What a wonderful week I had! As I mentioned in my last post, I accompanied 2 vans full of priests on a 7-hour drive to a retreat house in Mataloko, a village in the western part of Flores. There the priests had 3 days of provincial leadership meetings. I was invited to go and explore that part of the island while they were meeting; one English-speaking priest, Pater Anton (Tony), was assigned to be my sightseeing guide for the week. Fr. Paul told me I would be taken care of while here, and he was right! The SVDs have been so thoughtful and kind to me since I arrived. Blessed be God!
Along the way, we stopped at SVD parishes for bathroom breaks or lunch. At one, the SVD parish priest and our Pater Alfons posed for a photo with some of the Catholic school children. There are many Catholic elementary and high schools here on Flores!
In kilometers/miles, the trip should take a much shorter time than 7 hours. However, the road is a constant zig-zag. I understand that, 10 years ago, the trip took even longer because the road was not yet built with asphalt like it is today.
Tony and I were provided with a driver. One day we drove about 30 minutes west of the site of the meeting to Bena, a traditional village that has been maintained as a historical reserve to show the old way of life...tiki-like primitive structures arranged in a large circle with a community gathering space in the center. There is something to be said for community life like that! Today, the advent of paved roads has caused many villages to be divided, and other villagers have been incented by the government to live nearer to the roadside, instead of further from the road, and to operate small kiosks where they offer things for sale like fresh fruits and vegetables, boiled corn (cooked over a wooden fire), peanuts, cigarettes and bottled water.
At Bena, the government requires that the people who work in the village also live in the village, to maintain the authenticity. And so they do. Most are farmers who also weave and sell sarongs and belts to tourists. Not that there is a high volume of tourists in this part of the island of Flores!
On the way there, we stopped at a site that offers a stunning panoramic view of the mountains that surround us. I was overtaken by the majesty and power and love of God. I literally couldn't stand...had to sit. And there I sat speechless, dumb-founded by God's marvelous creation. I had a very holy experience of the magnitude of God's love for us, for me. It was powerful.
At Bena, I watched a demonstration of hand-weaving and purchased a handmade sarong to honor the woman who made it. Her name was Angelica, her husband is Philipus, and their toddler son's name is Angelo.
Then we drove 4 hours northwest, on a crazy road that was 65% deteriorated, to a town that is not even on the map called Riung, on the northern coast of the island. There the SVDs own and operate a small hotel (revenue stream for the order). We spent the night, then got up early the next morning for an excursion on a motor boat. We went to the small Bat island where, from the safety of the boat, we saw zillions of large bats flying all over. From there, we went to an uninhabited, undeveloped island with a pristine white sand beach. The water was completely clear, and appeared to be azure blue in places where no vegetation was growing on the sea bottom. We swam for a couple of hours during which God spoke to me about His love for me, and his desire for me to trust Him in new and deeper ways.
The Indonesians on the island of Flores are predominantly Catholic, unlike the rest of Indonesia. They are happy, funny, and seem to take life in stride, for the most part. The SVDs take a siesta every afternoon and 2 social coffee breaks during the day. So I am learning to slow down, be patient, and enjoy.
There are some refugees from a volcano eruption 6 months ago living in the nearby town of Maumere. The issue of human trafficking is alive and real here, and the Church is involved in addressing the above as well as helping people out of domestic violence situations.
That's all for now. It's time to get into my bed, protected by the mosquito netting. 6:15 a.m. Mass comes early!
Here is a link to some photos from my trip. I tried to add them here but was unable to publish the post with them. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wdwq58xttjiflx5/gihY4xK_yx
Love and prayers,
Joan
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