"4 more days" I said
"Yayyy~"
"Then after that will be Ayah's birthday, and then.. yours~ What do you want for your birthday, Olah?" I asked.
"I don't know Yah.. I'm not sure if I will like the same thing when I'm seven years old.." the little you frowned. "Uh oh! But I know what I will always like, I like to play fight with Ayah! nyahaha!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dear Khaulah,
Assalaamualaikum WBT.
Today is the day that you've been counting everyday, your Ibu's birthday hehe.
Alhamdulillah, all praises to Allah for allowing us to be together.
When I wrote you the last letter, your Ibu just flew to KL and a few days later our country was in uproar because the first Covid-19 case was identified in Brunei on March 9, 2020.
The schools closed, so you were always by my side for the next few weeks either at home or at the office (where it's walls were full of your drawings haha)
The atmosphere of the country was filled with gloom and worry.
A month later, we finally able to reunite with your Ibu alhamdulillah.
For the first 2 weeks, your Ibu had to isolate herself at the guest room downstairs and we had minimal interactions. I still remember how sad and lonely you were because can't interact much with her. Sometimes you sat at the stair outside the door just to chat a little with her, and sometimes you sang the song 'Do you want to build a snowman."
Time felt really slow but alhamdulillah your Ibu's swab tests were all negative and soon we can have our family hug again :) The general situation got better too.
In early May 2020, no new local cases were recorded. Social interactions slowly returning back to normal too, though you did your school mostly online.
Then fast forward to earlier this year, everything seemed to be like before the pandemic. Schools opened, gatherings allowed and so on.
But in early August, on the day we were organising the 2nd Brunei Peduli Palestin, the first local case after 457 days was announced.
So its been more than 3 months already since your school closed Olah. And Ayah only get to go to office this week.
The government are slowly loosening the rules since the targetted percentage of vaccination is already achieved.
For the past 3 months you've been only staying at home Olah, that the few times we brought you inside the car you got car sick hehe.
Hopefully we can meet our families soon. Aamiin.
So thats it, the summary of what've been happening since my last letter to you.
Love,
Ayah.
p/s : uh oh I forgot to mention that I am no longer the President of As-Syahadah Muallaf Youth since April. And now that I'm at another NGO (WeCare), you have a new place and some new friends to play with hehe
