam hati aku terdetik, tak kiralah aircon ke kipas, yang penting dapat lakukan kerja dengan baik. Maka Allah telah takdirkan aku dengan 3 roommates lainnya (Ashura, Aisyah dan Faizah) dalam bilik 02 ditemani kipas yang sangat berjasa. Alhamdulillah.
Kami terus digesa untuk makan malam. Dan Mashallah tahap ikram dhuyuf (memuliakan tetamu) level 1000000 ya. Mereka akan makan hanya setelah setiap member projek Aceh sudah selesai. Ya Allah, sabar jenama apakah ini? Mungkin jika dapat dipimpin tangan-tangan kami, sudah tentu mereka akan melakukannya. Moga Allah balas antum dengan setinggi balasan. ❤
Usai makan malam, kami terus ke dewan sekolah dimana acara pembukaan majlis diadakan. Kami disambut dengan irama lagu yang didendangkan oleh pelajar-pelajar senior dalam Bahasa inggeris. ❤
Setelah itu, Ustaz Q, pengetua sekolah, YDO dan ketua projek memberikan ucapan mereka. Day 1 diakhiri dengan debrief yang sangat singkat lantaran kepenatan yang teramat sangat.
Other takeaways:
- Terminal 4 of Changi Airport is beautiful. And by this I do not only refer to its aesthetics but also the effort in making a supposed budget terminal a comfortable place for you and I. Reminds one of Itqaan (excellence) in everything we do.
- The waiting game throughout 3 airports. I observed how my project members utilised their time. Some rested while others bonded through games. Paling best, was reading the Quran. #siskagum
- “Apa khabar semua?” “Alhamdulillah luar biasa, allahuakbar!”
- Wawasan sekolah Fajar hidayah untuk pelajar-pelajarnya adalah untuk menjadi insan-insan yang terus menimba ilmu dan dapat menjalinkan persahabatan islamiyyah di arus global. Because it’s now or never guys….
Day 2 – The Hygiene Workshop – of theory and practice |13 December 2017
Alhamdulillah, we woke up quite early to catch subuh berjemaah with the school. The putra had theirs in the musolla while putri went to the girls’ dormitory. Selesai solat, kami membaca zikir pagi lalu diteruskan dengan tadarus al-quran. Sewaktu aku jejakkan langkah dalam dormitory, segala macam feels datang melanda. Teringat dormitory adikku Nusaibah di Sekolah Menengah Islam Hidayah suatu masa dahulu. Terasa sebak dan rindu kerana suasana dorm lah yang dapat menguji dan membangunkan resilient friendships. Cos we sleep, play, study and eat together. Jatuh bangun bersama gituuu.
I have a soft spot for matching outfits. Especially unplanned ones! So 2nd day witnessed how most of us wore either a red or blue drifit t-shirt. Tshirt game strong katanya.
So the plan for day 2 is this:
Morning: Hygiene Workshop + Mass cleaning of school compound + Painting
After zuhur break: Continuation of painting + Activities for each level
I was tasked to be part of team canteen. Phew. You should have seen how relieved I was. 😀 But Allah has better plans for me and Faizah and we ended up being delegated to Team Toilet. :’D It’s fine because when it comes to grouping, I always remind myself that Allah knows best and I want the best! So alhamdulillah, no regrets. Dari pengalaman singkat ini, aku dipertemukan dengan insan-insan mulia seperti dek Salfiana, dek Rini, dek Cut, dek Nahwana, dek Fauziah, dek Nadiah, dek Surai, dek Hamidah dan dek Ros (maaf kalau kakak salah eja namanya atau tertinggal nama sesiapa ya)
Sebelum masuk toilet tu, sengaja mencari kekuatan dari kata-kata Pak Uteh suatu ketika dahulu.
Antara cara bagi seseorang untuk membersihkan hatinya adalah untuk membasuh tandas.
