A letter for them

                                                                                      No.44, Rantau Limau,

                                                                                      96600 Julau,

                                                                                      Sarawak.

Dear sis,

            How are you my dear sister? I hope you are fine. Don’t worry about me. I am very fine. I am now very strong young woman you know. How are these wonderful brothers of mine? Pass them my greetings.

            I received your letter. Thanks a million for writing. I am sorry to hear that our lovely mom is still sick. I hope she will recover soon. My life here was fine, though it was quite busy doing my assignment. I know mom never stop thinking about me and say it to her, I miss her so much.

I remember when I was a little girl during dinner time with you all; Mom, Dad, and Olan(Big brother). Mom would sometime fry "ikan masin' and telu' manuk' as our 'grand' menu. We are moderate family, nor that I want to use the word 'poor' because at least we have shelter, clothes and foods, most of the time we would eat 'paku-pakis' (fern shoot etc), bamboo shoot, “daun ubi” and maybe if fortunate when our Dad go for hunting and get some fishes and meats. It was very great time. When mother fried "ulat mulung' or  "ikan baung" that's when I and brother would be having 'eating competition'.

Because mother didn't distributed that 'lauk' during dinner, more than often me and brother would quarrel on who will get the last piece! The rule was "we cannot take another piece until we finished the previous piece". Just because he's older than me (I can't explain how that could be a problem), my brother would finished first, then he took another one... so I took another one too... then he took one... then me... then him again... and so on. I bet I count it all, and he was always the 'winner'. As the eldest sister, you always smile and try to comfort every one of us. I really miss that moment. I love him (My BIG brother) very much but 'hate' him during dinner.

Then at one odd moment, when mom would fry  'ikan baung' again, suddenly there was a very unfamiliar 'happening'. Big brother during the 'competition', he took the last piece and places it on my empty plate. Mom don't know what to say neither do I, because since we're kids we always fight, quarrel, fight again and quarrel some more. This acts of giving, really touch my heart (but I didn't refused the last piece), he gives it to me maybe because he was 'tired' of our rivalry, or maybe he loves me or both. As I reflect that moment again, I begin to know why I did that childish act: I'm so into myself that I have no time for others. I only think about how I can gain as many as I can before others get it!

Now I remember Mother Teresa told a story about the needy poor; she said,

"One night a man came to our house and told me. There is a family of eight children. They have not eaten for days.'I took some food with me and went. When I came to that family, I saw the faces of those little children disfigured by hunger. There was the pain of hunger in their faces. I gave the rice to the mother. She divided the rice in two, and went out, carrying half the rice. When she came back I asked her,

” Where did you go?'

She gave me this simple answer, 'to my neighbors, they are hungry also!''

            I am glad to be part of your life. Sometimes in life, I can’t breathe and everything was impossible for me to go through. But, when I’m thinking how lucky I am for having you all as my lovely family, I said to myself ; “All is well. I will do my best for them”

            Finally, I would like to wish you all the best in everything you have done. Don’t forget God. Keep praying for me and my study here. I love you all! I miss you all! Can’t wait to see all again on Christmas Day. 

Take care and God bless you,

----Alice------

 (sbnrnya ini adala assgnment en.vasudevan...hehe)