The Universe Always Hear a Heart that Believes
After Bajo, perhaps this is the second time I’ve felt such immense gratitude to Allah.
But this time, it’s even more special, because this year, I had the chance to visit Balikpapan and meet Mbah (my grandfather’s younger sibling). From what I’ve been told, Mbah has been living in Balikpapan since my mom was a child, venturing out alone, struggling in a foreign land without anyone’s help.
Here’s what I learned from my mom about Mbah:
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The reason Mbah left for Balikpapan was, you could say, an escape — because his relationship wasn’t approved. He want to marry his now-wife, but my great-grandparents didn’t give their blessing, simply because of unequal financial status.
Eventually, Mbah left home and was followed by his wife a few years later. They started their journey alone. Mbah began working as a tailor and eventually hired a few employees. Along the way, his wife became a civil servant. Together, they bought several plots of land (now used to grow palm oil), a few houses, and — most impressively — Mbah built a large mosque in his neighborhood. MasyaAllah.
Now, Mbah can be considered successful. He often helps relatives in Java and has sent both of his children to medical school — even helped his son-in-law become a doctor too. Sometimes I wonder, how does his money never seem to run out? He has been on the Hajj, performed umroh several times, and just returned from Raja Ampat with his second child. MasyaAllah.
While I was there, I stayed at Mbah’s house on my last night. He actually asked me to extend two more days, because he wanted to take me around his palm planation. But I couldn’t — I had already bought my return ticket and didn’t want trouble my friends.
From this visit, I’ve learned an important lesson:
What we dream of, we think of. What we think of, we work for. And what we work for, God willing, will come true.
