Hari Kartini di thn 2008. Matahari bersinar dengan terik tanpa ampun di garis ekuator. Aku menginjakkan kaki untuk kedua kalinya di Supadio, bandara yang sempit dan hiruk pikuk itu. Masih teringat keberangkatanku tadi subuh. Saying goodbye to Dad, Mom, & bro – giving each of them a hug. Because for the first time in my life, I travelled alone to another island.
God helped me to arrive safely. Rasa panas langsung menyengat kulit sewaktu turun dari pesawat. Setelah mengambil luggage, I got out from the waiting room. Many people swarmed near the exit door. Penjemput penumpang, calo, tukang taksi, porter, petugas keamanan, semua bercampur jadi satu. Syukurlah a familiar face welcomed me. HG, and then AP. My restless heart soothed a little bit.
Aku menarik nafas panjang & menguatkan hati. “This is it Chris. Welcome to Borneo,” ujarku dalam hati sambil mengikuti mereka berdua ke Kijang 1070.
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Baik terasa, maupun kurang dirasa, (I don’t like the phrase “Tidak terasa…”) 23 bulan berlalu sejak hari Kartini tersebut. I’ve come to the end of my term in Serukam. Not PTT term (I already finished it last Nov), but my service term (the result of December’s “thinking&praying session”).
In the 2nd of March, they held a farewell party for us. What I mean by us is not just me, but also AI and SA (& CY). SA is the 2nd doctor who leaves Serukam this year after TM’s sudden leave – to get married w/ her boyfriend in Sby. Meanwhile AI has the same reason as mine – to continue medical study. He wants to be a surgeon & decides to take it in Undip, Semarang. And 8 days after the “internal” farewell party, AI & I were asked to speak in the chapel – to say our formal farewell.
Akhirnya fenomena yang selama ini hanya g amati, terjadi langsung pada diri g. From observer, become the doer. Tiba2 g menemukan diri g anxious, tachycardia, cold-clammy extremities (that are shock signs!) (naah, just kidding) – yang pasti sih g kudu membuat sepatah dua patah kalimat perpisahan. Di internal farewell, g cm bw secarik kertas kecil berisi outline. G pikir, cukuplah tulis inti2nya, ntar tinggal ngomong penjelasannya. Namun di formal farewell, belajar dari pengalaman sebelumnya, g membuat teks lengkap & padat ;D hehe…
I have to admit, I’m not good at farewell. And it was far much harder (emphasize on the words : far & much) than my wildest imagination. Being an observer is very different with becoming the doer. “People (do) come & go in Serukam”. But you wish you don’t have to go through the farewell (as the subject) hahaha….
Jadi apa yang g dapet selama ini di Serukam? Jawabannya : buanyaaaak banget ampe ga keitung lagi. Tapi ketika harus memilih the top three diantaranya, g memilih :
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| PG, one of my fave doc ever! |
(1) G jd lebih mengerti dan semakin mengakui bahwa Allah kita adalah Allah yg Mahabesar, Mahakuasa, dan berdaulat penuh.
(2) I learn that I belong to God’s (big, even huuuge) family.
(3) I meet God who cares – care more about my growth, not my comfort.
And recently (I avoid using the word “finally” hehe), I lived in Serukam, one of the “weirdest” place of all. Don’t be upset w/ the word “weird” – I mean no harm ;D
(2) I learn that I belong to God’s (big, even huuuge) family.
(3) I meet God who cares – care more about my growth, not my comfort.
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Ketika point kedua come up in my mind, g bertanya-tanya :
“What does family mean?”
Waktu SD, mereka pernah mengajarkan bahwa keluarga (nuclear family) adalah unit fungsional terkecil dari masyarakat. Kecil memang, tapi memegang peranan penting. Keluarga yang g tahu sejak kecil adalah sebuah komunitas yang tinggal di bawah atap yang sama; terdiri dari ayah, ibu, saudara lelaki, diselingi nenek dan bibi. Once in a while, kami mengunjungi nenek (dr pihak ibu) dan bertemu dengan paman, bibi, beserta sepupu2 bahkan keponakan2 lain.
