Attacked in Dempta

 

Dempta is the small port town that exports ships full of palm oil to the rest of the world.

We rode for 3 hours and went about 25 miles “as the crow flies” but about 60 miles as the road bounces.   If you look at my GPS we’re virtually back to where we began.   Dempta was our destination but the road to Dempta goes around the mountain and through the woods.   3+ hours of Rock-n-roll roads.   Just 6 inches of black top on top would have made this journey less memorable but 6 inch potholes make it highly memorable.   Then just 5 minutes before we arrived an elder from the Dempta Adventist church came zipping up the hill on his dirt bike to intercept us.   “Can’t come right now!   Police are everywhere.   They’ve done it again.”

“Who has done what again?”   I asked.

“The local churches from other denominations have banded against us.   They’ve torn our tent and decorations down that we had set up for the Ground Breaking.”  Said the elder. (The same happened last time we tried to come here for the Cornerstone laying Celebration.

“What’s going on now?”  Pastor Hugo asked.

“They are waiting on Pastor John Umbora (mission secretary) to come and talk with the head of police.”

Finally, Pastor John and his family arrived behind us.    As we rounded the corner we caught sight of the beautiful village of Dempta.

Getting closer to Dempta.   The day was windy and wavy.

We soon passed the site where we were coming for the ground-breaking and laying of the first stone for our new Seventh-day Adventist Church.   Police stood all around bearing machine guns.   “What has happened?” I asked not fully understanding the Indonesian that everyone was rapidly chatting in.

The Tent that was temporarily built for the Ground Breaking and laying of the Cornerstone Celebration was lying mostly on the ground.   Locals had come early and attacked the deacons who’d come early to wait for our arrival.   Police had been called and stood bearing machine guns all over the grounds of the Adventist’s land for our future church building.

“The area protestant churches have incited a band of thugs to stop our building of the church here in Dempta.   See the tent that’s torn down and the chairs thrown everywhere?”   Someone explained

We all sat in silence not sure what to do.   Pastor Arie Dien the Global Evangelism Coordinator from the Union asked for a place to go to the bathroom and I thought it was a good idea, too.   We’d been in the car for over 3 hours sloshing around at breakneck speed on “Rock-n-Roll” roads.   My bladder was full but where was there a private location.   Someone mentioned that we could go to the Police station and take care of our needs there.

We arrived and all the locals had gathered in force to be heard by the Head of Police.   Some had been brought in by force to share their opinion.   There were more in favor of the Adventist side than any others thanks in large part to the vast caravan of cars that had come to witness the Ground breaking and Cornerstone laying service.   There was representatives from the largest church in Papua.   A Parliamentarian from Papua’s Autonomous Parliament was present.   The head of the Education Department from the region was present.   The Adventist Mission Secretary who is originally from this booming town was present.   After taking care of mother-nature in the “very clean” police headquarters toilet I rounded the corner to see what was going on on the Head of Police’s front porch.

75-100 people stood surrounding the Head of Police’s office.   He has a big front porch for events like this.  Tensions filled the air.   Prayers were being whispered in small groups in the parking lot.

Soon the Mission Secretary, Pastor John Umbora, motioned to me to come sit beside him.   It was an honor to be seated in this impromptu hearing by the Head of Police.   The Secretary from the synod of the largest protestant church was shouting, “They can’t come to this town.   They’re not from here.”   Never mind the fact that not more than 50 meters away the Muslim Mosque blared the call to prayer 5 times per day.   Never mind that she was from another part of Indonesia entirely.   Never mind that the Adventist representative of Parliament was native to this tribe and she was trying to make a point that Adventist are not Papuan but outsiders.   Never mind that Pastor John Umbora the same position as the lady now shouting is born of this tribe.   Some of the locals said “Amen” to her.   But the wise Police Chief listened back and forth to both sides for about an hour.   The tension was high.

In the middle of one of the more tense filled speeches a gust of wind blew so hard that the bolt on the flag pole broke sending the flag pole crashing on to the parking lot.    “Clang-Clang-Clang” sounded the metal flag pole as it bounced on the gravel parking area.   Nearly everyone raced to see who might have gotten struck by the flag pole but amazingly it missed everything including a small 18 month old who was running right into the path of the pole when it fell.   His mother grabbed him up and cried her delight out that her daughter had been spared.   Now we all trudged back to the “hearing”.

When at last the Head of Police spoke he basically gave the speech that No church has the right to religiously oppress any other.   Indonesia is in theory a country of Religious Freedom.   One has the right to listen to the dictates of his or her conscience. 

Here’s my rough interpretation of this man’s passionate speech:   “Look at the Muslims they worship loudly 5 times a day and non of them are from Papua.   Look at you, your religion came by missionaries who came from outside like this pastor (pointing to me).   I don’t know him but we’re grateful for him.   I belong to your church (pointing to the leader who had been speaking against the Adventists) but today I want it to be known I’m embarrassed by my church inciting this illegal display of public demonstration against some of God’s people, The Adventists.   If you want to threaten anyone’s lives go do it someone other than here,  Not in Dempta,  Not in Papua, Not in Indonesia.   For this reason I declare my decision, On the Third full week of February the Adventists will be allowed to peacefully go about laying the first cornerstone.   You may ask, why the third week of February?  Because there are some who are threatening to shoot any Adventist who lays the cornerstone.   Give us time to find these crooks and deal with them in just ways and then you can come again for your celebration.   Welcome Adventists!”

The rest of the day went relatively peaceful with a prayer and food and a few dignitaries making speeches about the hope that the Adventists will build in Dempta and be a light to the surrounding village.

The lady in the Green uniform is the head of the local regions schools.   She hopes that one day Adventists can build a school in this community.

As we asked questions we realized there are several opportunities for our Adventists in this growing town.   1) We need to work hard to make good relationships with the local community churches.   Perhaps doing things like basic charity clinics together with them in their own churches.  2) Using the influence we have with the Parliament to reach some of the goals that the town has for itself.  3) Working together with our Adventist Doctor and nurses who work in the Local government clinic. 4) Friendship, Friendship, friendship.

Please, pray for our leaders in this new church that is developing in this small port town of Dempta.   Pray that despite the threats and attacks God’s work will grow and go to surrounding places.