Ibu Bule (Mrs. Foreigner)

I wish every Canadian who donated to the Tsunami Reconstruction Project had the opportunity to come here and see first hand the good their money has done.

I was in an Acehnese village recently, where I had the chance to sit down and chat, quite extensively with one family who has been helped by Canadian generosity. We talked about the tsunami, and their tears flowed, but before long everyone was smiling again. You see, Sulaiman and his wife Aizah are so happy with their new house. They’ve made great additions to it, and Aizah is known in the village for her composting ability; skills she was taught through Canadian Red Cross programs.

They love the fact Canadians have built a kindergarten, complete with some pretty colourful playground equipment, in their village. It means their two children, and the third who is on the way, can stay close to home and don’t have to travel to another community to begin their schooling.

The kids are simply adorable. I played with 3 year old Rahmati and 2 year old Rahmat, tickling them and playing peek-a-boo. When it came time to leave, they were waving madly, and blowing me kisses.

The following day, I passed through this same village again, and stopped at this family’s roadside store for some water. Aizah told me her son had been asking about me, wondering where Ibu Bule (Mrs. Foreigner) had gone and when was I coming back.

We, and I mean Canadians, have accomplished good things here. We helped rebuild lives and give hope for the future. I’ve said it before, I feel so fortunate to be here and to be on the receiving end of so many thank-you’s, from both parents and their young ones. The memories I am creating, well, they’re just priceless.