Roar! by Bindi Irwin

Author:Bindi Irwin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2011-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

While lunch was being prepared, Madi gave Bindi a quick tour of his home. His family raised their own chickens and grew vegetables in the lot next to the house. Bindi was impressed.

The aroma of mildly spicy food wafted out to tempt the children back inside.

“Something smells awesome!” Bindi realized she was ravenous after her big morning at the school, not to mention running around after the tiger cub.

“We can go in through the front.” Madi led the way down the driveway, past a large yellow truck. Bindi couldn’t help but notice that the back of the truck looked beaten up. It probably had more than a few logs fall onto it. Madi had told her that his dad worked for a timber mill.

They headed inside.

“Please sit.” Madi’s mother pointed to a cushion on the floor. The whole family gathered around a low wooden table piled high with steaming goodness and soon everyone was eating with relish. There was rendang, meat simmering in spices and coconut milk, and lots of rice, along with karedok, a fresh salad, and some delicious green tea to wash it all down with. Bindi thought the combination of flavors was truly delicious.

Madi’s father, Bashii, asked Bindi why she was visiting the school.

Between mouthfuls, Bindi explained. “I came to tell the school how the tiger’s habitat is being destroyed by oil palm plantations, pulp forests, and logging, and that the tiger is also in danger from illegal poaching. If something isn’t done, soon there will be no more tigers left in Sumatra. People should speak up about illegal activity instead of just letting it continue.”

“We made these in school.” Madi proudly held up one of his tiger posters. His family was very impressed, but Madi noticed that his father looked annoyed. As the family continued to eat, Bashii stood up. He turned to Bindi.

“This is all very well to draw pictures and play with tiger cubs, but I am a logger and this is how I put food on the table and feed my family. They rely on me to support them. If I lose my job then we will all go hungry.”

Madi was embarrassed by his father’s outburst. “But Bindi is only trying to say that we can make a difference.”

“It is easy for Bindi to say this. She is a foreigner. She doesn’t know what life is like for us here. The right thing is not always so easy to do!” Bashii abruptly turned and left the room.

“I’m so sorry!” said Bindi. She had somehow offended her host without meaning to.

Madi tried to reassure her. “It’s not your fault, Bindi. My father has a very stressful job and they are laying off lots of workers. He’s worried he will lose his job.”

Bindi nodded. Madi held out his poster to Bindi. “I’d like you to keep this so you remember there are people in Sumatra who want to save the tiger.”

“Thanks, Madi, that’s so nice of you.” Bindi took the poster and stood up from the table, thanking the family for lunch.

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