Well I am back. Sort of. I still feel like most of me is still in Indonesia due to the time difference and jet lag. I am exhausted. The trip back was mostly non-newsworthy unlike the trip down. However, I have concluded that the aura of air travel which I used to have as a teen and young adult is TOTALLY GONE. My loathing of air travel now knows no bounds, especially on domestic carriers. According to American Airlines, the average air traveler should be 5 feet tall. I myself am just shy of 6 feet tall with most of my friends being taller than me, and I have no idea how they can fly. I'm not really that tall and I can barely do it. At least the long flights on this trip were on Asia carriers, which have much better customer service and leg room. However, I guess that domestic carriers are not made for people who have some Dutch heritage and are therefore decently tall.
Well that's all. Talk to many of you soon. For those reading from Minnesota and South Dakota, I hope to be back this fall to talk to the churches about my trip. But right now I need a nap.
Jonathan
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
On the Road Again
Well, I am now at the BTGH offices for the final time as I wait to leave for the airport. It has been an amazing 5 weeks. I have so many people I want to thank. When I was a coach at SDSU, it was my practice to give out "kudos" at the end of a trip, so here are my kudos for this trip.
Kudos to Congressman Vern Ehlers' office. Without their 11th hour assistance on Keri's passport, this would have been a much sadder trip. As long as he stays in politics, Rep. Ehlers will always get my vote (not that he wasn't going to already as he is a CRC, Republican who is a former Calvin prof and originally from Edgerton. Abe Lincoln would have had to run against him in order for me not to vote for him).
Kudos to Pastor Untung and his wonderful staff at the BTGH Indonesia. Great group. They were so willing to show me around (i.e. driving me to locations - if I had to drive I probably would have killed myself on the roads), help me with the ministry practices and just being there to show me a little slice of Indonesian Christianity.
Kudos to my host family, Joseph and Theresia. They were so gracious to open their house up to Keri and me for the five weeks. Their hospitality knows no bounds. I am so grateful for how easy they made our stay in Jakarta. I am determined to come back to Indonesia again, just so I can finally beat one of them at Chinese Checkers (We must have played a dozen games. I got agonizingly close to winning several times, only to be crushed at the last minute.)
Kudos to all of you who have supported us throughout this trip. Your prayers, money, and kind words of support to us over the past several months have made this opportunity a reality. I thank God that there are folks out there that truly want to show Christ to others around the world, and support a young man who is finding his voice in the kingdom. Thank you for making this possible.
Finally, I thank God for this trip. From the beginning trials and tribulations of the trip to now, I have felt God's presence in this trip as I have never felt it before. So many moments of the trip become simply known as "God moments" where something inexplicable would happen that blessed Keri and me in some way. An Atheist would say that we were exceptionally lucky or had good fortune throughout our trip. I say we were simply blessed.
So, as I prepare to go to the airport, I thank you, loyal reader, for staying with my rambling writings over the past months. The Indonesian blog is almost complete. But I have one other purpose left for the blog. In August, please check this blog for updates on Keri's pregnancy. Okay, updates are a strong word. We'll just post the birth announcement and some pictures of the new Baby Spronk (I know, this sounds like some celebrity news site now: "Come see the WORLD-EXCLUSIVE pictures of little Suri Spronk....or the RARE PICTURES of little Apple Ka-el Spronk... or something like that. Okay, I promise not to name my child some bizarro name, though my brothers would probably give me 100 dollars to name my kid Homer or Strong Bad. And 100 dollars would probably buy a week's worth of diapers for little Chewbacca... er, Dumbledore... er, Papaya Spronk.)
Blessings,
Jonathan
P.S. If we were having twins, I think we would have gone with LaKwaya and Papaya.
Kudos to Congressman Vern Ehlers' office. Without their 11th hour assistance on Keri's passport, this would have been a much sadder trip. As long as he stays in politics, Rep. Ehlers will always get my vote (not that he wasn't going to already as he is a CRC, Republican who is a former Calvin prof and originally from Edgerton. Abe Lincoln would have had to run against him in order for me not to vote for him).
Kudos to Pastor Untung and his wonderful staff at the BTGH Indonesia. Great group. They were so willing to show me around (i.e. driving me to locations - if I had to drive I probably would have killed myself on the roads), help me with the ministry practices and just being there to show me a little slice of Indonesian Christianity.
Kudos to my host family, Joseph and Theresia. They were so gracious to open their house up to Keri and me for the five weeks. Their hospitality knows no bounds. I am so grateful for how easy they made our stay in Jakarta. I am determined to come back to Indonesia again, just so I can finally beat one of them at Chinese Checkers (We must have played a dozen games. I got agonizingly close to winning several times, only to be crushed at the last minute.)
Kudos to all of you who have supported us throughout this trip. Your prayers, money, and kind words of support to us over the past several months have made this opportunity a reality. I thank God that there are folks out there that truly want to show Christ to others around the world, and support a young man who is finding his voice in the kingdom. Thank you for making this possible.
Finally, I thank God for this trip. From the beginning trials and tribulations of the trip to now, I have felt God's presence in this trip as I have never felt it before. So many moments of the trip become simply known as "God moments" where something inexplicable would happen that blessed Keri and me in some way. An Atheist would say that we were exceptionally lucky or had good fortune throughout our trip. I say we were simply blessed.
