By. Siti Hajar
Karina was very busy that morning. She was preparing for Market Day at school tomorrow. The clever girl planned to sell timphan—a traditional cake from Aceh. She sat down with her notebook, listing all the ingredients she needed.
First, she wrote: glutinous rice flour, bananas, coconut, coconut milk, sugar, a little salt, and water. She also needed banana leaves as wrappers.
“Mom, I need your help. To make timphan, I need these!” Karina said, showing her list to her mom, Amira.
Amira read her daughter’s notes. “Karina, I think we only need to buy the rice flour, bananas, and coconut. The other ingredients are already in the kitchen.”
“Alhamdulillah! Mom, can you buy them while I’m at school?”
“Of course! I’ll get them when shop for fish and other things.”
“Thank you so much, Mom! I love you!”
“I love you too, sweetheart,” Amira said, hugging her daughter warmly.
At school, Karina and her friends talked about Market Day.
“Hey, I’m going to sell timphan. What about you, Dianda?” Karina asked during the break.
“That sounds fun, Karina. My mom said I should sell iced lemon tea. I think that’s a good idea, right?”
“Yes, Dianda. That’s great! I’ll sell cakes, and you’ll sell drinks,” Karina replied cheerfully.
Wira walked up to Karina and Dianda. “What about you, Wira? What will you sell?” Dianda asked. At that moment, Hanafi joined them.
“I’m not selling anything. I’ll just buy your stuff,” Wira said, making everyone laugh.
“Hahaha…”
“If everyone sells, who will buy? Tomorrow, I’ll bring lots of money from my mom and buy everything,” Wira added with a grin.
“You’re not wrong, Wira, but we can buy from each other too,” Karina said with a smile.
“Don’t worry, Karina. I’ll help you tomorrow to set up,” Wira offered.
“That’s great, Wira,” Hanafi said, though he looked confused. Hanafi still didn’t know what he would sell.
“Hanafi, you can sell sweets in small packages. You can price them at three thousand to five thousand rupiah,” Karina suggested. Everyone knew that Hanafi’s mom often made sweets to sell at the market.
“Good idea! Thanks, Karina. I’ll ask my mom,” Hanafi replied.
After that, they continued their lessons.
***
The big day finally arrived! Karina and her friends decorated their tables to display their goods. Everyone was busy. Some were selling meatballs, pizza, juice, and many other treats.
When the parents of the elementary school students arrived, they eagerly bought the food and drinks. Karina’s timphan was a big hit and sold out quickly. Dianda’s iced lemon tea was refreshing and popular, and Hanafi’s sweets were gone in no time.
Then came Wira. As he promised, he brought lots of money from his mom. Wira walked from table to table, buying almost everything his friends were selling. He bought multiple cups of iced lemon tea, several pieces of timphan, and even snacks from other students.
“You’re buying so much, Wira!” Dianda said, surprised.
“Well, I said I’d support everyone, right? And I’m hungry!” Wira replied with a laugh, carrying a bag full of treats.
By the end of the day, everyone had sold all their items. They were tired but very happy.
***
That evening, Karina reflected on the day with her mom.
“Market Day was so fun, Mom! I sold all my timphan, and everyone loved it. Wira was amazing too—he supported all of us by buying so much!”
“That’s wonderful, Karina. So, what did you learn from today?” Amira asked.
Karina thought for a moment. “I learned that working together and supporting each other makes everything more fun and successful. And I’m grateful for my friends and all their help.”
Amira smiled. “That’s a beautiful lesson, Karina. I’m proud of you.”
Karina nodded and smiled. It had been a great day, full of teamwork, fun, and friendship.
***
