By: Fr. Ernesto Amigleo, CICM

I remember many years ago in 1963, as a young novice at the CICM Maryhurst Seminary in Baguio City, my novice master announced to the twelve of us novices that the superior general wanted us to write him about where or which mission country we would like  to go as a missionary. We were asked to name three countries after a few days or discernment, we were ready to write Fr. General. I chose Indonesia as one of my priorities. The other two were Japan and Brazil. There were, of course, reason why I chose Indonesia. They were: 1) because Indonesia is a predominantly Muslim country; 2) because it is in Asia; 3) because as a Filipino I can share our Christian faith with our Asian Muslim brothers and sister; and 4) because culturally speaking, Indonesians and Filipino come from the same Malay ancestry.

Special Dream
My dream to become a missionary in a predominantly Muslim country was realized eleven years later after I wrote to our Fr. General. After a very beautiful and touching mission send-off at Paco Catholic Church, I, together with a confrere, also from Paco, embarked or mission.

Holy Ground
On January 29, 1974 I first stepped on Indonesia soil. My feeling then was that I was stepping on a holy ground. The word of anthropologist John V. Taylor reminded me:
“When we approach a person of another culture or of another religion we have first of all to take our shoes, because the place we enter is holy. Otherwise, it could happen that we recklessly destroy the dreams of other people. Moreover we might forget that God has already been in this place before us…”

All Leaving Under the Same Roof
Of all the Muslim countries in the world, I think Indonesia is unique in the sense that in many a family one will find a Muslim, a protestant, a Catholic, and a Hindu or Buddhist, all leaving together under the same roof. Hence example, for example, the father is a Muslim, the mother is a Catholic, one of the children a protestant, another Hindu and still another a Buddhist. What is unique is that they blend together. Indeed inter-religious dialogue already starts on the family level or the neighborhood. There is an atmosphere of tolerance and respect for each other. On the leadership level, both state and the Church never tire of stressing the need for religious tolerance and respect for one another’s belief.

Praying Five Times a Day
My first months in Indonesia were devoted to the study of the Bahasa. This took place at the Minor Seminary in the little City of Ujung Pandang, Sulowesi Selatan. This place was strategic for it was in the heart of the City. There I first came into contact with our Muslim brothers and sisters. Besides studying Bahasa. I tried to familiarize myself with the City. I spent the afternoon walking and observing. One of the first things that struck me was the proliferation of mesjid or mosques. I saw Muslim, especially men, in sarong (a place of cloth that is wrap around the body from the waist down) heading to he mosque to pray five times a day. As early as four o’ clock in the morning the sound of the “minaret” (because of the influence of modernization they have started using cassettes tapes) could be heard all over the place to wake up the faithful to pray to Allah (God). One of things that struck most deeply in Islam and that I learned is the important place of prayer in my daily life. Needless to day, I had to do some soul searching myself as regards to my prayer life, the place and value I give it in my life.
 [End of part One]

We might forget that God has already been in this place before…

It could happen that we recklessly destroy the dreams of other people.