Global Islamic Student Outreach (GISO) Journey to Medan Land

Raised Indonesia flag on the boat roof  that across Lake Toba the 'Monaco of  Asia' as inspired by the 6th President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo.

“GISO? The program sounds like international.” Yes, it is! This is a program organized by Volunteer Unit, the Division of StudentAffairs of Islamic Science University of Malaysia (USIM) since 2012 aiming for students to doing the community services on the Muslim communities around the world. Every student is encouraged to participate in this program as they already paid RM450 for the ‘International Fee’ included in their study fees. A group of maximum 25 students plus 1 lecturer accompaniment must be formed to do this program.

17 students including me from various degree courses of Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) were doing GISO at Medan, Indonesia on 5-9 November 2016. An Internet Security and Assurance (ISA) lecturer, Dr. Waidah binti Ismail became our accompanist. At the beginning, we want to do at Korea or India. However, the national currency crisis forced us to change the destination to just around ASEAN. From 25 members expressed their commitment with our group, only 5 guy and 12 girls did give the co-operation till the end.

We did the paper work and start collecting the money for the last 2 years. But, for the paper work to be approved from the FST staff is not as easy as ABC. On the presentation date, you must make them clear on what you’ll doing in the oversea, so start to contact a destination tour guide that will guide you there for further investigation. After being rejected several times, at the quarter 4 2016 the staff approved ours. Then, we did last-kopek donations from several mosques on Selangor and from the other students also – may Allah bless them.

The departure date was coming. However, we failed to get any buses from the university’s Vehicle Section to go to Kuala Lumpur International Airport II (KLIA2). So, in the evening, the girls and the accompanist were separated into several persons per car as they took the student cab, while all 5 guys drove an own car to Salak Tinggi Express Railway Line (ERL) station, park there and bought a ticket to KLIA2 station. We depart at 2020h Malaysia time and arrived safely around ¾ hour later using Air Asia flight.

 

How near the KLIA2 (east land) to Medan (west land).  Separated by Malacca Straits.

Day 1

My smartphone automatically changed the timezone. Safely arrived at 2000h East Indonesia time (WIB) at Bandara Kuala Namu or Kuala Namu International Airport, Deli, Serdang. The difference time is -1 hour compared to Malaysia. We were greeted by the tour guide we’d contact earlier since we at Malaysia, Kak Shabrina. She with his friends, Mas Arthur and Mas Riki from Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) were our tour guide in this journey. They took us into Bus Pariwisata. We then checked in at Hotel Syariah Al'Jayri. No activities yet since the day was already night when arrived. This hotel supports two persons per room, so we’re separated into duo or trio and filled the rooms up to the 2^nd floor. Before slept, they served the first dinner. My tounge must being prepared to taste Indonesian cuisine started with this meal - hottest green sambal recipe.

 

Bus pariwisata, or the tourism bus was a bus that carrying us anywhere in the province of Sumatera Utara along this program. The driver’s driving style is too horror. Argh, I cannot forget this such driving moment.

Hotel Syariah Al'Jayri, Medan Petisah, Kota Medan. Here, they served the food three times a day. If we’re still not full, Indomaret is out there where we can buy foods and drinks cheaper than the mini groceries at Malaysia.

My room with our two members at 2^nd floor without the lift to reach here. Surprisingly, their toilet didn’t have the flush! The hotel management had provided the internet connection, but limited to lobby area. Our mind started thinking to buy a SIM card as we saw telcos’ ads along the road, providing the internet price cheaper and cheaper with big data quota!

Day 2

Panti Asuhan Putri Aisyiyah or Putri Aisyiyah Kindergarten in English at Medan Kota, Kota Medan. Just outside from this, a church where we heard their followers sang “Kasih…” during Sunday prayer.

The program begins. After taking the breakfast, we went to Panti Asuhan Putri Aisyiyah to did program named ‘I will be There for You’. Here we met 35 primary-school-aged children. All of them are girls, comes from whether the poor family, or the orphanage. We did telematch in the style of science like making volcanoes using chemical. We also play several mind games when they were separated into 5 groups. They looked surprised and enjoyed with our program. The program ended by the closing speech by our accompanist, our head, and the centre headmistress. From the headmistress speech, we heard some history about Putri Aisyiyah, the founder of this centre. Before we out, they request our Facebook ID…and we’re still waiting them to add friend.

