Unforgettable birthday present from God

At the beginning of my story, I would like say that true friendship will be proven in hard times. Hanny, my friend has a mother who was sick from July 2008. Hanny was the only child in her family. Her 71-year-old mother lied in the bed of Panti Waluya Hospital, Malang because of hepatitis. On August 20, 2008 she got better so she could leave hospital. Suddenly, on Wednesday morning, October 27, 2008 her condition got worst even more than before. As such, she had to be sent to the hospital again at 4.00 am in Panti Nirmala Hospital.

At the same day, I had a meeting at 6.30 p.m with my friends at Rayner bookstore on Raya Tidar street number 15. In the middle of our meeting, Hanny sent an text message to Grego. Hanny told us that her mother was in a critical condition. Of course, all of us got panic and shocked because of that sudden news.

We still continued our meeting for a few minutes, and then some of us decided to go to the hospital right away. Aven, Amelia, Daniel, Grego, Michael were my friends who left for the hospital at that time. Actually, I was very worried because deep inside my heart I felt that her mother would not survive this time.

We arrived at Panti Nirmala Hospital at 9.30 p.m. I was shocked because Hanny mother’s condition was very bad. She was unconscious, and she got internal bleeding. The blood came out from her mouth. We talked to Hanny for a while then all of us prayed together for Hanny’s mother. During the prayer, I felt very calm and peaceful. I believed God always gave His mercy and loved Hanny and her family. At 10.30 p.m. Amelia and Mike went home because of their business.

Daniel, Grego, Aven, and I still stayed there until Hanny’s mother passed the critical condition. At 02.00 a.m. the next day, her condition got better and she became more calm so we decided to go home.

Thursday, August 28, 2007 at 7.00 a.m. all of us got the news that Hanny’s mother had passed away at 2.15 a.m. I was very shocked. Thanks God it was holiday so I went to Gotong Royong as soon as possible. At 9.00 a.m. I and Cicil, my friend arrived there. I really believe that God works in His way to help us.I believe God sent people around her to help Hanny during the preparation for her mother funeral.

The next day, I helped Hanny to prepare everything because most of her relatives went back to their hometown for a while. They went back to Surabaya and came to Malang again on Saturday, August 30, 2008. At 7.00 p.m., there was a service for Hanny’s mother . All of us prayed together at Gotong Royong.

Saturday, August 30 was my birthday. When I was thinking of what had happened lately, I realized how God had taught us to become more compassionate. Through this, God taught me not to become a selfish person. Honestly, I have learnt a lot from what I underwent for the last a few days. I realized that a birthday was not always about happiness, party, hanging out with friends. However, it was is more importantly about maturity, about the changes of our heart to become a better person.