[2007 Mission 21 Synod in Bern, Switzerland] [Asian Women Fellowship M21's Report.]

REPORT FROM ASIA FELLOWSHIP OF MISSION 21 FOR MISSION SYNOD 2007

I.                   FROM TAIPEI (TAIWAN) TO MANADO (INDONESIA)

In Taipei – Taiwan, 12^th-16^th January 2003 we decided to be fellowship which implies koinonia as one of the unavoidable church mission. Here we constructed our legal entity under term “Memorandum of Association” and “Article of Association”. We also were aware that youth is not only the future but also the present of the church. Therefore they must be included as the subject of fellowship. We stated that our fellowship should be experienced not only in an assembly, but also by exchanging visit among church members such as theological students, youth, women and professionals. We also expressed that spiritual fellowship is important under the activities of circle of prayer. Unfortunately, due to operational reason, this program was not implemented. Exchange program among church leaders are intensively implemented between GMIM and PCK, but also among partners in Indonesia such as Pasundan Christian Church, Minahasa Church, Papua Church, Sangihe & Talaud Church, Kalimantan Evangelical Church.

On the journey from Taipei to Manado, we witnessed tragedy of humanity which triggered by conflict that in fact conducted by certain religious-fundamentalist group in several places in Indonesia. In other countries, such as Malaysia, we can feel religious hidden-conflict happened. We understand that inter-religious dialogue is the best way to deal with the problem which we had been doing variously within the local churches, individual level, and among young people. Kalimantan Evangelist Church, Minahasa Church and other churches in Indonesia reported about trainings for Christian, Muslims and other believers on how to deal with conflict and build relationship. In the level of Asia Fellowship, on 9th to11th November 2005, in Bandung, Indonesia was held a program called “Interfaith Youth Encounter” beneath the theme: “One Spirit in Differences”. It was a collaborative program of Pasundan Christian Church (GKP), Ansor Youth Movement in West Java, and Asia Fellowship of Mission 21. Ansor Youth Movement is a youth organization of Nahdlatul Ulama, the biggest Muslim organization in Indonesia. More than 200 young people from various religious groups in West Java, including representatives of youth from Taiwan, Korea and other parts of Indonesia participated in the historical meeting. The meeting has inspired Youth Assembly in Manado to see the need to establish closer connection communication with other religions. Therefore the youth suggests to form  discussion and action groups with other religions concerning issue such as environment, globalization and HIV/AIDS. This is a model of life dialogue. When we talk about dialogue of life, then we also talk about the substance and the process of help. Helping the other should be seen as subject-subject relationship. In short word we can say: helping in dialogue and dialogue in helping. Dialogue then becomes our main strategy for the future mission in the era of civil society.

Our journey also was pounded by natural calamities in almost all parts of Asia such as tsunami, earth quake, flood, land-slides, hurricane, etc., as consequences of global warming. Those calamities were causing heavy losses. Our partners have expressed their solidarity to the victims directly and indirectly as well. Some partners sent money and persons to Aceh, Yogya and other places; others expressed their solidarity by sending money directly or through Mission 21.

In this journey, we experienced more people participated in our procession as a fellowship. The Continental Assembly for Asia Fellowship of mission 21 Partners, which had been held in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia was fully supported by the host church, the Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa, and the government of North Sulawesi Province, City Major of Bitung and Manado, and the Minahasa Regent. Prior to the assembly, women and youth conference had been conducted. Women conference had taken in Kalasey, Minahasa, which involved women groups in synod and local level as well. The Indonesia’s Minister of Women Empowerment, Mrs. DR. Meutia Hatta, delivered her paper in the opening ceremony of the conference. In Aertembaga, Bitung City, Youth Conference was also supported by local congregations, especially young people and the local government.

Sunday worship of our last general assembly gave special memory for all participants since it was held on the Bunaken beach, one of the famous marine parks in the world. On lunch time, participants were hosted by GMIM Tanjung Parigi parish, a very simple church and people, but rich in hospitality. They brought their own food and shared with all participants. Tanjung Parigi parish’s condition is a contrast with Gereja Kristus parish in Manado, the venue of assembly, with its very big and modern church building. It can be said that the 2^nd Continental Assembly of Asia Fellowship of mission 21, was also the assembly of the people and the government.

Similar atmosphere we experienced in Bandung, when our 2007 Exco meeting was taken place in which church members and institutions were active at least in the opening and closing ceremonies.

In term of fund, contribution made by local parishes was not huge enough, but they have food and hospitality. If we try to calculate into money, all local contribution for youth and women conferences, continental assembly, whether contribution from government or local parishes and local committees, including contribution from Pasundan Church for Interfaith Dialogue and Exco Meeting was around US$ 55,556.00.