 

The Panti’s headmistress giving a speech. The right frame at the wall was the founder, Putri Aisyiyah - may Allah reward her effort with  jannah!

Here, the afternoon is 11.00a.m. and Zohor prayer started at 12.20 p.m. Before continuing the program with the next destination, we took a lunch at a Muslim restaurant. Finding the place to eat is not easy as in Malaysia because there were quite many Christians-owned restaurants serving non-halal food such as babi panggang. We ate nasi ayam penyet, and the taste was umph…

We continue our program by doing Kem Solat program at Masjid al-Falaah in the evening. Here we also met 35 primary-schooled children, but with the mosque nazirs as their custodies. We separate them in a group of 7 for easy tutor. We taught them on how to take the ablution, the taymum, adzan, iqamah, and pray in the style of individual and congregational. We also want to taught dzikir, but as the time was limiting, we ending with the quiz. From what I’ve seen, only the elder children can understand what we had lectured because of the accents problem. And what I surprising was when I found out from the nazirs that they not only embrace Syafie sect, since we taught the children in that way. However, there will be not an issue as Muslims are 1 ummah. The program ended several minutes after Ashar prayer. We distributed to the children a paper listing what we taught from the ablution to dzikir for reference.

 

Kem Solat program at Masjid al-Falaah, Kota Medan.

As the night went on, we already at the hotel; planning the next activities for tomorrow. As Gen-Y, we having life difficulties without the internet connection. Thus, we went to the nearby telco store and bought a Telkomsel SIM card plan, SIMPATI. Once activation, this card gave 5GB data. Then, we spent the rest time by watching the television and seeing on how Indonesia TV prevent people from smoking though the smoking ads become their main revenue.

Day 3

 

Yayasan Pesantren Usman Syarif, Medan Sunggal.

This was weekday, and we needed to get out to the destination as fast as possible to get rid of the workers’ morning traffic jam as recommended by the tour guides. The program continued at Pesantren Usman Syarif. Here, we see the primary-aged and the secondary-aged students attended our program with the school uniform. But, still needed to playing games, more extreme than the Panti yesterday – throwing the balloons filled with water! Although they wet, they enjoyed the game. As usual, we separate the students into several groups to play. Whoever group won out, wins! All of them still received the same prizes. Hahahaha… The program ended after we pray Zohor together with them. They also requested our Facebook ID and we’re still waiting them to ‘add as a friend’.

After the lunch break, we went to the last community service destination – Masjid al-Iman. All of the donations collected at Malaysia is to support the mosque renovation. Since the mosque is not in use, we did not stay long. The contribution in the form of magazines, cash, and many more were received by the mosque nazir chief.

 

Masjid a-Iman, Helvetia Manunggal, Pasar 7.

Now, it’s time to city tour! We spent the late evening at Pusat Pasar, Medan Kota. This was our first shopping destination. Just like Pasar Payang at Terengganu, Malaysia, this place offered much types of goods. You can nego with them down to ½ price! Ringgit Malaysia is accepted here. However, their traders were too urged when offering, especially the hawkers who did not have shop. They’ll follow you around pasar if you pending your transaction with them. That’s why I have no photos to be shared about this place. By the way, I safely buy some goods that was requested by my family. Huh… the rain saved us bit from the escorting hawkers.

Day 4

<To understand the route, please refer to the map.> Travelling at Medan wasn’t nice without visiting Danau (Lake) Toba. The journey took 4 hours to go and back from the hotel, making this was the only city tour of the day. This is the place where Batak tribe is based. At the middle of the lake, there is a Singapore-sized island, named as Samosir Island. Many of them are embraces the Protestant sect of Christian. The nearest point to reach the island is by travelling by boat from Parapat, Simalungun. We depart at 0800h after taking the breakfast.

Crossing the road in the style of jalan kampung, we saw many churches and cemeteries with Maria picture. At 1200h we managed to arrive at the east coast of Lake Toba, Parapat. Before crossing the lake to went to Samosir Island, we lunch first and did Zohor-Ashar prayer at the top floor of the restaurant.

 

A rumah makan Muslim near the jetty at Parapat. Although this is the Christian place, this is not the only halal restaurant. There’re quite many halal restaurant on the island side also.

