Holding onto Peace: Ramadan Stories from IofC Indonesia

IofC Indonesia Weekly Update #7

In the atmosphere of Ramadan, during the second ten days which signifies the descent of much forgiveness, and the third ten days which distances us from the fires of hell, we still hope that the ongoing war will end soon. No party benefits from war; it only brings destruction, loss, and suffering.

While the war rages on, in Indonesia, we try to remain calm and live our days well. We continue to do what we can.

This time, we welcomed the HR team from Jodamo for an Iftar (breaking the fast) gathering at Rumah Damai, while also holding a coordination meeting to prepare training for the staff and managers of PT Jodamo Exchanges. We listened to their complaints and the problems they are experiencing. From IofC's side, we try to provide solutions and design suitable sessions to help untangle these issues. From this discussion, we agreed to create a training program that will be held in April for the first session, and will be considered for follow-up sessions until the end of the year.

(Iftar with the Jodamo team, alongside discussions on team capacity-building strategies)

The following day, we held an online event via Zoom for the inauguration of the new CoP board, while also celebrating International Women's Day with the theme:

"From Grassroots Voices to Global Power: Women Transforming the World."

(CoP Indonesia celebrated Women’s Day with a gathering, inviting four inspiring women to share their experiences in building peace)

This event was attended by alumni of the CoP program from Yogyakarta and Bandung. The event was also complemented by the presence of Ms. Jean from Australia, Inaya Wahid, Siti Zaetun, and myself to share our experiences in promoting peace. Participants from Australia and Syria were also present, adding warmth to the atmosphere, making it feel even more that CoP is a global movement. The election of the new CoP board brings a breath of fresh air for regeneration and the involvement of more people in the work of IofC Indonesia. We do not merely provide program services, but also strive to involve citizens so they can become part of a more massive and highly impactful IofC Indonesia movement.

Besides the online CoP event and the Iftar gathering in Bandung, an Iftar gathering was also held in Yogyakarta. This event, initiated by Anisa Eka (TBP Coordinator), was held at the Bonaventura Monastery of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM).

(Preparing a meal together for Iftar)

Here is Anisa's reflection on the event:

For many, this was their first experience meeting friends of different religions. This was also the first experience for the friars joining an Iftar gathering and even their first time eating dates.

This encounter is an initiative inspired by the story of Saint Francis of Assisi when he met Sultan Malik Al-Kamil during the Fifth Crusade in Damietta, which was an initiative for dialogue in the midst of a raging war. The same goes for this encounter with the Franciscan friars and priests. This is a non-violent effort to keep the spirit of encounter alive amidst the ongoing wars today. Through this meeting space, we hope to get to know one another, clarify, and confirm the various stereotypes and prejudices that exist. This is very important, especially in the digital era where information spreads so quickly and can be very dangerous if we blindly believe it without confirming first.

Through the Friends for Life card game, we reflected back on ourselves to be able to create a safe space for sharing. By cooking together, we had a moment to share stories and work together, even though we did not know each other very well. This was a very valuable experience for us all. We revived the good things that were done in the past, because history does not only repeat bitter experiences, but also experiences that bring peace to the heart. By living this spirit, what happens is not just an effort at dialogue, but more than that: we trust each other and unite for a better world.

(Sharing reflections together through Friends for Life cards)

We express our gratitude to Brother Wilton, Brother Raka, and Father Jerry OFM who provided the space and accommodated us. Thank you also to Arisyi from TBP Yogyakarta, Ami Fajria from CoP Yogyakarta, and other friends who attended and helped prepare this Iftar gathering.

Finally, the entire series of IofC Indonesia activities during the holy month of Ramadan concluded with an Iftar gathering at Rumah Damai with the theme:

"Ramadan brings us to a renewed awareness, guiding our physical and mental healing as we prepare to embrace the purity of Eid."

So many people brought their own homemade food and they all prepared it with love. The blessings of Ramadan were truly felt. This event was attended by students of the School of Reconciliation, alumni of the TBP and CoP programs, as well as fellow community members.

It turns out that Rumah Damai feels very cramped when so many people come. While waiting for the time to break the fast, we had several sessions:

•⁠  ⁠Life Update

•⁠  ⁠Circle of Life

•⁠  ⁠Are we ready for Eid al-Fitr on 1 Shawwal?

•⁠  ⁠Reciting Al-Quran Surah Al-Ahzab Verse 35

At the end of the event, Etun, who came directly from Jakarta, was present as the Chair of the Board. She provided an explanation regarding the current condition of IofC Indonesia and its needs, while inviting everyone present to remain solid as a community and support one another.  All attendees donated using the unique charity box we provided. Alhamdulillah, a fairly helpful amount of donations was collected.

War is happening all around the world and we do not have the power to stop it directly. However, in this holy month whose power we believe in, we pray that all wars in this world will end soon and replaced with peace. We strongly condemn all forms of violence and destruction. The struggle of IofC for a long time has been a movement to arm society with morals, not with weapons. So, stop the war right now! Let us create peace, starting with ourselves.

This will be my last article for a while, because after this we will focus on completing reports and the SANUBARI activities. Then, we will have a two-week Eid holiday. Huda, Bintang, and I will go back to our hometown in East Java. The other friends will also go to their hometowns to spend time with their families.

The updates will be written again once we all gather back at Rumah Damai.

SALAM DAMAI!

STOP WAR!

Writer : Nenden Prawira 

Editor : Ari Budi S 

Proof reader : Peter heyes