After one year.....

It's been a year since that fateful day. Lives lost, homes destroyed, many are still searching for loved ones and many are still living in fear. Many are also looking for answers to why this had to happen, especially to them.

The spouse and I caught the footage about what happened last year over the last weekend. We cried, we feared and at the same time, we were grateful that we were not the victims, selfish as it sounds. We knew that we were not ready to die or lose the loved ones. If what we see just over the media could drive us to tears, I dont know how we will cope if we were there to see the sufferings happening right before our eyes.

Maybe it's an eye-opener to some, but really, it simply sends a message that no matter how powerful and invincible we may seem, there is a greater power above us. Sadly, many of us had forgotten that.

One of our board members had the privilege to be there, to aid where he possibly could and learn from others' misfortune and suffering. He shared his experience and I seek his permission to have it here on my blog. Hopefully, it will help us realise how small we actually are......

Assalamu'alaikum wr.wb.,

Dear Everyone,

All praise be to Allah s.w.t. Peace and Blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

A year past and mankind commemorate the event on the fateful day when Allah s.w.t. willed His might through the waves that destroyed lives in many countries that had the indian ocean as their coast. It was a day that shocked the world into acknowledging the awesome power that they do not have. Our lives and livelihood are as certain as the next passing cloud that carry the rain that nourishes the earth. The reality of the temporal nature of our existence on earth suddenly surfaced from the layers of material possesions that has built up on it.

For those who were fortunate enough to make the 'pilgrimage' to witness first hand the devastation upon humanity be it in Aceh, Sri Lanka or Phuket, we now have a duty to ourselves to convey that encounter with Allah s.w.t. to those who may still be in the slumber of our material comfort. What more better time to do so, than at the end of the year when naturally, we look back at what has happened in our life this past months and set 'new' resolutions for the year ahead.

Let me begin to do the honours as i was among the fortunate ones to make the journey to Banda Aceh to see myself what happened on that fateful day last year.

My memories of the trip there were plenty. We had a task to do and barely 5 days to complete it. We had to deliver a container of donated items that FMSA together with Pergas and Saff-Perdaus and countless volunteers collected from Singaporeans to provide first relieve to the victims of the tsunami in Aceh. Together with Bro Helmy, Bro Bakri, Ust Jakfar and myself we flew to Medan and took a 12 hours ride across the winding road to Banda Aceh with our local guide who are young Indonesians who had sacrificed time and sleep to help their fellow countrymen in need.

From Medan to Banda Aceh, we saw the amazing strength of human spirit to help one another in recovering through the challenges that now beset them. Touching down in the tarmac of Polonia airport, I saw a Brazilian C130 parked with aid for the tsunami victims. It makes you feel very comforted thinking of such brazen show of humanity and goodwill. When we had to clear the custom at Polonia airport, Medan, it was a stark contrast to previous trips that I have made, where now, a mere mention of aid to Aceh victims automatically got us through the gate untouched and with all smiles displaying a wonderful sense of human family that embraces you. This was true brotherhood cutting across artificial human borders and national pride.

The 12 hours journey by land was long, winding, aching and memorable. I guess it would have been more efficient to have flew from Medan to Banda Aceh, but in those early days of the tsunami, ticket were scarce and priorities had to be given to direct first aiders. However, going to Banda Aceh by land did allow us to see more of this wonderful country and encounter not only the zest of the locals, but also let us speak to our own souls in an internal dialogue. Long journeys do that to the soul. I believe everyone of us who were in the Kijang had our own little stories playing in our little hearts and minds throughout that journey.