So, as I prepare to go to the airport, I thank you, loyal reader, for staying with my rambling writings over the past months. The Indonesian blog is almost complete. But I have one other purpose left for the blog. In August, please check this blog for updates on Keri's pregnancy. Okay, updates are a strong word. We'll just post the birth announcement and some pictures of the new Baby Spronk (I know, this sounds like some celebrity news site now: "Come see the WORLD-EXCLUSIVE pictures of little Suri Spronk....or the RARE PICTURES of little Apple Ka-el Spronk... or something like that. Okay, I promise not to name my child some bizarro name, though my brothers would probably give me 100 dollars to name my kid Homer or Strong Bad. And 100 dollars would probably buy a week's worth of diapers for little Chewbacca... er, Dumbledore... er, Papaya Spronk.)
Blessings,
Jonathan
P.S. If we were having twins, I think we would have gone with LaKwaya and Papaya.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
The Alien with in your Gates
Apologies on the delay in posting. Our Internet has been down the last couple days and I have not been able to post.
Well, my 5 weeks in Indonesia are approaching an end. I leave next Monday, though I hope to do one more update before then.
This has been a busy week. I spent the week finalizing my scripts and doing recordings. Also, I worked on my devotional booklet - the theme of my month is "Works of the Holy Spirit." So now I have material all ready in case the TODAY folks call in thirty years.
Also, we went to a local Christian Radio station "Heartline FM" on Tuesday. There I got to witness production of the "Drama Kiddy" program. Drama Kiddy is a weekly radio program geared toward children that the BTGH office in Indonesia created. They write the script and then send it to Heartline FM for recording. At Heartline, they line up the radio actors including children and produce the program. While there, we saw the taping and took a tour of the station. Heartline FM also produces a variety of other original radio programs, and I taped a segment for their "Drama Bible" program, a program that turns scripture passages into radio dramas.
So today on my last day at the office, I am writing my report to the Seminary and the BTGH office about what I have learned on this trip.
What have I learned in this trip? Lots. I could write pages on what I have learned about ministry, radio production, broadcasting, writing scripts/sermons, U.S. government passport policy, Indonesian culture, evangelism, Islam (In actuality, I am going to have to write pages on these topics at CTS - but I will save that for another day).
But the biggest thing I have learned in this internship is what it is like to be "the alien within your gates." Not that I didn't receive phenomenal hospitality from my Indonesian hosts, which I did, but I was always consciously aware that I was different than those around me.
It is a weird feeling to be suddenly an easily identified minority. Needless to say, in predominantly white, Protestant, male, rural America, I am used to blending into the majority. It was a new experience to walk down the street and literally have people stare in amazement that a white guy is walking down the street like it takes a special talent to be that pale (actually it is not a talent to be this pale, just be a sem student; suddenly your days in the sun are over). Or to have kids stop playing soccer to point you out of a crowd. Or to have people come up to you to ask to take their picture with you because you are so different. It is an odd feeling to not see anyone that looks like me for three weeks. Its kind of a lonely feeling.
I have a new appreciation for those who don't fit into the majority, in our society and our church. I have a new appreciation for the outsider who does not look, speak or act like "us." In my reading of the gospels these past few weeks, I am more acutely aware of when Jesus purposely reached out to the outsider, to the outcast, to those who did not look, speak or act like the religious establishment or the perceived moral majority.
My experience has humbled me. I need to do a better job of looking to the minority in my community. And I am not just talking about race, but about more than that. I need to reach out to people who differ in any way from the white, male, Dutch reformed, sabbatarian, rural, farming culture that I still love and adore. Because it is not crucial to Christianity whether I am white, or worship with the blue hymnal or gray hymnal, or do I read the NIV or TNIV, or whether I am CRC, RCA, or NON-DENOM, or whether I agree with women in office or not, or any one of a thousand potentially petty things that seem important, but are of a secondary importance to whether I am showing Christ to people who are not me.
"And who is my neighbor? asked the expert of the law to Jesus." My fellow brothers and sisters of Indonesia taught me that my neighbor is anyone who is not me. And for that I give them my deepest gratitude. God be praised for their witness.
Jonathan
Well, my 5 weeks in Indonesia are approaching an end. I leave next Monday, though I hope to do one more update before then.
This has been a busy week. I spent the week finalizing my scripts and doing recordings. Also, I worked on my devotional booklet - the theme of my month is "Works of the Holy Spirit." So now I have material all ready in case the TODAY folks call in thirty years.
Also, we went to a local Christian Radio station "Heartline FM" on Tuesday. There I got to witness production of the "Drama Kiddy" program. Drama Kiddy is a weekly radio program geared toward children that the BTGH office in Indonesia created. They write the script and then send it to Heartline FM for recording. At Heartline, they line up the radio actors including children and produce the program. While there, we saw the taping and took a tour of the station. Heartline FM also produces a variety of other original radio programs, and I taped a segment for their "Drama Bible" program, a program that turns scripture passages into radio dramas.
So today on my last day at the office, I am writing my report to the Seminary and the BTGH office about what I have learned on this trip.
What have I learned in this trip? Lots. I could write pages on what I have learned about ministry, radio production, broadcasting, writing scripts/sermons, U.S. government passport policy, Indonesian culture, evangelism, Islam (In actuality, I am going to have to write pages on these topics at CTS - but I will save that for another day).
But the biggest thing I have learned in this internship is what it is like to be "the alien within your gates." Not that I didn't receive phenomenal hospitality from my Indonesian hosts, which I did, but I was always consciously aware that I was different than those around me.
It is a weird feeling to be suddenly an easily identified minority. Needless to say, in predominantly white, Protestant, male, rural America, I am used to blending into the majority. It was a new experience to walk down the street and literally have people stare in amazement that a white guy is walking down the street like it takes a special talent to be that pale (actually it is not a talent to be this pale, just be a sem student; suddenly your days in the sun are over). Or to have kids stop playing soccer to point you out of a crowd. Or to have people come up to you to ask to take their picture with you because you are so different. It is an odd feeling to not see anyone that looks like me for three weeks. Its kind of a lonely feeling.
