The following day, before the Friday prayer, they bid farewell. Their mentors were present, and they exchanged stories of their experiences. Jova Gilbert expressed, “I never expected that during my three days at Aksara Pinggir, the Muslim people would care so much about us, giving us attention and care, despite our being a minority. This is a new experience for me.”
Jesse Pangabean added, “Aksara’s pesantren is incredibly comfortable. I didn’t expect to find such a clean and well-organized pesantren. The library is comprehensive, and the residents are courteous. It’s an ideal environment for learning,” said the Batak youth who enjoys reading.
Not to be left behind, Dorian, the group’s leader, offered his testimony. He said, “In Kampung Sawah, we learned about diversity, how we can listen to the call to prayer and the church bells simultaneously. Moreover, Aksara’s pesantren taught me how to live together, share meals, experience the queue for bathing, and foster unity, of course.”
It turns out that these students felt at home during their stay at Aksara Pinggir. The sense of togetherness was a novel experience for them, especially the harmony amid their differences. They expressed their desire to return to our pesantren at some point in the future.
Aksara Pinggir, for your information, was founded by Dr. KH Heriyono Tardjono in 2021. It is located at Jalan Swadaya I Gang H Timin, RT.02/RW.002, Jatimurni, Pondok Melati Sub-district, Bekasi City, West Java.