Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies

Training and Facilitation for Pastors of Sinode Gereja Kristen Injili di Irian Jaya May 2000

Sinode Gereja Kristen Injili di Irian Jaya has all the issues of any Christian Sinode, but is also located in a province where aspirations for independence create a whole new set of issues for the church. GKI includes native Melanesian Papuans and members who come from other parts of Indonesia. Churches in the coastal cities are usually well mixed, while interior churches tend to be mono-ethnic. Persons desiring independence would like for the church to take a pro-independence stand, while those preferring autonomy want the church to advocate for their view. Pastors are caught in the middle. PSPP members Kuriake Kharismawan and Duane Ruth-Heffelbower, assisted by interpreter Damai Teguh, provided conflict management training and facilitated discussions among four hundred of the Sinode's 460 pastors at three locations through the month of May 2000. The result was a set of draft plans responding to the question: "How shall the church respond to the issues raised by aspirations for independence or autonomy?" A follow-up committee will work through the three sets of plans to make proposals to the churches. PSPP will provide follow-up intensive training in facilitation skills for leaders from each klasis in July. Funding for the events is provided by Sinode GKI and Mennonite Central Committee.

Photos of the training. Click a picture to see a larger version.

Map of the team's travels. The three sessions were held in Sentani, near Jayapura, Biak and Sorong with a small pre-session training in Jayapura. 24003 bytes	This trip marked Kuriake's and Damai's first airplane ride. They are very experienced fliers now, with eleven hops to their credit. 28111 bytes	First stop, MCC Jakarta office for a short overnight and final translation work on some materials. 21589 bytes	We began in the Sinode's Jayapura office with a small training for key leaders. These people were then able to help keep later groups focused. 18586 bytes
Jayapura group. 21620 bytes	View from the training room. The distant mountain is in Papua New Guinea. 36011 bytes	The Sinode kept us in hotels. The Tirta Mandala in Jayapura overlooked the bay and this fishing boat. 29267 bytes	Jayapura is built on a mountainous site. 43190 bytes
The Sinode training center in Sentani was the site of the first gathering. 37047 bytes	Kuriake and Damai elicit responses to a small group process and Ketua Sinode Herman Saud describes his small group's process. 30513 bytes	The group at Sentani was about 1/3 women, as is true of GKI pastors generally. 31308 bytes	Huge Lake Sentani was the setting for our Sentani hotel, the Yougwa. Damai and Kuriake had never seen such a large place empty of people. 24874 bytes
Many of the things we did called for a small group process with reports afterwards. 25047 bytes	After church the first Sunday at GKI Filadelfia in Sentani. Waiting was a theme for us. The pastors had four day meetings, with us on for two. 29152 bytes	Meals were provided on-site. This is the dish washing process. Food was cooked over wood fires 50360 bytes	Duane worked in a mixture of Bahasa Indonesia and translated English. 22834 bytes
Papuans call it pinang, Americans call it betelnut, but it makes your mouth bright red when you chew it. It was used constantly at the Sentani meeting. 53913 bytes	The second day was devoted to process where the end result was several different plans for the church's response to the issues raised by aspirations for independence or autonomy. The focus was on meeting the needs that gave rise to the aspirations. 38510 bytes	After 10 days in the Jayapura area we moved on 20 minutes notice to the island of Biak at the mouth of Cendrawasih Bay, about 200 km from Jayapura. The site was another large training center. Transportation issues gave us many opportunities to flex. 25701 bytes	The banner in back is a quotation from Amos 5:6a 'Seek the Lord and you shall live.' 31833 bytes
One role play had the group divided into thirds, and we gave secret role assignments to each group. 23898 bytes	Eating happened in tents behind the meeting place. 48138 bytes	Damai functioned more as a co-trainer than just an interpreter. She helped Duane translate materials and had done two workshops with him before this trip. 39772 bytes	Dogs took care of the garbage. 31877 bytes
Small group work. 29012 bytes	Groups 22153 bytes	Final plans could be quite involved. All the plans were typed up and distributed. 21112 bytes	We spent one afternoon touring the east side of the island. 39073 bytes
The Sekretaris Klasis drove us and brought his son Imanuel along. 53632 bytes	From Biak we flew, via Timika, to Sorong on the forehead of the Bird's Head. Sorong's airport is on a small island thirty minutes from town by boat. It was more like landing on an aircraft carrier than at an airport. Refueling is by pumping from these drums. 16379 bytes	Walking out of the airport you find this jetty. 42115 bytes	Hire a boat to go to the mainland. The choice is a long boat that sits lower and goes slower, or a speedboat that bounces hard the whole way across. Long boats take 30 minutes or so, speedboats 15-20. 14650 bytes
In Sorong we had a government training center. 37952 bytes	The basic pattern of the event involved small group work with groups reporting back to the larger group. 39118 bytes	The groups were mixed to give many people a chance to work together. 35432 bytes	It was hard work for the participants, but fun too. 24690 bytes
Participants from Fak Fak. We were originally scheduled to be hosted by them, but the event was moved to Sorong for security reasons. 29846 bytes	Helping people get into a role for role-playing a western-style mediation. 28964 bytes	Beginning to discuss the interests underlying the aspirations. 36211 bytes	Preparing to report to the larger group. 34912 bytes
The motto of the training is 'stay confused.' 25553 bytes	Making posters took time. 28822 bytes	Plans were reported to half of the large group, which chose/created two new ones from the several presented. 27044 bytes	The four plans created by the halves were then presented to everyone. 39201 bytes
Presenting. 25046 bytes	We were driven around by Anton in his taxi. 42639 bytes	Sunday in Sorong we went to GKI Imanuel Church. 31618 bytes	Pdt. Mayor, one of our participants, had the sermon. Here he is getting ready for the offering. 24213 bytes
Indonesian tourists also take pictures at the market. 45464 bytes	Market. Pasar di Sorong. 48916 bytes	Harbor across the sreet from the church. 35896 bytes	The beach is a long drive from town. These folks are taking a water taxi. 14661 bytes
We headed to the beach in the same taxi as usual. The people you don't know yet are Jos Imbiri, Secretary of the Sinode, and two of our participants. 30606 bytes	We stopped to buy salak (snakeskin fruit). 53110 bytes	Pantai Kasoweri. 39481 bytes	Kelapa muda was the drink of choice. 46278 bytes
Pdt. Imbiri demonstrated his skills as an orang pulau (island man). 34667 bytes	Lunch came in boxes, rice and chicken. 31122 bytes	The whole conference was at the beach. 44478 bytes	Eating. 45454 bytes
As with all beach parties, the dry people get thrown in by the wet ones. Here we have the first Javanese thrown back into the ocean by native Papuans. 25373 bytes