Rachel Duff feels privileged to have met, trained, made friends with and been inspired by pastors’ wives in Indonesia.

In January 2007, the doors of the newly refurbished Institut Anglikan Indonesia (IAI) were finally opened and the students for the fourth course at IAI began to arrive.

IAI, in the city of Bandung, West Java, had begun in September 2004 and had already seen 3 courses' worth of 12 pastors each pass through its doors.

Each course was six months long and the men lived at the college for the whole of that time, demanding sacrifices from them and their families – including temporary separation from each other – for the basic theological training.

At the end of each course, the pastors would disperse across the archipelago, back to their homes and ministries.

There was, however, one significant difference between the students from courses one to three and those of course four.

Course four students were the wives of those men already trained and they came not just with suitcases but with small children too!

This time the course was just five weeks long, with a break in the middle, and we had to run a crèche for the children.

I was amazed that all these women turned up. I couldn’t imagine something comparable happening back in the UK.

Despite the fact that not many of the women knew each other, there quickly built up a sense of community as meals were prepared and eaten together, laundry was hung out to dry on the roof, children were played with and lectures were attended.

My husband, Michael, and I were involved in the training on marriage and family life and had a hilarious time using role-play to get discussion going.

Despite being in a different culture and using another language, the ups and downs of family life are the same everywhere and Biblical principles can be applied.

Most of the lectures were taped but the technician and the recorder were banned when, as a nurse, I led an afternoon on women’s health issues.

I was used to these women being rather decorous but once we got started on this topic, we quickly got down to the nitty gritty and no holds were barred! There was a tremendous sense of us all being in this together as delicate questions were asked and myths and folklore were laid to rest alongside the facts I was able to present.

Other lectures were not quite so noisy and included topics ranging from basic bookkeeping – very important in a culture that is inherently corrupt – to church history and pastoral care.

Towards the end of the course, we invited the women to our home and experienced with renewed delight the wonderful friendships we had built up over the weeks.

Rachel and the pastors' wives in kabayas
(Photo: © The Duffs/CMS)

When they all had matching kabayas made (the traditional long blouse and batik skirt) for the concluding service, I was dressed up in one too and felt very much part of the group.

It was a privilege to spend time with these women, many of whom live in remote parts of the country, and to see their friendships grow over the weeks of the course.

At the end, one woman said, “ My husband came to IAI and I couldn’t understand what it was all about and I didn’t want to be involved with his work. Now I do understand and I want to work with him in ministry.”

So, phew, the course had done its job, we had all made new friends and God’s work continues by new and original means through his faithful servants.

Michael and Rachel Duff worked in Bandung on the island of Java. They were invited by the Anglican Church in Indonesia to support five growing Indonesian Anglican congregations and work alongside their pastor, the Rev Yopie Buyung.

Michael is an Anglican minister and Rachel is a nurse. Having completed their time in Indonesia, they are now based in Southsea, Portsmouth.

Published: 11:13 AM :: Thursday, August 30, 2007 :: 709 views :: 0 Comments :: Featured News Stories, Church of England, Education, Leadership, Women, FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS