Tribute to Bro. Martinus Dariyo

“Life is the sum of choices.” That quote by Albert Camus, a Nobel Prize-winning novelist, is vividly brought to live in the story of one particular FIC Brother I know.

We would like to share with you our short but deep experiences of our beloved Bro. Martinus Dariyo, who dedicated his whole life to serve God and humanity, as an FIC Brother and especially as a missionary in Malawi for more than 30 years.

Bro. Martin Dariyo is a man of faith. He is humble, genuine, kind, simple and sociable person. His personality helped him to relate with so many people easily. He loves his vocation as Brother FIC which has became a strong foundation of his apostolate wherever the Congregation send him, in Indonesia but particularly in Malawi as a missionary. He strongly believes God loves him very much that God always guide him especially when he has to make choices in his life.

When he was a young teacher in Ketapang, West Kalimantan province of Indonesia, he decided to become a religious brother.  Following his inner call which he believed as the voice of God, he abandoned his job as a teacher to join to FIC Brothers. He really loves teaching so he prefers to join FIC Brothers whom most of them are educators. In this case, he made the right choice. In the FIC, he grew more and more as a happy brother teacher. From his own life and his apostolic works in Sedayu and Jakarta in Indonesia and eventually in Malawi, we testify how he love teaching and being together with his students. We experienced his enthusiasm and creativity on doing his work as a teacher. He always prepares his class carefully and be so alive when he is in front of his class. He is very close to all of his student. That is why his former students always remember him and cherishing good memories about him as a brother as well as a teacher. Indeed, he is very happy with his vocation as a brother teacher and he is always enthusiastic telling his experiences as a teacher.

He made another excellent choice when he accepted the assignment given by the Congregation to go for further study. He was sent to study “Catechetic” at Sanata Dharma Catholic University which really brought benefit to his life as a religious and a teacher. His study helped his spiritual life to grow stronger and deepened his knowledge/skill as a catechist. After his study, he was considered well equipped to go for another journey of mission. Some years after his study, he made an important choice when out of his obedience, he said yes when the Congregation asked him to become a missionary in Zambia which lead him to work among the people of God in Malawi.

He lived and did his missionary work in Malawi more than 30 years. He loves very much his live and his apostolic work in Malawi. From his own sharing and the testimony of our fellow brothers, he experienced happiness to live as an FIC brother and to work as a teacher in Malawi. He made efforts to get a better and deeper understanding of the people entrusted to him and to love his fellow Malawian brothers, and then he tried to serve them better and better. Since the beginning of his work in Malawi, Bro. Martin fond of planting trees. As he has ever said that taking care of the environment is inseparable part of his mission. Indeed, Bro. Martin loves nature as he also comes from a farmer family.  He likes to make green and to keep clean the environment of the community and school. For him the principle of “green and clean” is very a life. He was happy that what he was doing made his fellow brothers and people were happy too. His commitment and dedication in taking care of the nature is commendable. Acknowledge of that fact, the General Council invited him to share his inspiration in connection with the exhortation of Pope Francis to take care of our common home in the “Laudato Si” document during our General Conference in Ghana, 2015. We are unceasingly grateful for his example.

We know Bro. Martin also as a person who loves reading and writing. Through writing, he shares what he read to the people. He is very active in sharing his story or inspiration on Facebook or Whats-App platform. Through those social media, he reached so many people across the globe. We notice that so many people read it and got inspirations from what he shares. Bro. Martin also generously share his knowledge, inspiration, and experience in our publications through “Brother-FIC magazine” and also our Web-site. From him, we also have an inspiration reflective document on our Constitutions especially on chapter 3 about “A Community of Brothers”. This document is a great gift for us. Even for our FIC Brothers magazine June 2020 edition we also has his inspiration article on “Community Mission and Local Church” which he shares his experiences and opinion about that. We are grateful having this person who love the Congregation by contributing something valuable for us in writing.

Two years ago during FIC General Chapter 2018, Bro. Martin told to some of us that he would like to repatriate to Indonesia after 30 years doing his missionary work in Malawi. He wanted to return to Indonesia not to enjoy his retirement, but to continue his mission. He had a desire to continue his missionary work in a small village in Timor Leste, where Brother FIC in Indonesia began their missionary work some years ago.  He would like to do something for people in need in the rural area in Timor Leste or to dedicate himself in the area of education in which he has vast experience. However, his love for Malawi is even bigger than for himself. Instead of pursuing his own plan, he placed himself humbly and obedient when the Provincial Superior of Malawi asked him to help them to work in the area of Initial Formation. He surrendered freely and happily to continue to work in Malawi Province which he loved so much. He had made the best choice again and tried his best to help our candidates. Bro. Martin, thank you for your obedient to our Congregation out of your love to the Malawi Province and the Congregation as a whole.

It is very clear that you live out our Constitutions art. 19: “A valuable tradition in the Congregation is the willingness to help build a more human world outside one’s own native country. Many brothers leave their own people and their own culture to spread the Good News in word and deed in other countries, and to give form to the Kingdom of God.”

Thank be to God for his dedication and his gifts for us the Congregation and the people entrusted to him. In Bro. Martin Dariyo, we lose a devoted fellow brother who stayed true to his mission to be "brother to all". It must therefore have been painful for him that he suffered severe coughing and lung disease in his last months of life, which prevented good condition. May he receive his deserved eternal rest after a blessed life.

 'Let me enter the place of rest and peace

       that is called by your name.'

                                                       H. Oosterhuis

Bro. Theodorus Suwariyanto,

on behalf of the General Council FIC