It was Subuh when we made our first stop and had our first encounter with the victims of the tsunami who has taken refuge in big tents erected within the compound of the mosque. We prayed our subuh together with the locals in that mosque. Being further inland, the mosque was safely away from the terror of the waves that battered Aceh that fateful day. No one talked much before or after the prayers, maybe we were tired, but my inner voice was always telling me to be aware of the close proximity that i am with Allah's physical presence. I just have this 'funny' feeling that I am about to meet Him. For me, it was strangely like an eager anticipation kept away from others that grew in me as we got nearer and nearer to Banda Aceh. Even seeing the woman victims clutching to their babies around the tents, made me 'mellow'. Its like they showed a bit more of someone you love, or you missed terribly. How strange.

So for me, amidst the technicalities of our discussions and meetings with local representatives to coordinate the logistical needs for the donated items due to arrive in the containers within the next few days, I craved for the 'encounters' with a 'missed friend'. We met several victims and heard first hand accounts of the heart-wrenching encounters that they individually had with their life at their throat ready to be taken away, yet they amazingly survived when others many of whom are their close and loved ones perished. Everyone of us probably secretly shed our little tears thinking of their fate.

Finally, I saw the devasted lands, with the dead bodies still laying about, and the mass graves with the bodies still being filled and lying open for me to see. I was just stunt and dumb-founded. It was numbing to the spirit. Standing in the middle of kilometres of land levelled where once stood homes, i felt fearful and afraid. The 'barren' land and debris seem to shout at you to look at them. Even the foundations and floors of what stood as homes, wanted to tell you its piece of story. And they all seem to say the same thing again and again, "Allah visited us, please tell everyone that He was here.". But how do i tell.

We journeyed back to Medan on another 12 hours ride and passing through what i counted to be about 15 checkpoints throughout manned by Abri and local militias telling the other side of Aceh, the conflict between GAM and the Indonesian government. I did pray to Allah when i was there to unite the Muslims in Indonesia and bring an end to their misery and conflict. Alhamdulillah, latest that I read, they are working towards a peaceful resolution to the years of bitter struggle. At least, i thought, they saw the futility of their fight for a piece of land that was never theirs to claim in the first place. The real owner came to remind everyone whose the boss.

After visiting some friends in Medan, we flew back after 5 days with the memories and pictures of Aceh that has just been visited with Allah's wrath. Like Aceh, a number of other places and countries had similar visitation that morning. It is up to the people to be reminded and learn a very harsh lesson of humanity and the Creator, Allah s.w.t. They will answer for what they had done since then to correct their ways and go back to Allah s.w.t. be it in the faraway land of India to the resort of Phuket. The whole of humanity must learned our lesson.

For myself and my team who went there, we had our story to tell and we must be responsible to change our ways since we had seen what others have read. I had the benefit of 'ainul yaqin' for i have now seen with my own eyes standing on that land that Allah had just walked and feel and smell the air that still carry lingering remains of His recent presence. Before i had only 'ilmal yaqin' when i read and saw on TV what happened. I can choose to just be happy and kept my experiences at that level alone. But i know that i need to move to the next stage of 'haqqul yaqin'. I must now live my life in ways and manners that shows my fear and gratitude for what Allah s.w.t. has given me already and devote every moment of my life for Him. What he did on that fateful December morning a year ago is terrible and easy for Him. I fear to imagine what he can do to me for all the terrible things that I did.

Allah s.w.t. is the merciful lord of mercy. I aspire to better my effort within the role and capacity that He has endowed to me and to do more everyday so that He will not take away from me what He loaned to me unless I have done sufficient to please Him. May he forgive my weaknesses, and aid me through the works that I do for Him and should i forget along the way.

'By Time, Man is in the state of Lost! Except those who have Faith, and do Good Works, and remind one another about the truth, and remind one another about being steadfast (to endure)."

Allahu Akbar. Jazakumullahu Khairan Kathira. Wassalam.
daman

Post Mortem updates.

I have neglected this blog for the longest time.
I have been busy at work and nowadays, it's almost impossible to surf when I am home. I wish that God had granted 48hours in a day.

Anyway, lots of things happened this few weeks. We celebrated a few birthdays, my sis, my niece, my dad and will be celebrating the spouse' birthday this Friday. He'll be 35. How time flies!

