My Adventure in Indonesian Province

I thank you Lord for this unique and special experience you had given me in Indonesia. It’s an unforgettable journey of my missionary life. Initially, I had some fears to travel in Indonesia because I was alone. But when I arrived in our FMM convent on the 1^st of June and met the sisters, I felt comfortable and enjoyed the Franciscan spirit of simplicity, generosity, humility and the joy of living in a family. The words of Mother Mary of the Passion: “the whole world is our home”  has been truly alive and real.

Last June 10, I went to “Desa Putera to learn candle making under the Bruderan Budi Mulia. It was a wonderful time spent with the teachers who patiently and wholeheartedly taught me everything. More than that, we were like a family eating and working together in the candle factory of Pondok Glorieux where I had been for 2 ½  months. This has been a blessing from the Lord! I was very grateful to Bro. Leo, Bro. Bony and the rest of the brothers for their unwavering support and did not demand any payment for my apprenticeship of candle making. Formerly, I was in Jakarta and traveling to Desa Putera for 1 month that gave me  an experience of taking bus and trains crowded with people and not hearing any English words.

This was the same way while learning how to make candles where the teachers  and I had to use the English-Indonesian Dictionary to understand one another. On the 13^th of July, I moved to the Novitiate Community to facilitate my travels faster and shorter. I want to express my sincerest gratitude to Sisters Etty, Martina, Hildergard and the 7 novices for their warm welcome and accompaniment. On the  23^rd of August, I finished my studies of candle making and went back to Jakarta. Samadi Shalom in Singdanglaya, St. Adolphine  Community in Serang and St. Helene Community in Jogja where I learned how to make big and small “host” from September 11 to 21.

It was Sisters Franka and Adel of Sisters of Charity of St. Carolus Borromeus who accommodated and taught me the process of “host making”.  Once again, I was blessed not to spend a single cent for this apprenticeship. I was deeply touched with the selflessness of Sr. Rina who took care and was with me to go to the convent of the Charity of St Carolus Borromeus as well as the  warm accommodation of our Pre-Novices.

I would like to thank all the sisters in the different communities that I visited and stayed for all their sisterly care and affection. In a particular way, my personal thanks to Sr. Natalia, the provincial secretary for all her efforts and services to be of help to me and support all I ought to do.

Thanks as well to the community of Our Lady of Victory in Jakarta for all their sisterly care and concern.

In a very special way, my deepest gratitude to Sr. Ona who has given me her time to arrange the places where I need to spend my studies of candle and host making including the FMM communities where I could  stay.

My profound gratitude to my very own Provincial Superior Sr. Lucia for her patient, understanding and kind consideration to allow me experience in a very remarkable way my missionary life in Indonesia to learn something that could be of help to the Myamar Province especially to answer the needs and demands of the General Chapter Orientation on transformation.

Sr Rita , Sr Ines Braun Menendez, and FMM Sisters in Jakarta Community.

The kindness and goodness I received from all the sisters and people I encountered will always be in my heart. I can never give them something in return but would only remember them in my prayers.

Contibutor:  Sr. Rita Nian Ngaih Hau, FMM