Happiness Within Disaster

Sadness covered the atmosphere of an refugee camp located in Bumi Perkemahan Babarsari, Sleman (5/11). While most of the refugee were sad after losing their houses, Cahyo (23) seemed happy while having conversation with his friends. “It’s nice to stay here, I don’t have to do anything and the army fed us all occasionally”, he said.

Cahya is a refugee whose village has been devastated by Wedhus Gembhel (a local name for Pyroclastic Ash). He lived in Cangkringan village which endured most damage and casualities.

When he’s asked why did he enjoy to live in the camp, he said it because everything he needed was fulfilled in an instant. “Back to my life in the village, I didn’t have any job”, he said while having a smoke. “I’m un umployeed, so it’s hard to make a living”.

Cahya is not the only one with such thought. Oyop, a 45 years old with a wife and four children explained no worriness while laughing. “I lost my home but don’t worry, the government will pay for the reconstruction”, he said. It may sounded easy for him, but he talked based on an experience. The government reconstructed his village after the last eruption on 2006. He also has been guaranteed for having his destroyed house reconstructed by the government. In other words, these became a fact for him that he will regain his life if he get back to his village.

But of course, this happiness don’t come from nothing. Most of the refugee believed that this disaster is just another form of “gift”. A gift presented by the spirit that guards the volcano itself. “even our village is destroyed, the ash will vertalizing the soil”. Oyop said. “Our plants will grow well and the volcanic sand will make us money”. He also added that the euption is just a test from then. So, if they can endure and being thankfull for it, they may live for the other day.