Ketika beranjak SMA, g menemukan bentuk lain dari keluarga – komisi remaja di gereja. It wasn’t obvious for me back then. I just figure it out during my time away from them. Suatu komunitas dgn rentang rentang umur yg tdk terlalu jauh, karakteristik per pribadi yg beranekaragam, tp sama2 memiliki iman & kerinduan yg serupa. Rata2 memang Kristen keturunan (berarti iman dgn tanda kutip ^ ^’). Maksudny kerinduan yg sama : ingin melayani (tp msh bljr arti sesungguhnya dr mlayani), ingin berteman, mengembangkan talenta atau sedang mencari potensi terpendam, mencari jati diri (Who am I?). Bersama-sama berjuang dan menikmati ‘kebingungan’ kolektif.
Di universitas berkenalan dengan kluarga kelompok kecil. From stranger to sister. Dipersatukan oleh pencarian jati diri sbg org beriman (What kind of Christian am I? And am I really going to be a doctor?), pergumulan panggilan hidup, dan melewati onak duri-madu pertumbuhan.
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| My 6-yrs-small-group sisterhood (since medschool 'til clerkship) |
Orang baru dateng bisa langsung dianggep family. Tapi (scr mengejutkan) ada orang yg sudah belasan tahun berada di Serukam, mengaku masih merasa asing. Weird.
We have to be careful when we live in Serukam. At first or as guest, we tend to see Serukam as “heaven”. Utopia haha… Here some examples (but it’s very subjective, only comes from 1 side – mine). The 1st 5 weeks as 3rd MMC-ers (guest) : “The heavenly haven” & “Heaven in the jungle”
The 1st month of orientation : I doubted to say/write that title.
In 6 months : I struggled to say/write that title & I refused to say/write it. I prefer my seniors’ remark “Remember, it’s not a place of angels. We’re mere human here.” Also itchingly want to add, “Angels & demons live here side-to-side” :’)
And in 1 year : I had my heart split into two à I dislike part of it, but I also really love it ^ ^
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What’s amazing for me is God works in Serukam. Visi RSUB menjabarkan bahwa Allah memanggil dan mempersatukan…sekumpulan anak2nya dr berbagai tmp-suku-bgs-bhs-bud-ltr blkg pendidikan u/ melakukan amanat agung Thn Yesus…melalui suatu pelayanan yg seutuhnya. Maka ketika para believers itu datang, lokal maupun mancanegara, when I see them, talk to them, laugh with them, I realize these people are no strangers to me. We’re connected by one great ‘cable’ of relationship. Children of the Living God. Believers in Christ. We may have different color, language, race, country; but we believe in the same God & only worship Jesus Christ. That’s what makes us connected.
Ketika dibilang “TIM” Medis, kami memang bekerja sama sebagai 1 tim. Belajar untuk tidak egois, toleran dengan rekan lain, menyelesaikan bagian masing2 dgn bertanggung jawab, membantu apa yang bisa dibantu – apakah rekan sejawat / para perawat.
“We’re on this together”
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| RSUB Medical Team - June 2008 |
Setiap kali ingin pesiar (krn udah jenuuuuh bgt), mikirin dl temen2 lain, jgn sampai harus titip px byk & berat2. Klo akan tjd demikian, ya ditunda dulu jalan2nya supaya tidak menambah beban. Klo lagi sakit (demam, batuk berat, pilek berat, dll, bahkan patah kaki sekalipun), selama masih bisa jalan, masih bisa didorong/pk kruk (dlm kasus patah kaki)(pokoke msh berfungsi-lah), pasti tetep masuk klinik (sampe “diusir” u/ istirahat daripada menyebarkan penyakit hehehe).
Dan banyak lagi yg tak tertuliskan.
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But again, it’s far far far from perfect, just like in other places. Bukankah sebenarnya dimana-mana, di seluruh dunia, seringkali “angels & demons live next to each other”? Demikian juga in it this “heaven in the jungle”. Once in a while, we had “plaque attack” yang biasanya recurrent (haha). Laziness, envy, bitter heart, egoism, gossip, etc yg mengancam kesatuan tim & kelangsungan pelayanan.
Di saat wabah menyerang, g menemukan saran2 yang bermanfaat dari Rick Warren dalam bukunya yg tenar “The Purpose Driven Life”. Ia mulai dengan menjelaskan bahwa kita diciptakan untuk menjadi anggota keluarga Allah (Ef 2:19b). Kemudian dia menerangkan alasan2 mengapa kita memerlukan keluarga gereja (dalam hal ini bs diganti dgn komunitas orang percaya)
Why you need a church family (bs diganti jd “Christian community”)?