I have a new appreciation for those who don't fit into the majority, in our society and our church. I have a new appreciation for the outsider who does not look, speak or act like "us." In my reading of the gospels these past few weeks, I am more acutely aware of when Jesus purposely reached out to the outsider, to the outcast, to those who did not look, speak or act like the religious establishment or the perceived moral majority.
My experience has humbled me. I need to do a better job of looking to the minority in my community. And I am not just talking about race, but about more than that. I need to reach out to people who differ in any way from the white, male, Dutch reformed, sabbatarian, rural, farming culture that I still love and adore. Because it is not crucial to Christianity whether I am white, or worship with the blue hymnal or gray hymnal, or do I read the NIV or TNIV, or whether I am CRC, RCA, or NON-DENOM, or whether I agree with women in office or not, or any one of a thousand potentially petty things that seem important, but are of a secondary importance to whether I am showing Christ to people who are not me.
"And who is my neighbor? asked the expert of the law to Jesus." My fellow brothers and sisters of Indonesia taught me that my neighbor is anyone who is not me. And for that I give them my deepest gratitude. God be praised for their witness.
Jonathan
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Funerals in Toraja
Hello,
In an earlier post I said that I was going to describe the funeral practices of the people of Toraja, a people from the Island of Sulawesi. Their burial practices go back to their pre-christian days. Here is the Wikipedia description of the Torajan funerals, which, I have been told by the native Torajans I know, is pretty acurate:
So there you have it. Funerals ala Toraja. Kinda makes the old ham buns at the typical CRC funeral seem a bit boring in comparison. If American Christians were to slaughter hundreds of Cattle and Hogs at a funeral, I perhaps would have my own Pastor/Meat Man business.
Jonathan
P.S. Notice that there is no "Vegetarian option" or Chicken on the menu. Chickens must be an inferior species:)
In an earlier post I said that I was going to describe the funeral practices of the people of Toraja, a people from the Island of Sulawesi. Their burial practices go back to their pre-christian days. Here is the Wikipedia description of the Torajan funerals, which, I have been told by the native Torajans I know, is pretty acurate:
In Toraja society, the funeral ritual is the most elaborate and expensive event. The richer and more powerful an individual, the more expensive his or her funeral. In the aluk religion, only nobles have the right to have an extensive death feast.[23] The death feast of a nobleman is usually attended by thousands and lasts for several days. A ceremonial site, called rante, is usually prepared in a large area of grass field where shelters for audiences, rice barns, and other ceremonial funeral structures are specially made by the deceased family.
The ceremony is often held weeks, months, or years after the death so that the deceased family can raise the significant funds needed to cover funeral expenses.[24] Torajans traditionally believe that death is not a sudden, abrupt event, but a gradual process toward Puya (the land of souls, or afterlife). During the waiting period, the body of the deceased is wrapped in several layers of cloth and kept under the tongkonan. The soul of the deceased is thought to linger around the village until the funeral ceremony is completed, after which it begins its journey to Puya.[25]
Another component of the ritual is the slaughter of water buffalo. The more powerful the person who died, the more buffalo are slaughtered at the death feast. Buffalo carcasses, including their heads, are usually lined on a field waiting for their owner, who is in the "sleeping stage". Torajans believe that the deceased will need the buffalo to make the journey, and that they will be quicker to arrive at Puya if they have many buffalo. Slaughtering tens of water buffalo and hundred of pigs using a machete becomes the peak of the elaborate death feast, along with dance, music and young boys who catch spurting blood in long bamboo tubes. Some of the slaughtered animals are given by guests as "gifts", which are carefully noted because they will be considered debts of the deceased family.[26]
There are three methods of burial: the coffin may be laid in a cave, in a carved stone grave, or hung on a cliff. It contains any possessions that the deceased will need in the afterlife. The wealthy are often buried in a stone grave carved out of the rocky cliff. The grave is usually expensive and takes a few months to complete. In some areas, a stone cave may be found that is large enough to accommodate a whole family. A wood-carved effigy, called tau tau, is usually placed in the cave facing down over the land.[27] The coffin of a deceased baby or child may be hung from ropes on a cliff face or from a tree. This hanging grave usually lasts for years, until the ropes rot and the coffin falls to the ground.
So there you have it. Funerals ala Toraja. Kinda makes the old ham buns at the typical CRC funeral seem a bit boring in comparison. If American Christians were to slaughter hundreds of Cattle and Hogs at a funeral, I perhaps would have my own Pastor/Meat Man business.
Jonathan
P.S. Notice that there is no "Vegetarian option" or Chicken on the menu. Chickens must be an inferior species:)
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
More Random Thoughts about Indonesia and Other... uh... Random Stuff
I am slowly getting a hold of basic Indonesian language. I can do ok at reading signs but am terrible at hearing it for comprehension. One benefit of the language is that it spells everything "foneticaly". This is awesome. I tell you, I should have been born into the Indonesian language. Let me explain. My interests academically range from math to history to geography to theology to biology to chemistry. My kryptonite is spelling the English language. Still, I have one masters degree and am now working on a second in a completely unrelated field. However, if today I walked into Mrs. Van Bockel's Third Grade Spelling Bee, I would still finish where I did back when I was 8: near the bottom of the class, misspelling such tough words as "daughter," "thought," or "probably". Needless to say, I hope my future children are not cursed with this affliction.
In Jakarta, I am well aware that I tend to stand out in a crowd. I thought it was because am I taller than 95% of the people that I meet, a little heavy, and have pale skin that blinds people when I stand in the sun. However, I have learned one additional thing that makes me stand out that I hadn't thought of before: I have blue eyes. People like looking in my eyes. Some say they have never seen blue eyes before. Who knew, the Swedish in me would make me popular?
