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July 6, 2001
Dear Friends,
Once again I am on the eve of leaving Yogyakarta, but this time
for more than a year. We’ll be on "interpretation assignment"
and sabbatical in the U.S. and the Netherlands for over a year.
Like most "leavings," it is bittersweet. I love Indonesia
and am sad to leave when the political situation is so dangerous.
I want to see what happens! There is so much to do here and I
love my work. On the other hand, I am overjoyed with the prospect
of seeing Farsijana (in Amsterdam) and visiting family and friends.
The "never-ending crisis" in Indonesia is coming to
another climax (as usual). Apart from a miracle (which is quite
likely in Indonesia—we specialize in miracles over here),
it looks like President Gus Dur will be impeached within the next
month. This involves a constitutional crisis and could trigger
massive, violent protest, civil war and/or the breakup of Indonesia
as a unified country. The confrontation between the president
and DPR/MPR (legislature), will be decided in a special session
of the MPR to impeach the president, scheduled for August 1. According
to logic and most observers, President Gus Dur doesn’t stand
a chance. Nevertheless, he has a long history of pulling rabbits
out of the hat. There’s no telling what he will do or what
will happen next. Whatever happens will affect 210 million people.
Meanwhile, the economic crisis (akin to the Great Depression)
has sent millions of people plunging back into severe poverty.
For example, I sat by the bed of a young, pregnant woman and watched
her die of poverty. She is the daughter of Sungkono, a man who
works for me. She had TB and stopped taking her medication because
it was too expensive. I didn’t know. Shortly after that,
most of their meager possessions were swept away by flooding.
Sungkono’s family is now like part of my family.
During the past month, I’ve worked intensively with nine
of my students who were racing to finish their master’s theses
before I left. These are bright young Christian leaders of high
integrity, who provide hope for the future. Dina wrote on how
we should interpret Romans 13 in light of church-state relations
in Timor, including the problems of violence and refugees. Her
husband Mesakh critically examined theological perspectives which
have kept the church passive in the face of the rape of nature
in Timor. Piet wrote on how churches and families might respond
to the explosion of aging people in Yogyakarta. Harno wrote on
Muslim-Christian violence near Yogyakarta (which he successfully
helped defuse) and why Muslims were offended by church buildings
and charitable work. Yusak developed an Indonesian, Chinese, Christian
political ethic based on the Analects of Confucius and the Beatitudes.
Rachel just finished her thesis about the traditional economic/social
culture on a remote Molluccan island and how the church can help
economic development without destroying a fragile and precious
culture. Pujo is revising his last chapter on the power of pastors
in the Javanese church. Finally Ahmen, who lives with us, gave
me the last chapter of his fascinating thesis on causes of Muslim-Christian
violence in Poso. This week more people died in revenge attacks
from both sides. Even while writing, Ahmen is initiating dialogue
between Muslim and Christian students from Poso who live in Yogya.
All of these students are pastors who will return to leadership
positions in their communities.
Farsijana is burning the candle at both ends, to finish a draft
of her Ph.D. dissertation on "The Politics of Ritual and
the Ritual of Politics in Molluccu" at the University of
Amsterdam. Thanks to e-mail and free telephone services, we keep
in close touch. She is filled with fascinating ideas and information
about the Molluccan conflict. The good news from Halmahera, Molluccu
(where Farsijana’s research village was burned), is that
most Christians and Muslims have returned to their homes.
This week I hosted a traditional ritual meal (selamatan) at our
home to say goodbye to our closest neighbors. About 20, mostly
poor, Muslim villagers sat in a circle, joked, laughed, asked
questions and prayed for our safety and success. It is so cool
to live in such a tight and warm community.
Our "interpretation assignment" with the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) includes a busy schedule of speaking in churches,
family visits, and research. Most of our Sundays are now booked,
but if we are in your area and you would like to see us and/or
schedule us to speak about Indonesia, please contact us soon.
July 9-25: Bernie in Berkeley; Farsijana continues her writing
in Amsterdam.
July 25-Aug. 4: We’ll both be in Louisville at the PC(USA)
center.
August 4-11: Chicago, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
August 11-16: Santa Fe.
August 16-Sept. 4: Berkeley.
Sept. 4-October 1: Berkeley, (Bernie); London and Amsterdam (Farsijana).
Oct. 1, 2001-Aug. 31, 2002: Both of us in Amsterdam.
August 31, 2002: We return to teaching in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
From October 1, 2001 to August 31, 2002, I will be a fellow at
the International Institute for Asian Studies, Leiden/Amsterdam,
while Farsijana completes her Ph.D. degree. We hope she will publish
a brilliant and unique book on the religious-political conflict
in Indonesia. I will teach a course at the Catholic University
in Nijmegen and expect to finish a book on religion, power and
mysticism in Indonesia. If a miracle of grace occurs, I’ll
also finish an Indonesian book on social ethics. At the end of
August 2002, we will both return to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, for
another term with the PC(USA) and Duta Wacana Christian University.
Family: My mother is now almost 89 years old and living with
Rina and Glenn in Berkeley. She’s quite healthy, although
her rational powers are often clouded. This fall, Jen Marion will
start graduate school at Columbia University in wild life biology.
She plans to do research on birds in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Rina
is teaching preschool and Glenn does legal work. They have two
adorable children (David and Isobel). Peter graduated from UC
Santa Cruz last year (anthropology) and is now traveling (SF-Australia-Indonesia-China-Russia-Europe-SF)
as a professional street performer. Farsijana’s mother (a
widow) is healthy and has a vigorous ministry in Jakarta.
We hope to see you soon. Write to us at: talirasa@indosat.net.id
In July you can call me at Rina’s house, (510) 527-8591,
or (510) 845-8312.
Bernie and Nona
Bernie and Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta
The 2001 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 159
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