Bali, witnessing love of God and serving others: the commitment of Catholic volunteers
Jakarta (AsiaNews) - A renewed commitment to live a life inspired by the principles of Catholicism spreading God’s love among Indonesia's poorest and most unfortunate, with particular attention to the victims of natural disasters and sectarian violence. These are the principles that animate a conference, scheduled for next week in Bali, of the Catholic activists, 10 years after the birth of the lay movement within the local church. Fr. Terry Ponomban Pr, former director of the department for the Lay Apostolate of the Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) and in charge of the meeting, told AsiaNews that "it is time to reflect and renew our commitment to serving the Church and spreading the love of God through humanitarian and charitable work. "
The priest of the Diocese of Manado, North Sulawesi, said the conference is supported by Kelompok Bakti Kasih Kemanusiaan (KBKK), the country's most active Catholic lay group which has been engaged in aid to the civilian population for years. "The dream has finally become reality," said Fr Ponomban, thinking of 2001 when he first met a group of Catholics who wanted to serve God and the Church through charity. The first mission involved 10 "beginners" and was held in Atambua, among refugees from East Timor - which had just achieved independence - fleeing civil war and refugees in the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara.
From the first aid project, the initiative soon became popular among the Catholics of the country, so much so they went on to form groups. The Jesuit priest Ignatius Madyautama explains that unlike NGOs and other humanitarian organizations, the "KBKK has shown excellent results in 10 years of its presence within the Indonesian Church" through "a total service to others, without ulterior motives or preferences" . Among others, the religious recalls missions in Poso and Ambon, the scene of sectarian violence. But there are at least 100 villages - scattered in 20 dioceses – that have benefited from the services provided by volunteers KBKK.
Catholic Lukas Jusuf, who graduated in medicine in Germany, says 200 people from all over the archipelago will attend the conference next week, which will last four days. It is an opportunity to meet, debate and make proposals and will be held in Bali because it is in the middle of the country, and reachable from the west (Aceh), and the east (Papua).
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