Which brings me to the HUGE discussion that Keri and I have had a lot lately. Will our kid have blue or brown eyes? (I know; its earth-shattering. You have been patiently reading the blog for weeks now, hoping for my discussion of this vital topic) Tracing the genetics of Keri and me, I have determined that our baby has a 50-50 shot at blue or brown eyes.
Waiting for your first child to come is like waiting a while for an important house guest you have never met who is nonetheless coming to live with you for eighteen or so years. Yet you know little-to-nothing about who's coming, so it is tough to prepare for their arrival. So as you wait, you begin to speculate what they will be like. Will he (I say he; honestly, we don't know if the baby is a boy or a girl. Saying it sounds so impersonal and flippant) be blond or brown-haired, or will the Spronk genes finally pay off with black hair? Blue or brown eyes? Boy or girl? Bad speller or a Riemersma-style spelling champ (Keri was a magnificent speller in grade school - she finished runner-up in the Argus Leader compitition. It's really the reason why I married her - to help my kin)? A talker or quiet type? Twins fan or, dare I say, Yankees fan? If it's a girl, will the new "Grandma Spronk" explode in a local Target in a frenzy of pink clothes buying? (See, Ma Spronk has been blessed with only boys. Growing up, I think the most fun she had shopping was in the rare instances that she had a friend or relative who had just had a girl - She was then allowed to buy pink.)
All these questions. And many won't be answered even this year yet. So exciting.
Anyway, these are my random, rambling thoughts. You can now begin to pity the unsuspecting lot that calls me to my first charge in the church.
Jonathan
P.S. If my first born is a Twins fan, all the rest is gravy.
P.S.S. If my first born is a Yankees fan, he better be a good speller, and brown-eyed like his mother. He'll need all the help he can get.
In Jakarta, I am well aware that I tend to stand out in a crowd. I thought it was because am I taller than 95% of the people that I meet, a little heavy, and have pale skin that blinds people when I stand in the sun. However, I have learned one additional thing that makes me stand out that I hadn't thought of before: I have blue eyes. People like looking in my eyes. Some say they have never seen blue eyes before. Who knew, the Swedish in me would make me popular?
Which brings me to the HUGE discussion that Keri and I have had a lot lately. Will our kid have blue or brown eyes? (I know; its earth-shattering. You have been patiently reading the blog for weeks now, hoping for my discussion of this vital topic) Tracing the genetics of Keri and me, I have determined that our baby has a 50-50 shot at blue or brown eyes.
Waiting for your first child to come is like waiting a while for an important house guest you have never met who is nonetheless coming to live with you for eighteen or so years. Yet you know little-to-nothing about who's coming, so it is tough to prepare for their arrival. So as you wait, you begin to speculate what they will be like. Will he (I say he; honestly, we don't know if the baby is a boy or a girl. Saying it sounds so impersonal and flippant) be blond or brown-haired, or will the Spronk genes finally pay off with black hair? Blue or brown eyes? Boy or girl? Bad speller or a Riemersma-style spelling champ (Keri was a magnificent speller in grade school - she finished runner-up in the Argus Leader compitition. It's really the reason why I married her - to help my kin)? A talker or quiet type? Twins fan or, dare I say, Yankees fan? If it's a girl, will the new "Grandma Spronk" explode in a local Target in a frenzy of pink clothes buying? (See, Ma Spronk has been blessed with only boys. Growing up, I think the most fun she had shopping was in the rare instances that she had a friend or relative who had just had a girl - She was then allowed to buy pink.)
All these questions. And many won't be answered even this year yet. So exciting.
Anyway, these are my random, rambling thoughts. You can now begin to pity the unsuspecting lot that calls me to my first charge in the church.
Jonathan
P.S. If my first born is a Twins fan, all the rest is gravy.
P.S.S. If my first born is a Yankees fan, he better be a good speller, and brown-eyed like his mother. He'll need all the help he can get.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Persecution
What do you think of when you think of persecution? If you are anything like me, you think of the early Christians, the martyrs who faced Roman legions or lions in the arena. Or maybe you think of Reformers facing the prospect of burning at the stake for their faith. Or maybe you think of missionaries who bravely face death to bring the gospel to hostile regions. All of these examples show persecution that is terrifying and often brutally violent.
But I am here to say that at times the persecution faced by Christianity can be much more subtle. In Indonesia I am learning about that kind of persecution. For example, it is a part of the Indonesian Constitution for freedom to worship. Diversity in religion is supposedly a foundational virtue in Indonesia. But in practice, religious tolerance can vary widely. I have met a Christian here who was asking me how hard is it to build a church in America. Not quite grasping at what he was getting at, I stated that it was sometimes a struggle financially, especially if it was a small or poor congregation. Then he said that what he meant was is it hard to get approval from government authorities to build. No, its never an issue of that in the U.S. I responded. Then he told me of his Church's struggle. For 13 years, they have been trying to build a church. For 13 years they have had the land and the money raised to build. However, building permits have been held up in the local government for 13 YEARS. The congregation just keeps waiting for approval. That my friends is subtle persecution.