The mosque had a few functions which took much of our time and now, we are concentrating on the coming school term. I still had lots of paperwork to do but feeling too lazy to even look at that pile of papers stacking up.

The spouse is busy, busy, busy. He is working on a website for his dad's business and this takes much of his time too.

Nevertheless, despite all these, I had Elaine, her spouse, Jin and the children over for lunch at my place about 2 weeks back. It was really fun!!
I was glad that they enjoyed the food though I felt that they did not eat too much. Jin was also eating quite little and I expected her to wipe out everything. But, that girl got an iron stomach. She actually took the sambal belachan and mixed them with the rice like gravy. I was wide-eyed! I was glad that the kids ate well too. I was more worried about Justin not eating coz I knew from Jin and Elaine that he is quite a picky eater. I guess it was good that Elaine told me that he ate only macaroni, soup and rice and my mom made that especially for him. Joel ate very well too but he was more interested in biscuits. Luckily, our house always stock up on them.

The three of them were very thoughtful and got presents for my children and my dad, coz it was my dad's birthday. They even bought a cute little pull string musical house for baby Farah. She really loves it so much and Boo, little Missy Boo. hehehe....she was really a little missy. She was eager to give little Farah the present even though Farah was sleeping and she ended up placeing the present next to the sleeping baby.

Miracle!! Yes, I must talk about Miracle. She was really so mischievous. She was walking around the house, peering into the rooms and she happened to walk into my bedroom and closed the door. Jin, Elaine and her hubby were eating so they did not realise that that little girl has decided to go on a little walk. I went to my room and opened the door ajar. She was right behind the door, looking up at me, like she sensed that I knew she had walked into the room. I held her hand and led her out of the room. Then, I placed the door stopper and left the door open. Then I told her, "Be careful Miracle. I dont want your hand to get slammed by the door." Miracle did not budge. She stood outside the door and looked as I walked away. I pretended not to see her and then I walked towards where Jin was eating so that I could see her from where I was standing. She bent down, removed the door stopper, threw it into my room and then she stood up and looked at me. She saw me looking at her, smiled and placed her fingers into the hinge of the door. I quickly moved towards her and pulled her hand gently out from the hinge. She was still smiling! She was so smart, she knew that I was looking at her all these while and just deliberately placed her her hand there to see my reaction. LOL!!

And then, she was eyeing the plate of jelly that my mom made especially for the kids. She took a piece, bit into it and down the whole thing. Then Boo came and took a jelly, Miracle stared at her but did not say anything. Then Joel came and took a jelly and Miracle stared at him too. After they left the table, Miracle took a piece of jelly and made a bite. Then she placed the remainder back on the plate. There were a few more uneaten jellies and Miracle did the same to the rest. In the end, there were half eaten/bitten jellies all over the plate. She did not even leave a piece untouched. Then Boo came and had wanted to take a piece of the jelly but realised that they were all half eaten. So Boo walked away without taking any. Miracle just looked at Boo and devoured all the jelly leaving only one half eaten piece. LOL!!! She was so smart. She had wanted all the jellies for herself and when she realised that Boo and Joel liked them too, she decided to take little bites of all of them so that if Joel and Boo happened to come by to take more jellies, they would not wanna eat them cos Miracle had taken bites from them.
Bwahahahahahahaha!!!!
I told the spouse about this and he was amazed at how smart Miracle was. She is only 1 1/2yrs old mind you and is already so smart and sly.
Cunning little fox you have there Jin!

Anyway, I truly enjoyed myself that day. It was great company. Jin, Elaine and her hubby have no airs whatsoever.
Hopefully, we'll be able to do another such gathering one of these days.

Ok, I have to get back to work now. Will update later when I have more time.
Sorry Jin, I promised you that I would update these last night but really had no time yesterday. So, now you know..your little Miracle is indeed a miracle. :)