Once again it has been a long time since we posted something on our blog. Much has happened since the last post. For me (Ross), some of the highlights have been conversations with MCC partner agency staff, and connections they have facilitated. One day in Solo, I visited two different Islamic Pesantrens (schools). At the one, which I visited with two professors from Germany, we fielded questions from about 40 or 50 of the students. They were interested in how Muslims live and are treated in Germany and the US. I hope I made it clear that I was not an expert in this area, and that the experience of Muslims in the US varies widely. Most gratifying was the opportunity to talk with 2 young women after the group disbanded.
They asked questions and I could give them information that was different from some of what they had heard. I also confirmed that some in the US are full of hate toward Muslims, including some Christians. I offered my apologies for that.

On this same trip, we visited a radio/tv station that is run by a hard-line Islamic group, Hizbullah. This is a group that has in the past been quite militant. Now they work with an MCC partner agency, having been convinced that this was a good thing to do as they saw these Christians providing material aid to people after the earthquake in Jogjakarta in 2006. Hizbullah noted that aid was given with no consideration for whether the recipient was Christian or Muslim. They ended providing escorts to ensure that the aid could get through to where it was needed. Since then they have continued to work with the partner agency, including participating in peace training. The leader said that now they realize that dialogue is the best way to resolve conflict, and view violence as the last resort. It was my impression that this is a group that is moving on the spectrum away from violence toward peace-building.

Pictured here are some of the guns that were mounted on a hallway wall just around the corner from where we were waiting in the station. Perhaps my favorite souvenir thus far is a calendar I received from this group. The group leader said that many people, when they hear of Hizzbullah, react with fear. He said that this puzzles him. The calendar, which pictures 3 men holding assault rifles with their faces covered, might be a clue as to the reaction.

Just to confess, not all of our time has been hard work and being “suffering servants”. We also spent a week in Bali recently. This was a wonderful time of relaxing, reading, checking out the culture of Bali, and for me, doing an introductory scuba dive. Bali has become a favorite place, even if we may never get there again.

My time in Indonesia is almost finished. I leave in just 3 days. If I could, I would stay longer, but I also am ready to re-connect with people in Virginia. Cathy will be here for another 3 weeks.