Ternyata, adik-adik lebih mahir membasuh tandas dan aku kagum dengan sikap itqan (excellence) yang diberikan. You can say we bonded through this activity ya :’)
We were one of the groups that ended quite early after cleaning 2 toilets (2 cubicles and a wudhu area each). Earlier than Sis Faizah’s team who I heard were having the time of their lives :’D haha. So while we wait for other teams who were tasked to clean the dormitory, school compound, canteen and even outside the school, I spent the time getting to know my team better through games and exchange of stories. Best part was when we talked in not 1 but 3 languages (malay, English and Arabic) during that exchange. ❤
I did not plan to change my clothing but after being tasked to clean the toilet, one has no choice but to do so. Thank God we sent our team tshirt for laundry else yours truly would have needed to borrow from others. I applaud those who actually brought like 10 shirts :’) #everready
As the IC for the next programme with the SMA (pre-u), I couldn’t take a nap as I was nervous. Alhamdulillah for friends who went through the plan with me again and improvised in terms of location and activities. The ladies had their ice breaking, grouping and team competition through simple games which allowed us to apply English language. Marhaa marhaa to ALL members for the hard work and proactive efforts throughout. Capek pun hilang apabila kami melihat betapa lebar senyumanmu, adik-adikku. ❤
We wrapped up by Asar as the girls had cleaning duties by the school. Hence the girl members proceed to… Let’s just say, we conserved energy while the guys continued painting :’)
Roomies and I plopped a pillow each and the rest is history..
Day 2’s debrief was longer as we explored our new experiences and things that could have been better for each activity. Good job, team. Alhamdulillah.
Other takeaways:
- High respect for team SD (primary) who adapted quickly to the change of plans.
- The team cat (painting) who had to scrap off old paint, paint a new coat of white paint before finally painting the coloured paint.
- “Capek nggak?” (Are you all tired?)
“Capek! Tapi semangat!” (Yes we are but still going strong!)
Their tagline moved me as Singaporeans would have complained how tired they are. That’s it. Like so….? These Acehnese on the other hand, acknowledged that they’re tired but continued to encourage themselves and still put their all in the activities we prepared 😀 MashaAllah.
Day 3 – As-Salam’s Amazing race | 14 December 2017
I was buzzing with excitement and couldn’t contained it as today was the day we visited As-salam. The school who started the spark of doing this whole expedition. Above all, I couldn’t wait to finally meet Kak Nurul ❤ an inspiring English teacher and sahabat. As-Salam is the second school where we’ve prepared an English programme through amazing race, parachute making as well as treasure hunt.
Kami disambut oleh guru-guru yang berjasa di As-salam. Bersalaman dan berpelukan, kami dibawa ke deretan pelajar-pelajar yang sedang menanti ketibaan tetamu jauh. Terharu dibuatnya. Setelah itu kami disajikan welcome tea dan terus ke dewan bagi acara pembukaan.
Ada persamaan yang ketara diantara perkongsian Ustaz Gunawan (leader of As-Salam) dan Pak Haikel (principal of Fajar Hidayah). Kededuanya mengetengahkan keutamaan ukhuwwah islamiyyah antara dua organisasi, antara dua negara. Pelajar-pelajar di as-salam belum pulang ke rumah masing-masing kerana masih dalam program Usbu’ Al-Quran (Quran week) yang akan berterusan sehingga akhir desember.
Setelah itu, sementara pelajar-pelajar disajikan dengan ice-breakers, members yang lain bersiap sedia untuk amazing race, parachute making dan treasure hunt. I was tasked as a station master for the game Whisper. Permainan ini tak asing lagi bagi kami dimana ia menguji kesabaran serta tahap dan kualiti hafalan dalam jangka masa 15 minit. Semua ayat-ayat yang diberi berbahasa Inggeris.
Antara kenangan yang indah sewaktu amazing race adalah apabila seorang pelajar itu berjaya menyampaikan message pada rakan seterusnya.
Tiba-tiba dirinya melutut lalu merapatkan dahi ke lantai putih itu. Dia bersujud. Sujud tanda syukurnya setelah berjaya melepasi kesulitan.
Selang beberapa minit, station aku didatangi kumpulan seterusnya. Mereka sabar menanti di tepi. Ada yang dengan pantas mengisi masa dengan mengeluarkan kitab suciMu ya Rabb.
Tersentap aku dibuatnya.
Ya Allah, mereka luar biasa.
We left as-salam as the sun began to set. We decided to pray maghrib and isyak at Masjid Al-Makmur also known as Masjid Oman which was a gift from Sultan Oman to Aceh after the tsunami. Something which was not part of the plan but part of His plan. Walhamdulillah.
Alkisah, some of the girl members were approached by the Jemaah asking about where we come from. I wish to highlight specifically about 2 jemaahs. 1 was a niqabi who said that our solat was invalid as we did not use the kain but instead only used our pants for prayers. Another approached us by subtly reminding us about our duties to our parents mentioned in Surah Al-Ahqaf verse 15 and to fear Allah always.
