dalam genggaman tanganNya: A Gift List!

Leah Hendrick

Her name is Leah. Sounds like “Lia” in Bahasa Indonesia, a beautiful young lady indeed. I met her on January 16th this year, exactly a month ago. She came to my house by bicycle with my sister in-law, Shinta. After shaking hands and saying, “Nice to meet you” with a sweet big smile, our conversation seemed like we had already known each other for a very long time. She is at the same age as my daughter, that’s why I feel like I have a new daughter who came from far away. She is originally from New York, USA. She studies English, that’s why her English is clear and easy to understand.

Shinta met Leah at the train station in Jogjakarta. She didn't know how much she should pay for the taxi. The taxi asked her to pay way more than it should be. Shinta helped her, and since then they have become friends. We helped her to get a nice place to stay. And sometimes Leah stays overnight at Shinta’s house, and gaves her a short course in English for her children. Shinta also helped her to get another place, when she realized that the first place was not suitable anymore.

Leah is interested in Javanese culture. She wants to write a theater script. She is also excited for being a model. Luckily, there is a man who offers her to be a model for sport shoes. I have no experience about being a model. As a mom sometimes I feel so worried. That’s why on the day she had to deal with the agent, I decided to accompany her. I just wanted to make sure she met a real agent, and good person. I drove her by myself to buy clothes and shoes. I brought her to the agent. It’s was a good agent indeed, and I didn’t need to worry at all.

I did a lot of favors to her because she is just like my own daughter. And she is a nice and good woman. I know her mom would be very glad if she knew that her daughter was safe and sound.
Leah realizes that Shinta and I helped her beyond what she expected. That’s why Leah tried to do the same for us. When she knew that I wanted to cut my hair, she asked to pay for it. I agreed because she thought she had done some favor back for the things we have done for her.

The day we made an appointment to meet in Ambarukmo Plaza I was late. On Saturday, there is always a traffic jam in Jogjakarta. When I got there, she’d already bought another pair of 13 cm high heeled shoes, for her first fashion show in Malioboro the following week. I met her at Starbucks. After having a cup of Cappuccino, we had a lot of topics to talk about. The one that I was really interested in is in her gift list!.

Leah made a list in her notebook. A gift list for every person who helped her so far. She is confused, because when someone helps her, and she gifts something back to that person, he or she will give back even more to her, so her list is growing. She always adds to her list, until she does not know what to do.

I said, “Just stop it. Accept it and say thank you… that’s all you have to do”. Leah learned something new here, in which people do something good without expecting something in return; I also learned from her too, that I must remember to give something back to the people who help or give me something in the past. Maybe not for every person, but at least I always remember that. A gift list, is not only a present list but a love list as well. Love to smile; love to say thank you, love to say HI, how are you? (edited by Yongkie Hurd and Tinneke)