Roma, The Little Avenger
My name is Flo. I just joined the Dreamhouse as a volunteer in May 2019. I requested to join the Street Contact team. The Dreamhouse at first was reluctant to grant my request because Street Contact division works at night, that it may not be safe for a girl like me to join, but eventually they allowed me, maybe because of my persistence, not wanting to join any other division but this one.
My first visit to the street was a tense one. It was my first experience and I was afraid that I would meet naughty and difficult children. I was afraid that I would not be able to communicate with them. But what I experienced that night was none of those fears.
First I met Roma, a 7 year old boy. He was the one who waved at me and greeted me when I came. He shook my hand and asked me and the other volunteers to sit down and play together. Roma has so many creative ideas about playing together. He asked me to role play a scene from a TV Series that he watched. He also challenged us to play the guessing game. However our play time was often interrupted when Roma was called to deliver some coffee to his customers.
Yes. Roma was in the Alun-alun Utara (the north square, the plaza north of the Sultan’s palace) to help his mother selling drinks (tea, coffee, ginger). His mother prepares the drink and Roma delivers them to the customers. They start their business at 7 p.m, and they don’t stop until very late, sometimes over midnight.
What impressed me from Roma is that he did not complain about his job, He carries out his duty like a child playing his game. He delivers the drinks cheerfully, and sometimes he also communicates with the customers.
Now I visit him twice a week. We play together, exchange stories and jokes, and Roma always makes our time together full of laughter and joy. To be working at night like that must be tiring for a boy of his age, but Roma is a tough boy, as tough as the avengers, whose picture is printed on his t shirt that night.
Thank you Roma, my little avenger.
Juna, The Curious Sleeping Beauty
Juna is Roma’s little brother. Their mother takes Juna to Alun-alun Utara because he is too small to be left alone at home. But Juna is always sleeping when I come. He sleeps so peacefully despite all the noise from the vehicles and the people around. He sleeps like the intoxicated Sleeping Beauty.
But one night I found him awake when I came. Juna is 3 years old. He has such curiosity, and he is not shy or quiet like other kids of his age. Juna has so many questions about so many things. He also likes drawing and he is quite good at it. He can draw animals and he understands how to make shapes and patterns very well. Juna is also excited about colours, and asks so many questions it.
Like Roma, Juna also shows no complaints about his life. He is as cheerful as his brother. The only difference is he sleeps more. Nice to meet you Juna, my curious sleeping beauty.
Dila, The Little Angel
Another child I met at night in Alun-alun Utara is Dila. Dila is a little girl who just started elementary school. She talks softly, and though she doesn’t talk too much, she is very polite. She likes drawing, and she can express her feelings very well through her drawings. When I first met her, she drew a picture of herself wearing a gown and a nice hairdo. “This is Dila. This is Dila’s bedroom. There is a bed, a flower, and a cupboard.”
Everytime she draws something, she always has a story along with the drawing. When I asked her about what she wants to do when she grows up, she said she wants to make toys and also she wants to make Alun-alun utara clean from all the trash. What an interesting dream! She dreams of becoming someone who can give joy to others.
On another occasion we make for Dila some toy houses from cardboards. She was so happy when she received it and as her thanks, she drew pictures of the volunteers, smiling.
Thank you Dila,because of you we learn to find joy in small things