After 3 years in journey together, we found that we needed to adjust our vehicle of journey which is called Articles of Association of Asia Fellowship of Mission 21 partners. Changes were made especially concerning the admission of associate members of fellowship, representatives of the church members in the Continental Assembly, and the term of office of representatives and directors. Article 38 is changed a little bid. “…proposed by one member…” becomes “…proposed by three members from three different countries”. Additional is made for article 44 that “Notwithstanding the member of representatives determined by the church members, all Directors and coordinators are automatically Representatives in the Continental Assembly.” Article 45 is changed to be “Unless otherwise determined by the Continental Assembly for Asia, Representatives shall be appointed by each member. However, for purpose of continuity, Representatives shall have a term of office of no less than six (6) years”. Small change is done for Article 56 concerning the term of office of each Director shall be six (6) years.

In our journey, we share spiritual sources through Asia Fellowship Sunday which just started to be celebrating since first advent week 2006. Last year we used liturgy from Minahasa church. For this year, liturgy will be prepared by PROK. Among women also shared subjects for intercession prayer. In special moments such as natural calamities, we appealed all partners to pray.

There are two partners joint our journey as decided by Manado Continental Assembly. The new associate members are Christian Evangelical Church in Talaud (GERMITA) and Common Synod of Churches in North and Central Sulawesi (SAG Sulutteng). Both new associate members had being “partners” of Mission 21 for long time. Talaud Church was part of Sangihe and Talaud Church (GMIST) which later became an autonomous church. SAG Sulutteng is main “partners” which connected Mission 21 to churches in North and Central Sulawesi. One of important role played by SAG is Crisis Center which deals with issues of conflict in North Maluku and Central Sulawesi. This Crisis Center supported by Mission 21. In this occasion, we extent our last Continental Assembly decision to endorse Talaud Church and SAG Sulutteng to Mission Synod to be full partners of Mission 21.

II.                BURNING ISSUES

1. Migrant Workers

More than half of Indonesia's 235 million people are poor. Most struggle to survive on less than US$2 a day, and are at risk of even more severe poverty. About 18 per cent live on US$1 or less. Approximately 60 per cent of the populations live in rural areas where agriculture is the main source of livelihood. This situation caused by lack of job opportunities in turn create human trafficking, urbanization, and  migrant workers legally or illegally in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia; because of poverty. Economically there are positive impacts, but culturally this migration creates separated families in Indonesia. Due to lack of preparation from sending countries, then many families of migrant workers tend to be trapped into consumerism. In Malaysia due to economic gap between east and west Malaysia, then many people from east migrate to west (Peninsula) to find job which create similar problems.

Problems also happened in receiving countries. In Taiwan, for example, migrant workers affect directly and strongly to indigenous people who are searching for jobs in the cities. Cultural clash also brought about between employers and employees, between migrant workers and host people and among international families. In Malaysia children of migrant workers are not allowed to enter government school.

2. Environment

As mentioned above that environmental issues become serious problem in Asia.

Experts agree that various natural disasters triggered by global warming which creates climate change. One of the most devastating impacts of climate change is on water supply. In some parts, floods, storms and poor rainfall are beginning to have catastrophic effects, threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions of people. Global warming will trigger millions of climate change refugees. The environmental exodus has already begun in many places in Indonesia to deflect catastrophes which had been affecting their economic lives. Global warming is caused by over produced of C02 emissions as consequence of industrialization, illegal logging, etc.

Asia Fellowship, as stated by our last Continental Assembly, that environment issues will be one of the point of entries toward interfaith dialogue.

3. Inter-religious Relationship

Indonesia and Malaysia are countries which face problem of interfaith relationship. In Malaysia hidden-tension sometimes come up in form of demonstration by hard-liner ………….

In the same line with program decided by youth conference, the assembly adopted interfaith dialogue (ideas and actions) as the main concern which will be dealt with the issues on globalization, environment and HIV/AIDS.

4. HIV/AIDS

III.             WHAT NEXT?

1. We gladly respond policy of Board of Mission 21 that gives chance for continental fellowship to design and execute programs that relevant to the issues faced by respective continental. For according to our experiences, we need to improve our activities as learning community more than continental assembly.
2. We plan to organize a workshop concerning issues on migrant workers and their families, including issues on cultural clash. For this reason a research on cultural clash between migrant workers with host people had been doing as part of pastoral visit.
3. Interfaith dialogue will be our main strategy with issues on global warming, HIV/AIDS and migrant workers as entry points for dialogue in action or life dialogue. Dialogue should reach all strata and categories of community, such as youth and women.
4. Asia Fellowship will participate in workshop on HIV/AIDS and Narcotics Addiction in collaboration with the provincial government of North Sulawesi, Indonesia.