A moment of laughter and happiness
The next event brought a moment of laughter and happiness. It made the villagers forget, for a moment, the difficult times they are living in, It was the organisation of the Independence Day celebration. We wanted to organise this day for both the hamlets, so they could share happiness and laughter trough a day filled with games against each other. Meetings followed between the leaders of the hamlets, Mia and us. By sharing Sampoerna’s (name of Indonesian cigar) and other kreteks’s, eating peanuts and other snacks we came to a wonderful day.
When the night began with the traditional music we were honoured guest, we were asked to sit next to the head of the village and were treated as friends. While they had a speech about ‘merdeka’ (freedom) and ‘independency’ we received a big thank you for sponsoring the band. For the first time they could dance and have fun, a man told Sari that he forgot that he doesn’t have a house anymore due to this moment of joy. This is what we wanted to hear. We started to do the jolly good dance as well with the thumbs up! So much fun!
Then the day of the celebration started early, at 8 o’clock. First the kids, they had to bite coins out of papaya’s with where painted black with char and oil, so when they were finished they were al covered with black spots on their faces. After this the rope pulling by the ibu’s and then the soccer played by the men. Eventually came the most spectacular game, the bamboo climbing. At the end of the day the winners of the games could pick up the prices and the most of the contesters walked home with a big smile. After that they thanked us and we started dancing again with the ‘Cammila’song (Indonesian song). Before we left we cooked green bean pourage and bought the kids biscuits and books (600) for the school. They came immediately with their cups and spoons. It was so cute to see these busy bees.
They made up marvellous games; such as men playing soccer with dresses and eyecups on, bamboo climbing while the tree is drained in oil and sand, and other funny games. There were snacks and drinks and a big Javanese music band the night before the day. Everybody had the chance of participating with the games because there were some nice prices to win. Like gedegs, oil (14), mattresses (11), pillows (11), blankets (5), pans (12), hygienic kits like towels (21), shampoo (12), toothpaste (12), tampons and lots more.
When the night began with the traditional music we were honoured guest, we were asked to sit next to the head of the village and were treated as friends. While they had a speech about ‘merdeka’ (freedom) and ‘independency’ we received a big thank you for sponsoring the band. For the first time they could dance and have fun, a man told Sari that he forgot that he doesn’t have a house anymore due to this moment of joy. This is what we wanted to hear. We started to do the jolly good dance as well with the thumbs up! So much fun!
Then the day of the celebration started early, at 8 o’clock. First the kids, they had to bite coins out of papaya’s with where painted black with char and oil, so when they were finished they were al covered with black spots on their faces. After this the rope pulling by the ibu’s and then the soccer played by the men. Eventually came the most spectacular game, the bamboo climbing. At the end of the day the winners of the games could pick up the prices and the most of the contesters walked home with a big smile. After that they thanked us and we started dancing again with the ‘Cammila’song (Indonesian song). Before we left we cooked green bean pourage and bought the kids biscuits and books (600) for the school. They came immediately with their cups and spoons. It was so cute to see these busy bees.
They made up marvellous games; such as men playing soccer with dresses and eyecups on, bamboo climbing while the tree is drained in oil and sand, and other funny games. There were snacks and drinks and a big Javanese music band the night before the day. Everybody had the chance of participating with the games because there were some nice prices to win. Like gedegs, oil (14), mattresses (11), pillows (11), blankets (5), pans (12), hygienic kits like towels (21), shampoo (12), toothpaste (12), tampons and lots more.
Our purpose of helping was to give some moments of relief and distressing after the earthquake, our imagination about this project came true. Thanks to especially Sari not to forget Mia and other willing workers in her team. A beautiful experience that we will cherish during our lives…
Dan and Rachel
posted by Anonymous at Friday, September 15, 2006
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