BERHALA ISLAND
EPISODE 45: GEGER KIDNAPPING STREET CHILDREN

    In Jakarta, of course, many small children are employed in traffic lights. Yeah, a lot of it. Some were begging, some were busking, some were selling newspapers. Various activities of children who are certainly not managed by their parents. They make their living on the streets in a makeshift way. That is the life of street children. A life very attached to the vulnerability of social problems.

    Indeed, the name of street children is certainly problematic children. In general, the problems faced by street children can be divided into several criteria, such as children who break up with their parents altogether. This kid doesn't know where his parents are. He also doesn't know who his parents really are. Most of these children were abandoned or even abandoned by their parents. So keep children like this on the streets without anyone taking care of them.

    Then there are also children who know or know their parents, but the relationship with their parents is irregular, rarely meet, even not cared for. These children do not live with their parents. Usually, because they are cool on the streets, they do not want to go back to their parents.

    Furthermore, there are children who are still in school or have dropped out of school. They prefer to live on the streets. These children are more vulnerable to being street children with various problems. Because usually these children do not want to be regulated, even often commit violations of the law.

    Indeed, life as a street child is not the hope and ideals of a child. No one wants to be born to be a street child. But what is the name of fate, who can resist it? It is common that there are people who feel disgusted with street children. They are also human. They are not animals, not trash, nor are they disgusting filth. Street children are also human beings who have a sense and heart. But the fact on the ground, they were chased by the authorities, arrested, put into trucks by force. In fact, these street children are gathered together with thugs, thieves, robbers, even murderers, without thinking about how to give their rights so that they can be fulfilled.

    Street children who live on the streets because they are dumped or thrown from families that cannot afford, families that do not want to bear the burden of poverty and the destruction of their families. So that these unkempt children, finally there are those who work as buskers, founders, scavengers, polishmen, or garbage collectors, even beggars. But the fatal consequences of the problem of street children are very much. Of course, many of them have been in traffic accidents, hit or accidentally crash into vehicles passing on the streets. The emergence of extortion, fights, and sexual violence that must be experienced by children who are indeed no one to take care of it.

    And of course, the main disease of street children is more easily infected with unhealthy habits, bad character, especially from the bad habits of life on the streets. The most dominant is promiscuity and abuse of illegal drugs. And even more concerning, unhealthy environments on the streets will encourage these street children to become social objects for other groups who often use them.

    Yes, it can be said that on the streets it is prone to physical and mental health disorders. It is a bad culture that turns the character of these street children into violent children, very aggressive, fighting, stealing, dare to protest, like to fight, love to fight, love to fight, he likes to talk with dirty words. Another behavior that appears in street children is trying to make money in any way, including ways that are not commendable such as pickpocketing, stealing, pointing.

    In fact, the main cause that drives children away and live on the streets is poverty. Because of living in poverty, children who should be in school, forced to drop out of school because their parents are not able to meet the needs of daily eating, especially to pay for their children to go to school. His children were forced to take to the streets to help his parents. They worked as buskers, newspaper sellers, scavengers, beggars, and pickpockets.

    The next maslah is a family that is not harmonious, as a primary or primary socialization media, but because the parents are not harmonious, of course, will produce children who are not good. Children who are not comfortable to live in their own homes will run away from home. And of course he'll run into the streets. Because when they are on the streets, and meet other children who also have the same background, then they will feel comfortable as a free street child without feeling there are problems in his life.

    But it turns out there are also parents who actually work their children as a family economic source, by finding money on the streets. This is so outrageous. Parents who should be the backbone of the family and as well as examples for their children, even apply arbitrarily to their children. Not sending her children, educating them to be good children, but her parents force them to work on the streets.

    In fact, the negative impact caused by the rise of street children, of course, is very dangerous. Like the germination of the seeds of thuggishness. This can happen because they meet their needs by threatening, scaring people, all of which are certainly in ways that are not good. If so, then the comfort on the road will be disturbed. Highway users become uncomfortable and are always wary if these street children do harm. And of course, the existence of these street children will also disturb the beauty and order of the city. This can happen, because many street children live under bridges, the outskirts of the railroad, or slum environments to shelter from heat and rain, even as a place to live.

    But it turns out, on the other hand, the circulation of the street child does not stand alone. The proof is that there is an illegal institution that continues to encourage street children to continue to grow and develop for personal gain. Yes, the institution that recognizes it as a social foundation actually recruits and hires street children to make money, and of course the money must be deposited to those who manage. These street kids are taught how they should be begging, they should give deposit money to his boss. The targets of these irresponsible people are mostly young children who are of primary school age. Usually the children are lured with food, money, promises of a better life, promises of school and others. But the truth is, zero is big.

    At that time, Podin who passed at the intersection of the road, happened to fit the red light. Podin stopped of course. That's where Podin saw street children begging. A little girl, probably as goddess, was begging behind the glass of Podin's car. As soon as he saw a child asking for it, the child begging, at first of course Podin was annoyed. He himself is lacking money, if there are still children who want to ask him for money. But suddenly, when he saw a little girl who was almost the same as his son's Goddess, the Goddess who had disappeared on the beach, the Goddess who failed to be presented to the ruler of the Island of Berhala, podin's cunning mind began to re-stretch. Surely Podin wanted to bring the boy to be presented to the Island of Berhala.

    "What have you eaten yet?" suddenly, Podin opened his car window and asked the child, a child who was like an abandoned child, a child who was not taken care of, the child who looked glassy. Of course, Podin who has a good chance, wants to be used by Podin. I would definitely like to bring the child.

