Yohanes Ari Nurcahyo | Alumni SMA Van Lith Angkatan 2

Researcher and Executive Director PARA Syndicate, Jakarta

A Tribute to 100 Years of FIC in Indonesia

A Calling from Muntilan

Van Lith Senior High School, July 1992, I remembered the very first day of my three-years experiences living in Muntilan. I woke up so early in the cold and misty morning, but to my surprise, I still had to face the first punishment from Bruder Theo, rolling over the wet grass along with some friends for the same mistake, waking up earlier than the time the bell rang. Wow! It was indeed the first lesson on the first day that discipline was much more important than mere diligence but only for putting myself first.

Upset, irritated and scared. All those feelings inundated me, and I felt time moved so slowly on the early days of my daily routines in the dorm. At first, life was so hard there, but things gradually became habbit and further taught me much about discipline. All the intense experience of being together, and all the up-and-down dynamics we faced in the dorm, forged our independency and strengthened the brotherhood among us.

Christianity, Nationalism, Sidang Akademi were the ultimate education package I earned from Van Lith Senior High School. Christianity provided me the base of the call for faith through Bible study and Church social teaching. Nationalism insights provided me the base for public service through discussion, debate, critics for social problems, politics, society and nationhood. Meanwhile, Academic Preliminary (Sidang Akademi) meeting provided me the basic knowledge and skill for public speaking by practicing the ability to have argument and to speak effectively in front of public. These three compulsory activities shaped the characters and unique colors for Van Lith, namely; faith and call, critical stance and nationalism awareness, confidence to argue. Having all these unique treasure of Van Lith school, we were still trained with optional activities through humaniora and sports, and other activities to develop students’ interest, talent and skill.     

Today, I feel so grateful for becoming one of the arrows shot from the “calling” arc span, as the result to my decision to come to Muntilan as answering the call then, and now the mission through our works and profession, while remembering the message to always love humanity by presenting the face of the Church that brings salvation, and face of the country that offers liberation, in the spirit of "Memardi Kartika Bangsa". THANK YOU for the three-years full inspiring “calling” experience in Muntilan and for all the guidance of Bruder FIC.