A Remainder Story

It’s a true story about a friend. She is a single parent. She has been working in Hong Kong for about ten years !,,, She came here when she was so young, around 21 years old. After giving birth to his daughter, she decided to work oversea because at that time her husband was just a farmer without their own field. She choosed Hong Kong than others country for her first destination.

Luckily, without any skills, even any foreign language which she able to speak to communicate with Hong Kong people, she got a very nice and lovely family to work with. Her main job was taking care of a 3 months baby. She was unhappy at the beginning because the baby always remind her to her own in Indonesia. But, she kept smile in front of her employer, she tried so hard to hide her tears.

Day to day, she getting used to love the baby, she treated the baby very well. Her employer bought a mobile phone as a birthday present for her in December 2003. She was very happy because since that day, she could make a call for her family in Indonesia almost everyday. She had spent so much money just to show her love for her daughter.

Three years ago, her husband passed away on an accident. Employer gave her a month to go back to Indonesia. She cried all the way. She really drooped to hear that news. She felt so worry about her future, especially her daughter’s life after that. Who would take care of her daughter when she didn’t there anymore because she was still under contract so she need to fly back to Hong Kong for work. Her parents was too old, and her only brother had married and moved to other country.

On the plane, she sat next to a woman. The woman asked her, why she cried. She told her story and suddenly that woman said “Please, stop crying like this. Don’t worry about your daughter. My family has an Islamic boarding school in Tulungagung. We’ll take care of her while you work in Hong Kong”.’ Alhamdulillah, Allah gives me a way, thank you, Bu Nyai !’’She said.

Now, her daughter was already 10 years old. She becomes a hafidzah, she also gets a scholarship to continue her education until graduate from Senior High School. She really prouds of her daughter.

When I asked her, what is her big secret to get this happiness, she smiled at me,,, be quiet for a while,,, and than she answered me,,, ‘When Allah took back my husband, I got my awareness that He might prepare something else better for me. So, I tried to be ‘ikhlas’ with all His certainty. I didn’t angry because I’m sure that Allah will never leave me alone. Since that historical day, every month I send 10% of my salary for the Islamic boarding where my daughter has grow up on. Not for her, but for other orphaned children. I know that they have a right on mine’.

I couldn’t able to hide my tears anymore. I let myself cry in front of her. I felt so ashamed. What have I done all this time for others, not even to my own ??,,, Nothing !!,,, I took my phone, dialled an Indonesia’s number… “Hallo, assalamu’alaikum…”

Thank you for remained me a lot, my friend :-)