Another form of subtle persecution is seen in identification cards. Let me explain some history. Indonesia is home to a small minority of Chinese. These Chinese have emigrated in three waves: in the 1700's, in the 1800's, and right before Communisum came to China in the 1940's. Most Chinese Indonesians did not convert to Islam when they came to Indonesia, but many came to Christianity through the Dutch missionaries of the day (though some converted for less then heartfelt reasons - being Christian gave them business advantages with the Dutch Colonists). So Chinese Indonesians make up a substantial portion of the Indonesian Christian Church, and have faced the ire of the Muslim natives
However, because of their ethnicity and religion, Chinese Indonesians have always suffered from discrimination. For numerous years, Mandarin, their ethnic language, was banned in schools and could not be displayed in public (let this be a lesson to those who think that English should be the "official language" of the U.S. We are a nation of immigrants; we all learn English eventually. To mandate only its use is cultural genocide). In Indonesia, the immigrants were forced to change their family names to more Indonesian sounding names. They had limited roles in government and often were segregated in their communities.
The tensions came to a head in 1998. The Asian financial crisis of the late 1990's was particularly hard in Indonesia. Almost overnight the value of the Rupiah (Indonesian Currency) dropped hard. Inflation was huge (for example the value of the Rupiah vs the Dollar went from 1000 Rupiah per $1 to 20000 per $1 - imagine a loaf of bread jumping in price 20 times in a week, and you get the picture.) Riots went off all over Jakarta. Chinese were the targets of the riots (which the government, police, and military were said to have backed - takes the pressure off you when you use the weak as the scapegoat for your economic problems). In the riots, hundreds of Chinese were raped, tortured or killed. In the aftermath, many Chinese simply left the country.
To those that remain, they are still discriminated against. One of the fellows in the BTGH offices here showed me his official Indonesian identification card, their version of a Social Security Card. On his begins a little code "09". Seems innocent enough. But this identifies him as a "citizen of Indonesia" as opposed to an "Indonesian". It does not matter if he was born in Indonesia or that his parents were, or generations going backward. He is not a pure Indonesian and is identified as such. It is insane. It reminds me of the star of David that Jews wore in pre-WWII Germany, which identified them as non-Aryan.
Imagine if we did that in American. I would be a Citizen of America instead of an American, because I happened to have Dutch and Swedish in my background. Lets say that this label was inherent in my Social Security number so that all potential educators, employers, or law authorities would instantly know that I was not "purely" American. Do you think it would make a difference in if I was hired? Or whether I would get that promotion? Or face charges in court if there is a trace of suspicion? Justice is now compromised between the pure blood and the impure. Or between the Christian "foreigner" and the Muslim "Native".
Just some food for thought. Persecution is not always about lions and guns and burning stakes.
Please pray for the freedom of the gospel and for the safety and livelihood of Christians in Indonesia.
In Christ,
Jonathan
P.S. Please also pray for my wife Keri as she begins looking for a new job after her graduation for medical transcription. Thanks.
But I am here to say that at times the persecution faced by Christianity can be much more subtle. In Indonesia I am learning about that kind of persecution. For example, it is a part of the Indonesian Constitution for freedom to worship. Diversity in religion is supposedly a foundational virtue in Indonesia. But in practice, religious tolerance can vary widely. I have met a Christian here who was asking me how hard is it to build a church in America. Not quite grasping at what he was getting at, I stated that it was sometimes a struggle financially, especially if it was a small or poor congregation. Then he said that what he meant was is it hard to get approval from government authorities to build. No, its never an issue of that in the U.S. I responded. Then he told me of his Church's struggle. For 13 years, they have been trying to build a church. For 13 years they have had the land and the money raised to build. However, building permits have been held up in the local government for 13 YEARS. The congregation just keeps waiting for approval. That my friends is subtle persecution.
Another form of subtle persecution is seen in identification cards. Let me explain some history. Indonesia is home to a small minority of Chinese. These Chinese have emigrated in three waves: in the 1700's, in the 1800's, and right before Communisum came to China in the 1940's. Most Chinese Indonesians did not convert to Islam when they came to Indonesia, but many came to Christianity through the Dutch missionaries of the day (though some converted for less then heartfelt reasons - being Christian gave them business advantages with the Dutch Colonists). So Chinese Indonesians make up a substantial portion of the Indonesian Christian Church, and have faced the ire of the Muslim natives
However, because of their ethnicity and religion, Chinese Indonesians have always suffered from discrimination. For numerous years, Mandarin, their ethnic language, was banned in schools and could not be displayed in public (let this be a lesson to those who think that English should be the "official language" of the U.S. We are a nation of immigrants; we all learn English eventually. To mandate only its use is cultural genocide). In Indonesia, the immigrants were forced to change their family names to more Indonesian sounding names. They had limited roles in government and often were segregated in their communities.
The tensions came to a head in 1998. The Asian financial crisis of the late 1990's was particularly hard in Indonesia. Almost overnight the value of the Rupiah (Indonesian Currency) dropped hard. Inflation was huge (for example the value of the Rupiah vs the Dollar went from 1000 Rupiah per $1 to 20000 per $1 - imagine a loaf of bread jumping in price 20 times in a week, and you get the picture.) Riots went off all over Jakarta. Chinese were the targets of the riots (which the government, police, and military were said to have backed - takes the pressure off you when you use the weak as the scapegoat for your economic problems). In the riots, hundreds of Chinese were raped, tortured or killed. In the aftermath, many Chinese simply left the country.
To those that remain, they are still discriminated against. One of the fellows in the BTGH offices here showed me his official Indonesian identification card, their version of a Social Security Card. On his begins a little code "09". Seems innocent enough. But this identifies him as a "citizen of Indonesia" as opposed to an "Indonesian". It does not matter if he was born in Indonesia or that his parents were, or generations going backward. He is not a pure Indonesian and is identified as such. It is insane. It reminds me of the star of David that Jews wore in pre-WWII Germany, which identified them as non-Aryan.
