“Doing Mission” in a Post-Modern World

Greetings in the communion of the Holy One!

“The planet does not need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and love for all living beings.” Two weeks ago Sook and I attended the International Buddhist Conference as special guests representing our (Christian) university. A broad spectrum of religions and cultures was represented among the people in attendance. The venue was the Borobudur Buddhist temple built ca. 8th century C.E., a UNESCO world heritage site. The quote above was spoken by the Nepalese Tibetan Buddhist monk, Geshe Tenzin Zopa. We couldn’t agree more.

Buddhists compose less than 1 percent of Indonesia’s population. But this may be misleading as their influence in Indonesian culture and ethos is alive and thriving, together with that of Hindus who account for less than 4 percent of the population. (Christians and Muslims account for 14 percent and 80 percent, respectively.) This is a fascinating and inspiring aspect of life in Indonesia.

Sook and I were sent as mission co-workers by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to embody a way of “doing mission” in a post-colonial and post-modern world. Our call places us in a university setting. The Duta Wacana Christian University is a private institution that provides undergraduate and graduate programs in Business, Architecture and Design, Biotechnology, Information Technology, Medicine, and Theology. Sook teaches Art and Product Design. I advise the President of the University in matters related to Academic and Institutional Development. Although this is a Christian university—where the majority of students and staff are Christian—our work is more secular than religious, although this is a particularly Western way of categorizing. (We feel that for most of our Indonesian friends that distinction is nonsensical, as in their worldview faith suffuses all of life.) So, for Sook and me reflection of how and, maybe why, we do what we do is taken as an essential aspect of our call. In this work of interpretation, we feel blessed by the benefit of the many voices that so naturally reach us from the plurality of religions in Indonesia.

We are currently back in California, our home state in the United States, to do our mid-term Interpretation Assignment. After almost two years in Indonesia, as we reflect back, we are grateful to recognize the welcome and good will extended us by the many colleagues and friends in the university. The Becak project that Sook helped launch in January is at the cusp of yielding its first fruits as students are presenting their designs, and plans are being made to build the first prototype. The ‘Medical Boat’ project that Don carefully and tentatively proposed is enjoying a positive reception and plans are being drawn to determine its long-term feasibility. Small initial efforts to improve excellence in student learning have culminated in a two-day workshop on the merits and implementation steps of ‘Learner-centered Teaching’ (and Critical Thinking) that just ended today with a reported participation by 85 percent of all the teaching staff. These are but a few of the signs we see of the impact of our presence here. Our small initiatives are empowering teachers and students to embrace education as the preeminent way to make a difference in the world. They are finding that faith—Christian faith, particularly—instructs and guides their efforts. We are finding that education, equipping the people of God for the work of God in the wider world, is an (if not the most) effective way to alleviate poverty, resist cultures of violence, and spread the good news of Christ in non-threatening ways among a plurality of peoples.

Just before leaving Indonesia, we participated in their celebration of Thanksgiving Day. That it was done at the end of May—and not November as we were used to—gave us pause. Being located south of the equatorial line, the seasons are flipped: May is in the Fall season in Java (some parts of Indonesia fall north of the equator!). Being a traditionally agrarian society, it should not come as a surprise that Thanksgiving is celebrated in May. But still… perspectives and reactions are not entirely rational, we learned. Notions and attitudes internalized through repetitive observance of cherished rituals inform attitudes and behaviors in ways that defy reason.

As we end this letter we want to leave you with the face of our newest acquaintance, Pak RT. “Pak” is “Mr.” in Indonesian language. “RT” stands for some title words that we have yet to learn the meaning of. We met Pak RT in early May. He is the “head” of our neighborhood (where we live). We received our limited-stay visas this month, which allows us to engage in work formally. Part of the procedure to move into this immigration status was to declare our residential address and meet with our Pak RT. He is a typical Javanese man: dark skin, broad face, on the skinny side, with a ready smile (showing no frontal teeth) and a keen sense of order and authority. In our meeting he told us, gently, of the monthly neighborhood meetings, the volunteering for neighborhood (overnight) watch, and the invitation to participate in neighborhood improvement projects. We had an ‘aha’ moment: this is a window into Javanese life! This is how they are organized and how they are ‘present’ to each other—a tight network of mutual helping. We felt glad to be at this point. We are looking forward to finally getting to know our neighbors.

Our wishes and prayer requests:

1. For Sook and me to continue growing as partners (conversation, reflection, and prayer)

2. For new friends

3. For Don to establish collaboration opportunities with an initial few U.S. institutions while we stay in the United States, to expand UKDW’s network of international collaboration

4. For wisdom and support in exploring bringing Young Adult Volunteers to Yogyakarta

5. For continued patience and diligence with language and culture acquisition

Peace and grace,

Sook and Don Choi