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ACTNews, MOJOKERTO
- After finishing high school, Yusuf (52) had to find job, but the
available job opportunities for him didn’t really interest him. The only
available job options were salesperson, factory worker, or shopkeeper. For the
man who was born in 1969, these jobs don’t provide enough money for him, and they
also take up his time with his family. Besides, the calling of his soul is to
serve the community.
Yusuf was then
appointed by his local neighborhood to be a modin (mosque caretaker). He calls
the azan five times a day, takes care of the mosque and religious rituals such
as weddings and burials. "My job is mostly community service," said
Yusuf, Thursday (2/11/2021). He doesn’t receive any payment, but the community
allocates 1,000 square meters of village land.
To support his family, Yusuf works as a farmer in his village of Jiyu, Kutorejo District, Mojokerto Regency. He also inherited 2,000 square meters of rice fields from his mother-in-law. The income he earns from farming is enough to support his family.
Yusuf and the cattle were entrusted to him. (ACTNews)
However, according
to Yusuf, being a farmer is not always easy. He often has to deal with crop
failures. "Among the causes of crop failure are lack of capital and pest
attacks," said Yusuf. Without enough capital, his crop can’t be properly
cultivated despite the rainy season.
Once, his rice
field was attacked by rats just a few weeks before being harvested. As a
result, he wasn’t able to repay his debts that he took from his neighbors. This
is really a severe problem for small farmers. “They have to incur debts,” he explained.
To make an
additional income. Yusuf runs a small shop in front of his in-law’s house. Before
the pandemic, his business was running well. Now, his shop has also been
hampered by the Coronavirus pandemic.
His financial
condition becomes even more difficult as his eldest son started studying in
university. On the other hand, he still has to support other family members:
his younger child, wife, mother, and mother-in-law. "Now, to make even
more money, I tend my neighbors’ cattle," he said.
Falling into coma
At the beginning
of the Coronavirus pandemic, Yusuf fell into a coma for 15 days. He was
hospitalized for over a month in Surabaya. The doctor diagnosed him with Guillain-Barre
Syndrome, a rare autoimmune disease that attacks his peripheral nervous system.
His neighbors even
thought that he had passed away. They had even dug a graveyard for him and
prepared for his burial.
Upon hearing that
Yusuf had regained his consciousness, his neighbors were grateful and happy.
"Yusuf is
among the individuals that take care of the society. Naturally, when he was
hospitalized and we thought that he was dead, many felt sad. They thought that
they lost a figure who has been fulfilling their spiritual needs,” said Arifin,
a resident of Pandansari Hamlet.
However, he was
billed IDR 200 million for his medical treatment. Thanks to the help of a
neighbor, Yusuf was exempted from all charges as he was registered as a poor
patient.
Now, Yusuf has recovered and go back to his daily activities as a modin, farmer, and shop owner.
Yusuf in front of the shop which he runs with his wife. (ACTNews)
"All of that,
Alhamdulillah, is enough to provide for my family. The proceeds from farming
that I earn every three of four months are used to pay for my children’s
education, medical expenses, and other secondary needs, "he said.
Global Wakaf - ACT
endeavors to provide waqf for business capital to farmers in Jiyu Village,
including Yusuf. []