Imagine if we did that in American. I would be a Citizen of America instead of an American, because I happened to have Dutch and Swedish in my background. Lets say that this label was inherent in my Social Security number so that all potential educators, employers, or law authorities would instantly know that I was not "purely" American. Do you think it would make a difference in if I was hired? Or whether I would get that promotion? Or face charges in court if there is a trace of suspicion? Justice is now compromised between the pure blood and the impure. Or between the Christian "foreigner" and the Muslim "Native".
Just some food for thought. Persecution is not always about lions and guns and burning stakes.
Please pray for the freedom of the gospel and for the safety and livelihood of Christians in Indonesia.
In Christ,
Jonathan
P.S. Please also pray for my wife Keri as she begins looking for a new job after her graduation for medical transcription. Thanks.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
And Now Deep Thoughts by Jonathan Spronk
Here are some random thoughts about my stay in Indonesia while I also marvel at the world wide appeal of SpongeBob Squarepants (yes he is big out here)
On Indonesian and American Christianity - I think every Christian I have come in contact with here in Indonesia wears their religion on their sleeve. There seems to be no mediocre or nominal Christians here. Of course that makes sense. Why would you choose to claim a religion that is in a persecuted minority unless you really believed it? Why would you purposely seek this social stigma if you did not feel very compelled by it? To me, these Indonesian Christians exemplify the salt of Christianity. They are not lukewarm about their faith. They are vocal about what they are and about their mission to save souls.
I don't mean to be contrite or mean, but I think we lack this zeal sometimes in American Christianity. Our churches become social clubs or places to hear good music and be entertained. We spend great time and resources on elaborate buildings that testify to how great we are. We spend our Sundays after the church service complaining about the music or the banners or worse, gossiping about so-and-so who was not at the service, if we even discuss the service with our families at all. Therefore, we get bogged down in the mire of earthly struggles and obscure our views of the heavenly kingdom we are now already apart of.
Don't get me wrong. I am as guilty of these sins as anyone. It's just that my times in Indonesia have taken some of the scales off my eyes about American Christianity.
To me the contrast of Indonesian and American Christianity seems like the Early Christianity Pre-Constantine and Post-Constantine. Before Constantine, Christianity was the minority religion. Only those that truly believed in it, would dare announce their commitment. You were not a nominal Christian or a C-and-E Christian in the Roman Empire before Constantine.
Then Post-Constantine, Christianity was given privileged status - the church grew, no doubt from those who we genuinely attracted to the faith, but also from those who were attracted to the newfound wealth and privilege the church now offered. All of the sudden, the suffering and persecution that was so characteristic of the faith were now gone. Complacency sets in.
I wonder if this complacency is evident in our American churches. I, like many others, seek worship that fits my time schedule and individual tastes. It all about what I want to get out of church, what I want out of my minister. In the end, I become more of a lukewarm Christian, concerned with my feelings instead of God's glory. Do we focus on evangelism? Do we seek to be the salt of the earth? Do we even care anymore?
For instance, these churches in Indonesia just celebrated Ascension Day. It is one of their most special days. See, in Indonesia, in order to promote Religious tolerance, there are national holidays for the four major religion's holy days. So everyone gets off of work for Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim holy days, no matter what your faith. So every one gets off Ascension Day and it is a holy day on par with the other Christian days like Christmas, Easter, and Good Friday.
Contrast that with Christianity in the United States. At least the CRC has a tradition of observing Ascension Day with services on that Thursday, but I get the feeling the tradition is fading fast (case in point - The very large Classis GR East held a combined Ascension Day service for the whole classis - if each church had conducted its own Ascension Day service the attendance at each church probably would have been putrid). This is not a condemnation of GR East; I think this trend is apparent throughout the CRC. Perhaps the CRC will go the path of many mainline protestant churches and get rid of Ascension day observance. I just don't see that happening in Indonesia.
Instead of celebrating the gospel and its message, today, many of our churches spend more time discussing politics than gospel. Our privileged status in a Post-Constantine-type America leaves us in the (what should be uncomfortable) position of power. Many ministers and churches are wooed by campaigns and some are beginning to see themselves as king makers in politics. I understand why Christians are more involved with politics today - I too want abortion to be stopped and morals upheld. But in our attempts at showing our newfound political power have we lost sight of our mission? Have we dropped our Bibles as we struggle to kiss the brass ring of power? Do we then lose our Christian love when we attack others from other political persuasions? For instance, though I almost completely disagree with her politics, I think Evangelical Christians have said some of the most unloving things about Hillary Clinton during her time in the political spotlight. How can we convince anyone about the love and mercy of Christ when we play cutthroat politics?
Sorry about the rambling, incoherent "sermon". I just wanted to say a few things before they left my mind.
2. Signs of Christianity - Also when one is in a country where Christianity is a distinct minority, it is amazing how much the signs and symbols of Christianity stand out all the more. When a a random taxi cab has a big MARANATHA printed across the back window it is eye catching in a Muslim country. Or when traveling by road in Indonesia it is common to see the metal spire of a mosque every few blocks. However, it stands out all the more when you see a cross on top of a building. What a unique symbol we have for our faith. Did you ever think about it? Buddhists have this smiling statue. Muslims decorate with crescents and stars. Jews place the beautiful words of Hebrew on their synagogues. We put an execution device as the centerpiece of our buildings. I suppose that really stands out to an unbeliever, or to someone who does not see it that often (most Christians are probably desensitized to the look of the cross, I know I am)
3. Traffic - I know that this is not a theological topic but I just have to talk about the traffic here. It is intense, especially in Jogja. Jogja is a city of 3 million people and many have cars or motorbikes. However, the main thoroughfares are no bigger than a two lane U.S Hwy. Imagine Hwy 75 through Pipestone being the major road for a city larger than the Twin Cities Metro area. And now picture this road with little to no traffic lights and all intersections are unmarked, uncontrolled intersections, and you get a picture of the chaos that is Indonesian driving. At least in Jakarta they have freeways in some areas resemble American Interstates, but once you get off the freeways you are in for small roads that often can only hand one car-width at a time.
