Ready to Act as Salt of the Earth

IL News 012/2015

Citizen’s Education – Training of Trainers

Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara), May 18th – 21st, 2015

Ready to act as salt of the earth! This was the hope and determination of the Citizen Education’s Training of Trainers (TOT PW) participants, which was held in Kupang on May 18th-21st, 2015. The event was a collaboration between the East Timor Church (GMIT) Synode with Leimena Institute, and was held at Benyamin Oebufu Church. TOT PW was formally opened by Rev. Gayus Polin, Chairman of Central Kupang Classis, East Timor Church Synode. Rev. Polin was a former partipant of Citizens Education in 2013, and he encouraged the participants to join TOT PW with vigourous spirit and to take that opportunity to add their knowledge regarding the Christian faith and Nationhood.

TOT PW was joined by 25 participants, all whom were representatives from several congregation in the Central Kupang Classis. The participants spent 4 days learning the basic modules of Citizen Education (i.e. Responsible Citizens, The 1945 Constitution Amendment and Its Effect to Citizen’s Role, Politic and the Christian Faith, and Your Voice is Valuable). After learning the modules, the participants had a discussion to sharpen their knowledge and explored action ideas that could be done as a form of Christian responsibility in Indonesia.

On the third day of TOT, the participants practiced on delivering the Citizen Education module in church’s house-group services. The participants were divided into groups of 3 to 4 participants. They explained the modules followed by discussions. The participants were very anthusiastic and happy to be able to share their knowledge about Christian faith and nationhood to the congregation present in the house-group service.

“This event widened my knowledge, giving me an awareness about responsibility toward the nation and state. I was able to share it with the other pastors. I was also able to discuss it directly using PIPA method (which consist of Text Reading , Summary, Discussion-guide, and Application).” (Rev. Jack Karmany, GMIT Maranatha Oebufu Church)

“This event is such a blessing and beneficial for us in order to be responsible citizens. It also increases our knowledge and gives us motivation to transfer this knowledge to others.” (Natih Wardani, GMIT Gloria Kayu Putih Church)

“This event awakens me about my status as an Indonesian citizen and a Christian, now I’m aware of my responsibility as a citizen. I have to involve myself in taking the responsibility to build this nation so I can be the salt of the earth.” (Merlin Maya Ufi, GMIT Getsemani Tarus Timur Church)

Participants of TOW PW in Central Kupang have stated their hope and determination in one loaded slogan: “Ready to act as salt of the earth!” starting with the awareness of their status as Christians and citizens, and then actively doing their responsibility as citizens, beginning from their surroundings. Hopefully all of us have the same hopes and determinations!