Mom, where are you?

It is January 26, 2002. Haikal is ready. He is going camping at Cibubur. He will go with his Boy Scout team. He feels so happy. This is his first experience leaving Jakarta.

Mom is preparing breakfast for the whole family.

“So, you will be back on January 28?” asks Mom.

“Yes, Mom,” Haikal answers.

Dad enters the dining room and sits down.

“Haikal, remember, no matter where you are, don’t forget to say your prayers.”

“Okay, Dad, I won’t forget. I promise,” says Haikal.

Dinda, Haikal’s little sister, looks at her brother.

“Mas Haikal, you must come home soon, okay? Bring me something.”

“Don’t worry, Din. I will bring you something special,” Haikal promises.

Then Mom says, “Okay, everybody, let’s have breakfast now. Haikal has to go soon.”

After he finishes his breakfast, Haikal gets up from his chair. He kisses his parents’ hands and says goodbye. Then, he hurries to school. His friends are waiting for him. They will spend two nights in Cibubur. There are five groups of boys and Pak Usman, the mathematics teacher, is the leader of Haikal’s group.

It rains on the way to the camping site, but the boys do not care. They sing a lot of songs. They are all very happy. When they arrive at the camping grounds, they immediately set their tents.

It rains the whole day. It still rains the next day. The camping area is wet. They all have to stay inside the tents. Luckily, they have set their tents on higher ground. The tents are dry inside. The boys play games and sing songs inside their tents.

Suddenly Pak Haryono, the head master, comes to the camping area. He talks to all the leaders seriously. Then he talks to the boys.

“Boys, we have to go home now. The rain has caused a big flood in Jakarta.”

The boys look panicked! They are worried about their homes and their families.

“We will go home now,” says Pak Usman. “Disassemble your tents and get your things ready!”

After a few hours, they arrive back at school. Haikal runs home. He wants to meet his family. He is very worried. Before he reaches his house, a man calls his name.

“Haikal! What are you doing here?” It was Bang Ujang, his neighbor.

“I want to go home, Bang,” answers Haikal.

“Don’t you know what happened? Our neighborhood is flooded!” explains Bang Ujang. “All the houses are under water! Everybody has left. You cannot go home, it’s too dangerous!”

“But I have to meet my family, Bang! Where are they?” asks Haikal. He almost cries.

“Your family is safe. They are staying in the kelurahan now,” Bang Ujang tells him.

“Thanks, Bang. I will go there now.” Haikal runs faster. He is still worried. Are they safe? How about Dinda? She cannot swim. Haikal is crying.

At the kelurahan, he sees many people. They are all refugees from the flood.

Haikal calls out, “Mom! Dad! Dinda! Where are you?”

Nobody answers. The refugees are all busy with their own families.

“Mom, where are you? Mom!” Haikal begins to cry. He feels alone. He is afraid.

“Haikal, we’re here,” a familiar voice says.

It is Mom! Haikal runs towards her and Mom hugs him warmly.

He cries, “Mom, I’m so scared!”

“It’s okay, son. We’re safe now.” Dad comes and hugs him, too.

Dinda wipes Haikal’s tears and says, “Don’t cry, Mas. If you cry, I will also cry.”

Haikal asks his mother, “What happened mom?”

“It’s a natural disaster, son. We cannot do anything. We have to be patient,” Mom says.

Haikal whispers his prayer, “Thank you God. My family is safe.” M. Ali Akbar

Glossary: say prayers = sembahyang; set = mendirikan/memasang; flood = banjir; disassemble = membongkar; refugees = pengungsi; natural disaster = bencana alam.