Uncle Salim

Uncle Salim is my mum’s supervisor which also is our neighbor. Uncle Salim was very friendly, humble and kind towards his workers and all peoples. Since mum working with him in the factory they share many stories including family, work, business, gardening and general issues. 

In that small village our siblings are known to be good in studies. With sis get 4A1B in UPSR is considered the best in that small village. (Alhamdulillah).. Uncle salim always told mum that he admire mum to have good, hardworking and polite kids. That is especially when he saw us helping mum doing chores at house/ shop and gardening. That when he got the idea to make sis as a tuition teacher for his kids. He is very sincere in asking that and humbly saying it will be a favor for his family. I remember how he humbly asking from mum:

“Aunty, I need your eldest to teach my kids in their studies. They would never study on their own. My wife and I wasting our voice urging them to study everyday but didn’t work. Those kids just playing around and cannot focus. My wife cannot teach them as she needs to take care of the 3 years old baby. It would be a help if you allow your eldest teaching tuition to my kids, I would give good pay for that”.

Without thinking much about money, mum and sis agrees to it since it is not a big deal at all. That time sis was only 12 years old while uncle Salim’s kid is in primary 2. When we went to their home uncle Salim’s wife will prepare food and drink for us. Sis teaches for about 90 minutes until about 5pm. The wife is also very friendly, soft and kind and their kids is also polite, little bit shy, listen to elder and cute. Overall it really no hard at all instead it is enjoyable to gain valuable experience. Sis teaches 3 days per week and uncle Salim pay her RM50. It is a good pay for someone that young and it is more (RM2.70/hour) if compare to someone that work as a shopkeeper with salary RM300/month (=RM1.44/ hour) that time. Sis starts tutoring during school holiday, but when she enters secondary school she pass the tutoring to me. That because form 1 started their school at afternoon until evening. 

We both tutor uncle Salim’s children for about 2 years but not frequent as they sometimes back to home town. When sis at from 3, uncle Salim’s family leaved the village to their hometown. It feel quite saddened that a kind neighbor leaving the circle. 

However 3 years later sis coincidently met uncle salim while she waiting for bus. Uncle salim stop by and offer sis for ride. They both going to a same town but to different destinations. Driving extra miles to help sis, she arrived at the destination safely. 

Few days ago mum call saying that uncle Salim has passed away due to cancer. During his critical many neighbor plan to visit him at hospital, but unfortunately he depart before that. When mum told me about the incident, my heart rush with sadness and “he is kind” is what I utter automatically. When we change to another topic during the phone call, I cannot concentrate other than thinking that another kind people left us. So I reverts asking mum about uncle Salim few times. 

Even we are of different race and religion, we live in harmony. Being kind, polite, humble, sincere, friendly, helpful and concern to other is what we must learn from uncle Salim’s family. 

My deepest condolence to the family and I do sincerely hope they can stand strong. It surely very hard to let go the one we love. Other than me I’m sure many other still remember uncle Salim kindness. The family must be proud to have such kind man in their house. 

After tutoring uncle salim’s kids, few other families also request us to teach their kids. Some of the uncle and aunties jokingly called us teacher. We work about 4 times a week but it not hard at all because it is like we learn for our self since the age different is only about 1-4 years. And Alhamdulillah, we do tutoring the neighborhood until today. Even now we live and work far away from the village, when it semester break or holiday when we back to the village, even for one week break many still request and want to learn with us. We not putting price for the teaching and receive what ever they can afford even if without money. But this time the kids comes and learn at our house and usualy about 8 primary school kids . We feel blessed seeing the kids want to learn and with every short time, we really hope if the kids can experience learning with us and planting willingness to learn and a hope to someday improve their family life with education. 

With Allah willing, we met uncle salim’s family. The tutoring started from their family and it continuously till today. And Alhamdulillah it not only a work experience but also an ibadah for us to be kind and sincere to other. Knowing uncle Salim, we learn the value of being kind and sincere. Alhamdulillah..

Note: Will never forget the kind family. May they healthy and happy wherever they are.