1) Identifies you as a genuine believer à talking about commitment
2) Moves you out of self-centered isolation à laboratory for practicing unselfish, sympathetic love
3) Helps you develop spiritual muscle à won’t grow just by attending worship service & become passive spectator à you must participate because real maturity shows up in relationships
4) The Body of Christ needs you à unique role for you in the ministry à discover, develop, and use your gifts
5) Will share Christ’s mission in the world àwe’re God’s instruments on earth
6) Help keep you from backsliding à keeping each other on track (accountability)
2) Moves you out of self-centered isolation à laboratory for practicing unselfish, sympathetic love
3) Helps you develop spiritual muscle à won’t grow just by attending worship service & become passive spectator à you must participate because real maturity shows up in relationships
4) The Body of Christ needs you à unique role for you in the ministry à discover, develop, and use your gifts
5) Will share Christ’s mission in the world àwe’re God’s instruments on earth
6) Help keep you from backsliding à keeping each other on track (accountability)
Mungkin kedengeran ideal banget. Mana ada sih yg sesempurna itu? Memang tidak mungkin dicapai dalam 1 hari atau dalam waktu instant. Semuanya perlu proses dan perjuangan. Dibutuhkan komitmen untuk mengembangkan sebuah komunitas orang percaya yang “sehat”. Ada beberapa kualitas yang perlu dikembangkan klo kita mau komunitas kita jadi habitat yang kondusif & suportif untuk bertumbuh & berkembang.
How to cultivate & protect your community :
1) Needs honesty à care enough to speak the truth; practice God’s method for conflict resolution à when conflict is handle correctly, we grow closer to each other
2) Needs humility à pride builds walls, humility builds bridges
3) Focus on what we have in common, not our differences à being considerate; what matters most : learning to love each other like Christ has loved us & fulfilling God’s purposes
4) Be realistic in your expectations à we all imperfect & need grace
5) Choose to encourage rather than criticize à because other Christians – no matter how much you disagree with them – are not the real enemy
6) Refuse to listen to gossip à who gossip to you will gossip about you
7) Support your leaders
2) Needs humility à pride builds walls, humility builds bridges
3) Focus on what we have in common, not our differences à being considerate; what matters most : learning to love each other like Christ has loved us & fulfilling God’s purposes
4) Be realistic in your expectations à we all imperfect & need grace
5) Choose to encourage rather than criticize à because other Christians – no matter how much you disagree with them – are not the real enemy
6) Refuse to listen to gossip à who gossip to you will gossip about you
7) Support your leaders
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| Farewell at the motel (with guests & 5th MMC) |
Dari berbagai definisi keluarga, the best description of family comes from God Himself, in the Bible. I Kor 12 : 12-31. Bila sudah sering membacanya dlm versi LAI, I encourage you to read it again in other version. This definition is very doctor-ish ;D (sorry, no offense for other field of study)
“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form ONE BODY. So it is with Christ.” (v.12 - NIV)
“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (v.26)
Every time we want to “cut” that “gangrenous foot” (mis. seorang/dua orang members yg sangat menjengkelkan/jd batu sandungan), we remember the Body of Christ concept. Why not treat it first, instead of cutting it rightaway in 1st attempt? (karena “ngebuang” dianggap lebih gampang ketimbang memperjuangkan).
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One day before my mom’s b’day, my plane landed safely in Soekarno-Hatta airport. Langit sarat awan tebal kelabu yang menutupi matahari. Cuaca sama gerahnya. Di luar waiting room, my bro is waiting for me. Again, it’s good to see a familiar face. He will accompany me to go home to Bandung.
Ketika senja turun, kami sudah ada dalam mobil yg dikemudikan my dad, meluncur menuju rumah. Back to my beloved city, beloved family. I should feel excited.
But why my heart grieve this much? A strange feeling I never encounter before.
Maybe…because Serukam has finally become a place to belong.
My imperfect “heaven in the jungle”.
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“You are members of God’s very own family, citizens of God’s country, and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.”
Eph 2:19b (LB)
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