Idul Fitri -- A blessed time of giving and receiving
<p>Idul Fitri -- A blessed time of giving and receiving</p><p>By Kafil Yamin</p><p> BANDUNG (JP): It was still four weeks before Idul Fitri, but
Fajar had been whining the whole day through for a new pair of
shoes. Hairah, his mother, could hardly console the 10-year-old
boy but said: "OK. Tomorrow we will go to shoe shop."</p><p>But Hairah did not really mean "tomorrow". "And if I did, I
didn't really lie because we could just go to the shoe shop and
not buy anything. All I was trying to do was to stop his
whining," she told The Jakarta Post.</p><p>He did stop whining, but as expected, right on the next day,
he asked his mother to keep her promise. The headache continued
as she still did not have the money. But, Hariah's brother, who
happened to be there on a family visit, was moved and talked to
the boy: "You want shoes? Let's go! I need to buy shoes as well."</p><p>Fajar had been whining about shoes because several of his
friends in the neighborhood told him that their parents had
already bought them new shoes and clothes to wear on Idul Fitri,
or Lebaran as the holiday marking the end of the Islamic fasting
month is commonly referred to in Indonesia.</p><p>And parents also have their own reasons for making such
purchases earlier. "If we buy these things later, as Idul Fitri
draws nearer, prices will be higher," said Yusuf, a construction
worker in Cipatat, West Java.</p><p>He added that he was somewhat lucky as he found a job at the
same time as his children started to ask for new clothes and
shoes. "So I set aside a certain amount of money for those kind
of things," he said.</p><p>Agus, a seasoned driver and a father of two children, said he
had no idea how he could afford to buy his children new clothes
and shoes until someone came to his house and asked him to drive
to Jakarta. He was paid Rp 150,000 for the two-day trip.</p><p>Osam, also a seasoned driver, said he had earlier told his
children that he would not be buying them anything for Lebaran.
"Just because I had no idea how to get the money," he said.</p><p>He was still at a loss when one day a man came to him and told
him that he was looking for a used vehicle, a 1982 Mitsubishi
mini-truck.</p><p>"Luckily, I knew of a friend who wanted to sell his van, the
exact same make that the other guy was looking for. I just
brought them together and the deal was made. I got Rp 500,000 in
commission for the transaction," he said.</p><p>For low-income people, life is quite difficult. They have to
work hard just to feed their children, let alone buy them new
shoes or clothes. But Hariah and many others believe that as long
as they are tenacious, they will find a way to please the kids.</p><p>"Prices are shooting up. Necessities are unavoidable. And we
found a way. Maybe it's the blessings of the holy month of
Ramadhan. I believe it is," said Hariah.</p><p>She is not a trader and does not know how to do business. But
last year's Ramadhan it just came into her head to make kolak
(sweet banana juice) and set up a small stand at the entrance to
a nearby housing complex. And, as she put it, "the sales were not
bad!"</p><p>Hairah was soon joined by other housewives selling Ramadhan
treats such as korma (Arabic sweet bean), cendol (syrup made of
rice or sago with coconut milk), and even fireworks and
firecrackers. "And they all made good profits."</p><p>"We are believers. We believe that this holy month will bring
us good things and open the door to better life. The right path
is wide open," she said.</p><p>The blessings of Ramadhan are also felt by farmers, who enjoy
good profits from increased fruit and vegetable prices.</p><p>Certain items, like red chilis and potatoes, bring windfall
gains.</p><p>"There are stumbling blocks and pitfalls on the road but the
farmers have renewed strength to see them through," said Farid
Mualana, a farmer in Cipatik district.</p><p>He has been growing red chilis for three months and they are
now ready for harvesting. Based on his latest sales, his products
will bring him more than enough profit.</p><p>The Saidiman family does not have any business to run, seed to
plant or work to do.</p><p>But since Ramadhan, there has been a lot of charity flowing
into their home. "At least we have enough food to eat and money
to spend," Mr. Saidiman said.</p><p>He has big plans for the Idul Fitri festivities. The entire
family will travel all the way to their hometown in remote Gunung
Halu. They will have spent a lot of money by then on transport
and the purchase of lebaran gifts for their relatives and friends
there.</p><p>Of course, Saidiman cannot afford to rent a car. Instead, he
will join his fellow villagers and charter a bus. "That's what we
do every Lebaran. It's much cheaper," Saidiman explained.</p><p>As for lebaran gifts, he said he would do anything to get
them. "I would sell my birds or my TV set if necessary."</p><p>And so, the Saidiman family will be among the millions of
travelers who will pour out of the big cities on the way to their
hometowns.</p><p>As the sages always say, mudik (lebaran travel) is supposed to
involve a sort of spiritual process. "Spiritually, human beings
need to return regularly to their virtual and essential beings so
