A Noble Heart Behind a 2-Minute Shopping Spree: Jestham's Act of Sharing Blessings

Medan, North Sumatra – (March 26, 2023)Late at night. On a quiet roadside, an elderly man remained faithfully seated beside his pedicab, occasionally glancing left and right for passengers who never came. Jestham, who happened to pass by, noticed the figure. Without a second thought, she approached him with an unusual offer, "Sir, don't look for passengers for a while. I want to buy you some groceries, a blessing from God. Let's shop there."

The old man was surprised, but his eyes lit up. Jestham took his rough hand and led him into a convenience store. "No need to take off your sandals. Just keep them on, Sir," she said. Then she explained the rules: for two minutes, he could take anything he wanted. The man gave thanks, "Alhamdulillah, Miss." Jestham began counting, "One, two, three... go!"

Two minutes passed in joyful chaos. The man rushed back and forth, grabbing rice, cooking oil, coffee, soap, fabric softener, syrup, and even festive cookies for Eid. "Hurry, Sir, grab more!" Jestham shouted, laughing. The basket filled up in no time. After the time was up, Jestham invited the man for a deeper conversation.

The man lived in Tembung, was unmarried, and stayed with his siblings and their children. "My father and mother are no longer here," he said softly. What stunned Jestham was when she asked, "Who are these groceries for, Sir?" He answered simply, "For my nieces and nephews. There are three of them. Their father sometimes doesn't provide for them. I collect used bottles and sell them. It's for them."

Jestham fell silent. It turned out that all this time, the elderly man had been supporting his nieces and nephews with the little he earned from pedaling his becak and scavenging. "So that my life is useful," he added. He usually returned home at 11 p.m., or even later. Jestham could not hold back her tears. "Amazing, Sir. You have a giving heart," she said. Then she gave him an extra blessing and prayed for the best for him.

"Sir, what will you do with this blessing?" Jestham asked. "I want to share it with my nieces and nephews. As charity," he answered firmly. Jestham smiled. She then paid for all the groceries and made sure the items were delivered to the man's home. "May what we've bought be a blessing for you, Sir," Jestham prayed.

That night, the pedicab that usually only carried passengers was carrying much more—a mountain of hope. Poverty is not a barrier to generosity. On the contrary, a generous heart is often born from those who have the least.