From the first time 21-month old Gamel saw Jon, he called
him Opa. So, of course, I told Gamel to call me Oma. These names, along with Bapa,
Mama, Oom and Tanta are evidences of Indonesia’s Dutch cultural influence. To
varying degrees and for varying amounts of time over a period of 350 years,
many islands of present-day Indonesia were under Dutch control. It was the
Dutch that brought the separate warring island kingdoms together to form a
unified Indonesia under a central government.
In West Timor, we ate eggs and pancakes for breakfast, and
enjoyed Dutch pastries at teatime. The more
affluent homes and government buildings were roofed with Dutch tiles. The
Police and Court systems also follow the Dutch model.
But, for us the most enduring and important legacy is the
thriving existence of the Evangelical Church of West Timor (GMIT in Indonesian) whose origin comes from the Dutch
Reformed movement. It is this organization of churches that founded the
Unit of Culture and Language (UBB) which trains and fuels Bible translation
throughout Timor. Our work in Timor was done at the UBB office in Kupang.
The Guesthouse
The
Guesthouse in Kupang was built by volunteers from America. It’s designed like a
southern plantation with a broad entry front and back doors opposite, creating
a breezeway. Timor is near the Equator
and every day is hot. The main areas—entry, dining area and kitchen
have ceiling fans, but no AC. There are, perhaps, nine guestrooms—most of which
have AC. Upstairs is an apartment for the guesthouse manager and his family.
All
around the guesthouse are flowering trees and lawn. There is a two-bay open
garage, a groundskeeper’s home, and a separate apartment for the Center
Director or larger families.
Food was available
to make our own breakfasts, but a large dinner was always waiting for us when
we came home from the office. There were twelve people staying there when we
arrived. Some stayed a few days, others a week or more. We were the exception,
staying for a month.
The guesthouse is perched on a cliff above the shore. During low tide there is a beach with many fishing boats. The water looks inviting, especially in the equatorial heat; but we were warned that crocodiles have been spotted. Steep steps lead down to the beach. The guesthouse is surrounded by a locked gate in front and a fence behind. Beyond the fence we could see the crystal colors of the bay, the little fishing boats and the mountains across the bay. As we neared the fence we needed to look out through chain-link topped with barbed wire, a reminder that all is not as idyllic as it seems.
Comments