that they will be purified as God's creatures," a preacher once
explained.</p>
Fajar had been whining the whole day through for a new pair of
shoes. Hairah, his mother, could hardly console the 10-year-old
boy but said: "OK. Tomorrow we will go to shoe shop."</p><p>But Hairah did not really mean "tomorrow". "And if I did, I
didn't really lie because we could just go to the shoe shop and
not buy anything. All I was trying to do was to stop his
whining," she told The Jakarta Post.</p><p>He did stop whining, but as expected, right on the next day,
he asked his mother to keep her promise. The headache continued
as she still did not have the money. But, Hariah's brother, who
happened to be there on a family visit, was moved and talked to
the boy: "You want shoes? Let's go! I need to buy shoes as well."</p><p>Fajar had been whining about shoes because several of his
friends in the neighborhood told him that their parents had
already bought them new shoes and clothes to wear on Idul Fitri,
or Lebaran as the holiday marking the end of the Islamic fasting
month is commonly referred to in Indonesia.</p><p>And parents also have their own reasons for making such
purchases earlier. "If we buy these things later, as Idul Fitri
draws nearer, prices will be higher," said Yusuf, a construction
worker in Cipatat, West Java.</p><p>He added that he was somewhat lucky as he found a job at the
same time as his children started to ask for new clothes and
shoes. "So I set aside a certain amount of money for those kind
of things," he said.</p><p>Agus, a seasoned driver and a father of two children, said he
had no idea how he could afford to buy his children new clothes
and shoes until someone came to his house and asked him to drive
to Jakarta. He was paid Rp 150,000 for the two-day trip.</p><p>Osam, also a seasoned driver, said he had earlier told his
children that he would not be buying them anything for Lebaran.
"Just because I had no idea how to get the money," he said.</p><p>He was still at a loss when one day a man came to him and told
him that he was looking for a used vehicle, a 1982 Mitsubishi
mini-truck.</p><p>"Luckily, I knew of a friend who wanted to sell his van, the
exact same make that the other guy was looking for. I just
brought them together and the deal was made. I got Rp 500,000 in
commission for the transaction," he said.</p><p>For low-income people, life is quite difficult. They have to
work hard just to feed their children, let alone buy them new
shoes or clothes. But Hariah and many others believe that as long
as they are tenacious, they will find a way to please the kids.</p><p>"Prices are shooting up. Necessities are unavoidable. And we
found a way. Maybe it's the blessings of the holy month of
Ramadhan. I believe it is," said Hariah.</p><p>She is not a trader and does not know how to do business. But
last year's Ramadhan it just came into her head to make kolak
(sweet banana juice) and set up a small stand at the entrance to
a nearby housing complex. And, as she put it, "the sales were not
bad!"</p><p>Hairah was soon joined by other housewives selling Ramadhan
treats such as korma (Arabic sweet bean), cendol (syrup made of
rice or sago with coconut milk), and even fireworks and
firecrackers. "And they all made good profits."</p><p>"We are believers. We believe that this holy month will bring
us good things and open the door to better life. The right path
is wide open," she said.</p><p>The blessings of Ramadhan are also felt by farmers, who enjoy
good profits from increased fruit and vegetable prices.</p><p>Certain items, like red chilis and potatoes, bring windfall
gains.</p><p>"There are stumbling blocks and pitfalls on the road but the
farmers have renewed strength to see them through," said Farid
Mualana, a farmer in Cipatik district.</p><p>He has been growing red chilis for three months and they are
now ready for harvesting. Based on his latest sales, his products
will bring him more than enough profit.</p><p>The Saidiman family does not have any business to run, seed to
plant or work to do.</p><p>But since Ramadhan, there has been a lot of charity flowing
into their home. "At least we have enough food to eat and money
to spend," Mr. Saidiman said.</p><p>He has big plans for the Idul Fitri festivities. The entire
family will travel all the way to their hometown in remote Gunung
Halu. They will have spent a lot of money by then on transport
and the purchase of lebaran gifts for their relatives and friends
there.</p><p>Of course, Saidiman cannot afford to rent a car. Instead, he
will join his fellow villagers and charter a bus. "That's what we
do every Lebaran. It's much cheaper," Saidiman explained.</p><p>As for lebaran gifts, he said he would do anything to get
them. "I would sell my birds or my TV set if necessary."</p><p>And so, the Saidiman family will be among the millions of
travelers who will pour out of the big cities on the way to their
hometowns.</p><p>As the sages always say, mudik (lebaran travel) is supposed to
involve a sort of spiritual process. "Spiritually, human beings
need to return regularly to their virtual and essential beings so
that they will be purified as God's creatures," a preacher once
explained.</p>