JourneyOnline
Terrorist bombs tore the heart out of Bali in 2002 but, on the insistence of two Balinese Christians who had attended Pacific PeaceBuilding Initiatives training (PPBI), the Protestant Church in Bali (GKPB) decided to change its own sense of identity.
Bali could not "forgive and forget".
It was psychologically impossible, sociologically dangerous, and it is not the way of Christ.
Rather it could remember its deep experience of pain and so choose to forgive. "We forgive because we can’t forget!"
More delegates were trained in peace building by PPBI and when the second assault of terrorism exploded on Jimbaran Beach and in Raja Restaurant in 2005, the Bali Church had the resources and commitment to respond.
PPBI’s CEO Rev Ian Stehbens said instead of being a persecuted church bearing a deep new wound, it embarked on becoming a healed church that would bless the nation and give public leadership.
In a program partly sponsored by the 2006 Queensland Synod Lent Appeal Offering, a PPBI team worked with Balinese religious leaders from various faiths.
Some Bali authorities doubted the conference would last more than two days but the Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Catholics and Protestants worked together for the planned two weeks, without discord.
Mr Stehbens described it as a "miracle".
"Not only did they remain together, but when it came to making plans for the future, each regional group made constructive plans to work together to build peace."
Mr Stehbens said the Bali course was held in conjunction with a national consultation.
A former Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia attended as did former President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Top level contacts between some of these leaders and PPBI indicated that Indonesian leaders want to develop a relationship with PPBI to continue work on a wider scale beyond Bali.
Grateful for the Lenten Appeal support for the work of peace building over recent years, Mr Stehbens said the downstream effects of the Bali course were continuing to provide national leadership for peace building in Indonesia.
"The challenge will be to provide the resources, including human and financial, to meet this request from the top level in Indonesia."
Photo : Pacific PeaceBuilding Initiatives Director Rev Ian Stehbens (left) met with former President of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri. Photo courtesy of PPBI Ltd