We should have foreseen that this would happen as our sisters from Majulah had warned us about it. The culture in Aceh is that. the ladies would wear skirts and use the 2 piece mukena/telekung. But it has already happened and I’m glad it did because the girl members agreed how these 2 figures’ approach in dakwah varied and clearly, we all chose the dakwah bil hikmah. Definitely a #sentap reminder for us.
Other takeaways:
- Pelajar-pelajar di as-salam memanggil guru-guru mereka dengan panggilan mesra, Ummi dan Abi. ❤
- Truly inspired by the guy members of this project. 1 of them couldn’t complete the 3rd and 4th stage of the break clap and some even suggested we should only stop at 5. So it was a wonderful surprise when ALL of them could do all stages. They practised overnight and encouraged each other to complete all 10 stages of the break clap. Putting the ladies to shame as we only managed to do 9. Mashallah la antum. Leave no man behind they say…
Day 4 – English Language Programme |15 December 2017
Kita berpagian seawal jam 4 pagi kerana rencananya adalah untuk berqiyam bersama. Di pagi jumaat dengan status sebagai seorang musafir aku panjatkan doa buat sekalian teman di Aceh dan di Singapura. Moga Allah terima…
Usainya solat dan sarapan pagi, kami melangkah yakin untuk mengendalikan programme terakhir di Aceh. English Language Programme. Hatiku agak tenang kerana sangkanya Cik Din sebagai IC akan mengarahkan yang lain. Lain jadinya apabila aku perlu jadi IC bagi SMA (pre-u) putri. Terdapat sedikit kegencotan tapi alhamdulillah, dengan kerjasama members bagi SMA yang lain (Ciara, Aerina, Sakinah, Izzah dan Zakiyyah) kami mampu mengatasinya dan cepat-cepat fikirkan aktiviti bagi mengisi masa.
Permainan pertama merupakan guide the blind. Dimana mereka perlu memandu rakan mereka melalui obstacle course itu dengan Bahasa Inggeris sahaja. Dengar macam mudah kan? HAHA wait till you are in their shoes. Kelakar sangat! Sempat telingaku tangkap prebualan antara pelajar:
“Turn tu apa sih?”
“Turn tu putar!”
“Ohhh”
Walaupun nampak kecil peningkatannya, tetapi Allah sahaja yang tahu betapa inilah sumber inspirasiku setiap hari.
Seterusnya kami bermain dog and bone. Dimana jika nombor kami dipanggil, kami perlu lari untuk mendapatkan botol di tengah padang dan kembali ke “rumah” kami sebelum disentuh oleh pihak lawan. Di sini kami menguji tahap fokus dan penggunaan nombor dalam Bahasa inggeris.
Alhamdulillah, 2 jam berlalu dengan begitu cepat! Projek members terpaksa mengundurkan diri agar tidak lewat untuk menunaikan solat jumaat di masjid baiturrahman.
Other takeaways:
- Wisata yang membuka minda dan hati. Lagi-lagi di masjid rahmatullah dimana ustaz Sulaiman berkongsi cerita sebagai survivor. Pesannya: Jaga solat dan Allah lah yang menjaga kita selalu.
- We experienced pests in our rooms (itu semua normal ya), black out (give chance for everyone to use their torchlight) and shortage of water (which I happily used the air bertakung. Alhamdulillah nothing happened phew)
Day 5 – The Journey Back |16 December 2017
That morning was a rush. We had to leave right after subuh. As I quickly took my leave from the girls’ dormitory, I saw dek Selfiana and Rini. Their eyes were red and tiny droplets began to fall. I cannot see such sadness but to reciprocate the action. When words failed to describe one’s emotions, we simply hugged long and hard with tears streaming down. ❤
The journey back home felt shorter. Somehow. And during the transit, instead of exploring the place, we chose to sit by each other and just…enjoy each other’s presence. Lepak in the musolla and finally arrived home safe. Alhamdulillah ya Rabb.
Other takeaways:
- Huge respect for the guy members who proactively brought all our luggage down. They even went out of their way to push the bus when it got stuck in the mud. May Allah bless each one of you adik-adik semuanya!
Akhir kalam, seperti yang diwasiatkan oleh Ustaz Burhan, moga Allah terima segalanya.
رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Never underestimate the power of intention, the power of collective action and the prayers of people in the last 10 nights of Ramadhan…
#myheartisfull #teamtaklemoveon #ProjectGelombangAceh #ProjekGelombangAceh #Assalam #FajahHidayah #unclechinchickenrice #rabbanataqabbalminna
p/s: maaf atas grammar dan percampuran tiga bahasa. Kalau ada silap, harap tegur. ❤
Diarinsyirah 