Hardship pushes Indonesian revolt
5/28/1998 News media contact: Linda Bloom · (646) 369-3759 · New York NOTE: This story is accompanied by UMNS #326 and 327. by United Methodist News Service Wallia Keliat was far from Indonesia, attending the United Methodist Women's Assembly in Florida, when the political and economic protests spilled into the streets of Jakarta in mid-May.
But she wasn't surprised that a revolt against economic hardship and escalating prices had finally occurred. "People are suffering a lot," she said simply.
Where Keliat lives - in North Sumatra, a province near Malaysia - the problems are just as severe as in Jakarta. Farmers pay high prices for fertilizers and pesticides, but get low returns on their crops. Because the crops are vegetables, rice must be purchased, at a price that has tripled since January.
Women and children have been affected the most, according to Keliat. "The women are responsible for food for the families," she explained.
Lately, as part of her church-related work with women, Keliat has demonstrated how to reduce household expenses by such methods as prioritizing needs, using firewood instead of fuel and reducing the amount of oil used in cooking.
And she encourages their faith. "Spiritually, we have to become strong…(have) strong faith to face this situation," she said.
Anchored in the world's largest Muslim nation, the Methodist Church in Indonesia has grown considerably in the past 15 years. In 1997, it had 49,913 full members and 40,191 preparatory members, as compared to 28,518 and 28,586, respectively, in 1982.
Congregations have increased from 267 to 470. The church runs 40 kindergartens, 48 elementary schools, 40 junior high schools, 22 senior high schools and 2 theological seminaries.
Known as the Gereja Methodist Indonesia, the church is divided into two regions. Bishop H. Doloksaribu is based at the church's headquarters in Medan, North Sumatra. In the May-June issue of New World Outlook magazine, he described how the church struggles over poverty and the lack of pastors and skilled workers.
"Poverty hampers spiritual growth as well as the intellectual growth of the congregation," he wrote. "Most of our congregations are in villages. Some members do not have enough food to eat and suffer from malnutrition. They need the three s's: soup, soap and soul."
Because one pastor must oversee three to five congregations, normal membership growth is difficult, the bishop added.
"The congregations in the villages need more than the Word of God," Doloksaribu said. "They also need to be taught healthy living and skills to improve their income. And they need financial aid to start small businesses and home enterprises."
The bishop's goals include doubling membership by 2000 by reaching some of the 122 ethnic groups in Indonesia "that have not yet heard the Good News;" intensifying training for clergy and lay members; and continuing social action ministries, such as their Habitat for Humanity housing project.
Since Christians comprise only 15 percent of Indonesia's population of 202 million, the Methodist Church also is attempting to improve Christian-Muslim relations. A series of regional conferences conducted in cooperation with the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries have provided education about Islam and strategies on developing mutual understanding.
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