Incredible Happiness
(Indonesia)
By Liu Ya-hsien
Translated by Yen Pei-yu
Photographs by Yen Lin-chao and Lin Yen-huang
They don't have to worry about the floods and the stench of floating garbage anymore. Now they have bathrooms, water, and electricity… These things are all so incredible to them!
Drought and rain make up the only two seasons in Indonesia. For the land that lies across the equator, the rainy season should be a precious gift, but for these people who were once closely linked to the Angke River, the rainy season is full of unforgettable memories.
Srinuryati was born in Angke and has been living there for more than 29 years, from the time of her childhood to her being a mother of four children.
Srinuryati doesn't complain about the Angke floods. She says the residents can't complain about it because they caused the floods in the first place—the trash that filled the river every time the rain poured would cause the river to flood. When people worry about getting meals, they aren't concerned about the environment.
However, Srinuryati couldn't imagine that the drenching rainfalls in January 2003 would bring over a group of Tzu Chi people. They made the Angke River flow again and caused the stagnating floodwaters to recede from houses built along the riverbanks. Tzu Chi people gave Srinuryati and her neighbors a whole new home.
Srinuryati says her new home is in Room C on the 4th floor of the building with a picture of a coconut. Tzu Chi volunteers had intended for the residences to be more accessible through the use of such pictures.
She led us to visit her house; she treasured it so much that we had to take off our shoes before entering. Though there is not much furniture, there is the smell of a simple and warm, sweet home.
Srinuryati says that she used to live in a house on stilts beside the Angke River; the house simultaneously served as a living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. However, in her new home, each room has its own function and is neat and bright.
Every home in the new village has its own bathroom. Clean water directly flows from the faucets. After turning on the lights, the rooms brighten immediately. Children can play and sleep in their own rooms, and the whole family can even watch television at ease in the living room. What's more, they don't have to worry about floods and the stench of floating garbage anymore.
She says these are all so incredible to them! Another incredible thing is her children's transformation in a short amount of time.
Srinuryati says that the most delightful thing for parents to see is their children growing up and becoming wiser; she is pleased about her children's transformation now. Her son Landra is a second grade student at Tzu Chi Elementary School in the Great Love Village. He used to wander around after school, but now he finishes his homework first and then helps take care of his six-month-old sister. He surprised Srinuryati yesterday by scoring 100 percent on his exam.
What surprises Srinuryati most, though, is the fact that Landra knows how to save money. Within just three months, he saved 130,000 Indonesian Rupiahs (about US$16)! When we asked him how he planned on using the money, he answered that he wanted to save more so that he could buy a bicycle.
Srinuryati says that no matter what he wants to buy, the most important thing is to cultivate the concept of "saving money." She tells us that the teachers at Tzu Chi elementary school have taught that well to her child and other kids.
Captions
P42 above: Landra snuggles next to his mother. After moving to their new home and studying at a new school, Landra has become more mature. His changes bring incredible happiness to Srinuryati.
P42 below: Going from the dirty stench of Angke River to the beautiful Tzu Chi village, the new life that the villagers experience bring in new hope.
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