    "No, sir ..." said the boy.

    "If I buy you something to eat, I'll take you out, will ...?" ask Podin on the child who looks limp and has been attached to the door of his car.

    "You, sir .." replied the boy who remained clear.

    "If you want, come with me. Get in the car" said Podin, who told the boy to get into his car.

    Of course, because of the pleasure of being bought to eat, then the girl without any reason, immediately opened the door behind him and went into the car.

    The light is green. Podin immediately drove his car. And of course will take a girl who has entered the car.

    "Whose name are you?" ask the girl Podin.

    "Goddess .." answered the girl.

    Deg, the heart of Podin seemed to stop instantly, when he heard the boy's answer. Yeah, same name as his son. But only for a moment his heart was racing. After that, Podin was happy because it would be easy to remember the name. Yes, maybe it is destined that the victim to be offered is a little girl named Goddess. Podin smiled again. Apparently his destiny to get the treasure from the palace of Pulau Berhala can not be removed just like that.

    "Why do goddesses beg in the streets?" ask Podin again who started making small talk.

    "Let's get some money, sir .... If you don't get money, you can't eat and you can't sleep in the house" said the little boy.

    "Indeed the cruel Goddess's parents ...?" ask Podin.

    "That's Mr. Boss .... I have no parents, sir .." replied the little boy.

    "Lhoh, the Boss who is your manager? Where are the Goddess's Fathers and Mothers?" ask Podin again who wants to know.

    "No idea, sir .... Since childhood I was in the place of Mr. Boss ..." answered the Goddess who is certainly still honest because she is still a child.

    "Yes begging ...?" ask Podin who has no doubt.

    "Yes .." replied the boy.

    "A good one ...?" ask Podin again.

    "I can eat and sleep in his house" replied the boy innocently.

    "If I love to eat and sleep in my house, don't beg .., would you?" asked Podin who was ready to launch his intention to kidnap the child.

    "You, Sir .... But I should not be taken to that street again ..." said the girl who would.

    "Why indeed?" ask Podin.

    "Later if caught by Mr. Boss, I can be beaten ..." replied the boy who was certainly afraid if caught by his boss, yes, the boss of street children.

    "Quiet .... You must not be afraid .... I'll take you to a far away place. Take a picnic to the beach .... Want, no?" said Podin who has launched his appeal.

    Podin turned his car into a rather small alley. Stop the car in a field. Parking lot is there.

    "Come, let's go down, eat first" said Podin invite the little girl to eat.

    The little girl was a little confused. Of course feel uncomfortable, when he was wearing tattered clothes invited into the food stall. It will be people's attention. So the Goddess was a bit hesitant to want to enter the food stall.

    "Why ...? He said hungry ...? He said he wanted to eat ...?" Podin was also worried about the boy, who hesitated to step up. Surely Podin was afraid that the boy would run away.

    "My clothes are dirty and stinky ..., sir." replied the boy.

    Podin smiled at the boy, who knew himself by the condition of the clothes he was wearing. This kid must be embarrassed to wear ragged clothes.

    "Yes already .... Goddess in the car alone, I will buy food in the wrap. Later eaten in the car, and later I will buy a new skirt for you" said Podin who certainly promised that the child was happy.

    "Thank you, sir" said the boy who immediately returned to the car.

    Podin ordered two packs of food. Of course with a good side dish. Fried chicken flour. The little girl he brought would be happy. As well as the child Goddess, whose favorite is kentucky fried chicken. And the order was immediately taken into his car. One pack was given to the kidnapped street child. Of course added with iced tea, which is also liked by his son.

    "It eats the same fried chicken krispi flour .... Drinking iced tea .... How's it?" podin said to the boy.

    "Hehe .... I like that ..." said the little girl who immediately received a gift from Podin.

    "It .... Now eaten .... If it's less, I still have one more" said Podin telling the boy to eat his rice.

    Of course because he likes fried chicken, then the child immediately ate with greed. It even looks so delicious.

    Podin runs the car, back to the highway. And of course, as he had promised the child he was carrying, he would buy a decent skirt. Of course, so that the child is not embarrassed anymore when invited to enter the stall.

    Understandably, the full moon is still a few days away. Of course, Podin has not been able to bring his offerings to the island of Berhala. And now, for a while, Podin had to take care of the boy's eating and sleeping. At least until the full moon arrives.

*******

    "Goddess where ...?!"

    "Goddess does not exist ...!"

    "Goddess is gone ...!"

    "Who was the same ...?"

    "With the other kids, Boss .... At the crossroads here ...."

    "Tok can not exist ...?! He, Goddess to where ...?!"

    "No idea, Boss ...."

    "Wadm .... Must have been the Goddess running away .... Insolent ...!"

    "It's impossible to escape, Boss .... He knows no one .... The goddess can't just leave."

    "You mean ...?! Does anyone kidnap her?"

    "Yes, Boss .... Means someone brought the Goddess ...."

    "Who ...?!"

    "Bos ..., you have a rival, don't ...? This must be an unhealthy rival, Boss ...."

    "He, you .... Who was with the Goddess here, you know, who is the same Goddess?"

    "So get in the car, Boss ...."

    "Huh ...?! The truth ...?! What kind of car ...?!"

    "Car minibus .... The goddess got into that car, kept going ...."

    "Wadm .... This must be another foundation ...."

"Goddess missing....!"

"Goddess kidnapped...!"

That day, the street kid boss, lost one of his men.