The roads outside the metro areas are much worse. The two lane roads meander and turn and give little chance for passing due to the extreme high volume of traffic. I never thought I would find a road worse than Hwy 75 through NW Iowa but the road from Bogor to Jakarta is. On our way back last Sunday from the teacher meetings, it took us two hours to go probably 15 miles. Traffic was particularly bad as vacationing Jakartans were leaving the mountains around Bogor to head back home for the week. It was like when Chicagoans leave the Wis. Dells on Sunday, only this only one road back and it is a little country road.
Anyways, this will be my last post until next week. Hope everyone has a good weekend. I am heading on Sunday to an ethnic Torajan Church here in Jakarta. Toraja is a people that live on a different island than the Java island I am currently on. But many Torajans have moved to Jakarta for jobs so their church has followed them. They have interesting burial and funeral practices that I have learned about, but I will save that until next week.
So long
Jonathan
On Indonesian and American Christianity - I think every Christian I have come in contact with here in Indonesia wears their religion on their sleeve. There seems to be no mediocre or nominal Christians here. Of course that makes sense. Why would you choose to claim a religion that is in a persecuted minority unless you really believed it? Why would you purposely seek this social stigma if you did not feel very compelled by it? To me, these Indonesian Christians exemplify the salt of Christianity. They are not lukewarm about their faith. They are vocal about what they are and about their mission to save souls.
I don't mean to be contrite or mean, but I think we lack this zeal sometimes in American Christianity. Our churches become social clubs or places to hear good music and be entertained. We spend great time and resources on elaborate buildings that testify to how great we are. We spend our Sundays after the church service complaining about the music or the banners or worse, gossiping about so-and-so who was not at the service, if we even discuss the service with our families at all. Therefore, we get bogged down in the mire of earthly struggles and obscure our views of the heavenly kingdom we are now already apart of.
Don't get me wrong. I am as guilty of these sins as anyone. It's just that my times in Indonesia have taken some of the scales off my eyes about American Christianity.
To me the contrast of Indonesian and American Christianity seems like the Early Christianity Pre-Constantine and Post-Constantine. Before Constantine, Christianity was the minority religion. Only those that truly believed in it, would dare announce their commitment. You were not a nominal Christian or a C-and-E Christian in the Roman Empire before Constantine.
Then Post-Constantine, Christianity was given privileged status - the church grew, no doubt from those who we genuinely attracted to the faith, but also from those who were attracted to the newfound wealth and privilege the church now offered. All of the sudden, the suffering and persecution that was so characteristic of the faith were now gone. Complacency sets in.
I wonder if this complacency is evident in our American churches. I, like many others, seek worship that fits my time schedule and individual tastes. It all about what I want to get out of church, what I want out of my minister. In the end, I become more of a lukewarm Christian, concerned with my feelings instead of God's glory. Do we focus on evangelism? Do we seek to be the salt of the earth? Do we even care anymore?
For instance, these churches in Indonesia just celebrated Ascension Day. It is one of their most special days. See, in Indonesia, in order to promote Religious tolerance, there are national holidays for the four major religion's holy days. So everyone gets off of work for Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim holy days, no matter what your faith. So every one gets off Ascension Day and it is a holy day on par with the other Christian days like Christmas, Easter, and Good Friday.
Contrast that with Christianity in the United States. At least the CRC has a tradition of observing Ascension Day with services on that Thursday, but I get the feeling the tradition is fading fast (case in point - The very large Classis GR East held a combined Ascension Day service for the whole classis - if each church had conducted its own Ascension Day service the attendance at each church probably would have been putrid). This is not a condemnation of GR East; I think this trend is apparent throughout the CRC. Perhaps the CRC will go the path of many mainline protestant churches and get rid of Ascension day observance. I just don't see that happening in Indonesia.
Instead of celebrating the gospel and its message, today, many of our churches spend more time discussing politics than gospel. Our privileged status in a Post-Constantine-type America leaves us in the (what should be uncomfortable) position of power. Many ministers and churches are wooed by campaigns and some are beginning to see themselves as king makers in politics. I understand why Christians are more involved with politics today - I too want abortion to be stopped and morals upheld. But in our attempts at showing our newfound political power have we lost sight of our mission? Have we dropped our Bibles as we struggle to kiss the brass ring of power? Do we then lose our Christian love when we attack others from other political persuasions? For instance, though I almost completely disagree with her politics, I think Evangelical Christians have said some of the most unloving things about Hillary Clinton during her time in the political spotlight. How can we convince anyone about the love and mercy of Christ when we play cutthroat politics?
Sorry about the rambling, incoherent "sermon". I just wanted to say a few things before they left my mind.
2. Signs of Christianity - Also when one is in a country where Christianity is a distinct minority, it is amazing how much the signs and symbols of Christianity stand out all the more. When a a random taxi cab has a big MARANATHA printed across the back window it is eye catching in a Muslim country. Or when traveling by road in Indonesia it is common to see the metal spire of a mosque every few blocks. However, it stands out all the more when you see a cross on top of a building. What a unique symbol we have for our faith. Did you ever think about it? Buddhists have this smiling statue. Muslims decorate with crescents and stars. Jews place the beautiful words of Hebrew on their synagogues. We put an execution device as the centerpiece of our buildings. I suppose that really stands out to an unbeliever, or to someone who does not see it that often (most Christians are probably desensitized to the look of the cross, I know I am)
3. Traffic - I know that this is not a theological topic but I just have to talk about the traffic here. It is intense, especially in Jogja. Jogja is a city of 3 million people and many have cars or motorbikes. However, the main thoroughfares are no bigger than a two lane U.S Hwy. Imagine Hwy 75 through Pipestone being the major road for a city larger than the Twin Cities Metro area. And now picture this road with little to no traffic lights and all intersections are unmarked, uncontrolled intersections, and you get a picture of the chaos that is Indonesian driving. At least in Jakarta they have freeways in some areas resemble American Interstates, but once you get off the freeways you are in for small roads that often can only hand one car-width at a time.
