BEING HAPPY ON THE CHILDREN DAY AND READING DOG-CART

By Langlang Randhawa - Translated by Wawan Husin

When various colors are moulded by able hands, a fascinated drawing is born. When tones are composed beautifully, beautiful charming songs are filling the air. When words are arranged full-heartedly, significant writings are born into being. A work of arts, in whatever forms, when they are faithfully following the branches of process, will be meaningful. The process will result in: the buds of painters, musicians, writers who will emerge from the Earth. The buds are our children. Embryos of all colors and varieties of songs of Life.

APEK
Although the celebration (of Children Day - CD) was not exactly celebrated on the CD 2007 (July, 27), as we always do, the committee was still enthusiastic to conduct the celebration. Tuesday (July,24) a number of preparation were done. Ideas were blossoming from our heads, although the Village Ode 2 had exhausted us. Yes, we were still tired but the show (of CD) must go on. Following our success in holding ‘Fascinated Holiday” at the beginning of July 2007, committee to host were still from around the RD complex: Ciloang and Kubil. First was Muhzen Den, a volunteer from Ciloang ho has been with RD from its first year. He had been appointed Organizing Chief of the “the 6th Children Party” of the “Children day” – 6th CD.

Deden, is his nickname, and he again gathered the youth of of Ciloang and Kubil (Cibil) to assist him. The team consists of -0 among others - Royadi was the secretary to 6th CD, Alwi as a leaflet man whose responsibility is to deliver the leaflets as wide area he as could possibly inform the 6CP, Goni lobbied the clown costume owner. Khusnul Aeni prepared for colored ribbons, while Alimin was made busy to blow balloons. Fatiroh and Sri packaged consumption for children and committee. What did Tuti do? She registered the participants and rechecked the registered ones. Rosdina and Saudi were buussssssy. Yes, they went here and there, and there and here, assisted here, helped there, support others’ tasks. Awhile teens of children around the village were busy cleaning and cleansing bamboos to make the bamboos free of hinis (the most outer skin of bamboo which is hurting to people’s skin). So the young climbers would not get hurt. Tias Tatanka again asked the committee to contact Warung Makan Emak Haji in Ciceri (Meals Warong) to become a sponsor. And, praise be to Our Lord, by God willing, 50 boxes of rice (with side dish of course) could be served for the committee’s lunch. Firman Venayaksa, our Presiden of RD, encouraged us to wark hard and made the program executed. He stated, “… five years ago you were all the participants of the Children day, you know that, your stinky silly aroma from your bodies were airing the yard and the program…stinging the committees noses. Now you are all the members of the committee and you are so good smelling…”. Firman smiled happily. And the audience burst into laughter.

THE 6TH CHILDREN PARTY
The VO 2 is for poets, novelists, musicians while 6thCD is for children. RD called the celebration as “6th Children Party”. In this “6th Children Party”, the children involved in a number of races, games, exhibition and competition: poetry reading, creative writing, drawing, poetry reading, acting, field survival or haling rintang, exploding baloon, ell going in a bottle, sweets going in white jug, and panjat pinang. The two-day party was a little bit different from what we usually carry out. There is a new program of pinang climbing, the term is widely familiarized by Indonesian people. In some area it is actually bamboo climbing. The program adopted from a common program held at the celebration of Indonesian independence Day. So the “panjat pinang” is quite new to be executed in the Children Day. Panjat pinang is a work of a team. The team work is to encourage the children in their social life. Within which the work of a team, as a team is more important then merely individual work. They have to make a strategy that works, they have to discuss the strategy to go to the top of bamboo and grab the presents up there. Intelligence to go up to the high point of bamboo is needed. An action is to be executed. And Up, up, they go. It is like to reach the goals through collective work and strength.

The program was held at the end of the party, on the yard of one’s house. It was the peak of the 6thCP. The audience and lookers on, spontaneously got crowded in a moment at the yard. Drivers of cars, as well as riders of motor cycles stop for awhile and slow down the speed to have a glance to the event just to laugh at the children who were barefooted, no shirt at the chest. The children, the climbers, climbed once and again, in a group. One time this group ,a and another time that group. Each group at its shift. The drivers, passengers and riders smiled and laughed at them. The children were cheerful, happy and enthusiastic notwithstanding their bodies were dirtied by oil. Oil that made the bamboo so slippery and difficult to climb. So animated. The children competed among the groups and try to win the game. Winning on behalf of the groups. The present stuff at the peak of the bamboo could possibly not too expensive but the spirit is awakemned. There is always room at the top, isn’t it. OK, congrat children, be happy, be smart and be winners, of course!!!

READING DOG-CART
Wednesday (Aug, 01) early in the morning three people entered the yard of Rumah Dunia. They were Wrenges Widyastuti, Arifil Amir, and Riyad. The three people are from NGO Masyarakat Nurani Dunia, Jakarta, pioneered by Imam Prasojo, a PhD, a sociologist of Universitas Indonesia UI. The NGO is one a the prominent Indonesian NGOs that concerns herself in victims of natural disasters and social affairs, and education issues is, for certain, also their vorte. Their attention. They would conduct feasibility study concerning RD. Their plan is – in the middle of August – to contribute a transportation vehicle which they call “Reading Dog-Cart”. We, the big family of Rumah Dunia could only pray. We can only hope that we can mange is amanah (task from the Lord). Amen! (Langlang Randhawa,is a 8th-semester student of IAIN Banten, Secretary to Rumah Dunia)