 

On the boat! Rp145000 fee; to and fro. Departed from Parapat jetty.

We arrived at at two kelurahan on the east island, Ambarita and Tomok. The goods sold are hand-made and cheap, but still you could nego till got ½ price. There, the people want to share with us their history using the historic sites which well maintained by the funds from the tourists. As at Kota Medan, this island is also accepted Ringgit notes.

Batak show from the sculpture. Without any power source supplied, he moved his hands, blinking eyes and shaking the shoulders by mechanical control from the man on the backstage.

 

Sidabutar king’s grave, Raja Dihuta Oppu Tolu. According to the what people told, he is a Batak king that can cure the patient, falling the rain, and many more magics. Seldomly people took out for a while his corpse as their tradition to celebrate the predecessor.

Batak blanked museum. Now, here is the place where Batak’s high-quality silk is produced. Hundred years ago, this such building was a jail before the punishment. If the punishment was death penalty, the prisoner will be cut-off his head and his liver and heart will be eaten by the king, the ministers and the tribe warriors. That’s why Bataks were called as semi-cannibal before the Christendom comes during the Dutch colonialism. 

Then, we back to Parapat jetty on the twilight and reach the hotel around 0200h tomorrow. Let’s pack the luggage. We gonna home tomorrow. Sobsob.

Day 5

The last day, the last city tour. After check out from the hotel, we reached Berastagi, one of the popular Batak tribe town. This town is like Cameron Highlands at Pahang, Malaysia; cool, green, high altitude. This place became the popular destination because many fruits sold here. Furthermore, you can also rent a horse to riding. Journey to this town took 2 hours by bus to reach from Kota Medan.

Fruits stalls at Berastagi, Karo.

None of us were riding the horse, just bought some gifts to brought back to home. Not long after this, we lunch at a nearby restaurant to enjoying the Indonesian ayam penyet rice for the last. After Zohor-Ashar prayer, we went to the airport. We arrived at Kuala Namu airport in the evening and waiting for the departure at 2000h WIB.

 

Near the airport, we have a tea break at this restaurant since we arrived early at the airport. We taste beef bakso. Idk why my girl members didn’t like beef smell, because this meal was tasty!

We’re came with Air Asia, back also with Air Asia. From the air, I saw Indonesia streetlights in white colour, and Malaysia streetlights in yellow colour when arrived ½ hour later.  I’ll miss the moments in province of Sumatera Utara forever; the struggle of low and middle class people to live in Kota Medan, the fantastic natural scenery of Danau Toba, and the cool weather at Berastagi. The GISO objectives was successfully achieved.  I’ll pray for the best to Muslims there, Muslims in my hometown, us and you who read this article. May we are in Allah’s blessings and be grateful on what we have on the surroundings because what we have actually is the loan from Allah. From Him we come, and to Him we return.

 

My gifts from Medan to friends and family.

GISO ended after we completing the journey report to USIM staff. Thanks to all who contributed to this community service: the residence of Salak Tinggi, KLIA, and Nilai, our parents, USIM staffs, our friends, and also Sumatera Utara people. It is the responsibility for wealthy and healthy Muslims to help other needy Muslims around the globe.

Day 17

We had excess money (not from the residents donation) from the journey, so we spent the remaining by doing gathering at Art Café Laundry. Laundry? We’re not washing clothes together. The place is a restaurant serving Italian dishes, so we came to eat. To make the gathering felt positive aura, we did playing ‘truth or dare’. The questions or requests were quite humiliating to answer or fulfill because it was all about the love. However, we didn’t take this as serious matter since we did this in funny way. (awkward emoticon)

 

Art Café Laundry, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. From stranger to avenger. Before this trip, I didn’t know those girls. After this, we were tied so close from now on.

Sweet memories written in this trip. Friendship built and become strengthen. Malaysia and Indonesia are in a clump, only political borders separate them. Till next time, hopefully we can engage each other at another location, or this same location could be OK. Because we were yearning. (whimper emoticon)

 

I still keep remaining Rupiah in my wallet. Maybe I will reuse these notes during honeymoon with my future (unknown) wife at Anyer beach, Java, Indonesia – fascinated by a Sheila Majid song, Antara Anyer dan Jakarta.