The Wake Up Call

Mak said that the recent tsunami reminded her of her old days as a young kid staying in a typical kampung house in Pontian.

Why?

Allahyarham Mak Tua, Mak’s late mother, used to wake the children up for Subuh prayer early in the morning daily through some steps.

Firstly, she would simply announced sternly and loudly, “Bangun, bangun. Subuh, subuh”

The elder kids would immediately jumped at this and quickly folded their blanket or went to the telaga (well) for morning bath and ablution.

Then, seeing that some kids were still not awake, Mak Tua would knock on the wooden wall to make some noise while asking the kids to wake up.

This method usually worked to wake the rest of the kids up who would join the elder kids tidying up the room or went to the telaga.

Sometimes though, there would be one or two extra exhausted kids who wouldn’t respond to the noises made from wall knocking and other activities around them.

As a last resort, Mak Tua would use a sure fire method to wake her kids up.

She would go to the front door, get a gayung of water, and…
….shhhhheeeesssshhhhhh
poured the content down on the still-sleepy-kid’s face.

It always worked.
Despite the wet pillow, wet mattress and all, it never failed to get the kid to be instantly alert and paid more attention to what the mother had to say.

Which to Mak, seemed just like how the recent tsunami has caused many to suddenly be more aware of their behaviours and many more to start paying serious attention to words of God.

It seemed to Mak, water always work well as a wake up call…