The roads outside the metro areas are much worse. The two lane roads meander and turn and give little chance for passing due to the extreme high volume of traffic. I never thought I would find a road worse than Hwy 75 through NW Iowa but the road from Bogor to Jakarta is. On our way back last Sunday from the teacher meetings, it took us two hours to go probably 15 miles. Traffic was particularly bad as vacationing Jakartans were leaving the mountains around Bogor to head back home for the week. It was like when Chicagoans leave the Wis. Dells on Sunday, only this only one road back and it is a little country road.
Anyways, this will be my last post until next week. Hope everyone has a good weekend. I am heading on Sunday to an ethnic Torajan Church here in Jakarta. Toraja is a people that live on a different island than the Java island I am currently on. But many Torajans have moved to Jakarta for jobs so their church has followed them. They have interesting burial and funeral practices that I have learned about, but I will save that until next week.
So long
Jonathan
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
A Quaking Colon
Hello all,
Sorry about the delay in posting this week. Let me explain. On Monday, I saw off Keri and Rev. Untung on a plane back to the States. Untung will attend BTGH annual meetings the next week in Grand Rapids. And Keri is off to seeing her baby doctor. In a bit of irony, Untung will be in attendance at the 150th anniversery celebration service of the Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, while I, a lifelong CRC member, will be in Indonesia. O well, perhaps I will be around for the 200th celebration in 2057.
However, yesterday (Tuesday) I felt like I wasn't going to make it to the 151st anniversary. I woke up in the middle of the night with a painful stomach ache. I proceeded to spend much of the day either in the bathroom or heading for the bathroom. In all likelihood, it was probably something I ate. My host family, Joseph and Theresia Gunawan were very kind to me during my ordeal, offering a variety of medicines that I could take. Unable to read most of the words on the packages, I chose an anti-diarrheal medicine that had two pictures on the front: one of a quaking Large Intestine followed by a picture of a calm Large Intestine. I decided that that pretty much described my symptoms and the result I wanted to obtain from said medicine.
Needless to say, my colon stopped quaking that evening, and I now feel almost back to normal. I don't know if Indonesia has a counterpart term for "Montezuma's Revenge" but I am sure that is what I had.
In other non-health related news, here is an update of what we have done for the past week. On Saturday, we went to Mini-Indonesia, an attraction that features cultural items from across the islands. On Sunday, Rev. Untung along with Keri and I went to a conference for the training of Sunday School teachers. The conference was a three day training course put on by the local classis (a classis is a group of 12-15 churches in a given area). Untung and I both spoke in the Sunday morning session, on personal keys for successful Biblical teaching. I found it interesting that their denomination supports formal training sessions for their Sunday School teachers, and requires them to be certified in order to teach. I don't think that any churches in the U.S. do this, or if they do I am certainly not aware of it.
Now for the rest of week, I will be finishing up several radio scripts which are in various stages of development and prepare to record next week. Also I may try my hand at writing a TV script for their new adult television program.
Well, I better get back to work.
Jonathan
Sorry about the delay in posting this week. Let me explain. On Monday, I saw off Keri and Rev. Untung on a plane back to the States. Untung will attend BTGH annual meetings the next week in Grand Rapids. And Keri is off to seeing her baby doctor. In a bit of irony, Untung will be in attendance at the 150th anniversery celebration service of the Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, while I, a lifelong CRC member, will be in Indonesia. O well, perhaps I will be around for the 200th celebration in 2057.
However, yesterday (Tuesday) I felt like I wasn't going to make it to the 151st anniversary. I woke up in the middle of the night with a painful stomach ache. I proceeded to spend much of the day either in the bathroom or heading for the bathroom. In all likelihood, it was probably something I ate. My host family, Joseph and Theresia Gunawan were very kind to me during my ordeal, offering a variety of medicines that I could take. Unable to read most of the words on the packages, I chose an anti-diarrheal medicine that had two pictures on the front: one of a quaking Large Intestine followed by a picture of a calm Large Intestine. I decided that that pretty much described my symptoms and the result I wanted to obtain from said medicine.
Needless to say, my colon stopped quaking that evening, and I now feel almost back to normal. I don't know if Indonesia has a counterpart term for "Montezuma's Revenge" but I am sure that is what I had.
In other non-health related news, here is an update of what we have done for the past week. On Saturday, we went to Mini-Indonesia, an attraction that features cultural items from across the islands. On Sunday, Rev. Untung along with Keri and I went to a conference for the training of Sunday School teachers. The conference was a three day training course put on by the local classis (a classis is a group of 12-15 churches in a given area). Untung and I both spoke in the Sunday morning session, on personal keys for successful Biblical teaching. I found it interesting that their denomination supports formal training sessions for their Sunday School teachers, and requires them to be certified in order to teach. I don't think that any churches in the U.S. do this, or if they do I am certainly not aware of it.
Now for the rest of week, I will be finishing up several radio scripts which are in various stages of development and prepare to record next week. Also I may try my hand at writing a TV script for their new adult television program.
Well, I better get back to work.
Jonathan
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