Early December 2002

MY EXPERINCE IN THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER 2002
Denny Wahyudi

1. Hallo see you again with me, Denny Wahyudi who want write about a little experience for last week. Today Sunday 1st Advent, December 01, 2002, 9 o’clock pm, the time of Franklin, Milwaukee-Wisconsin. The outside temperature is about minus 5 degree Celsius, but there is no snow yet. OK, now I am telling that for a week, my most interesting experience is the experience of my sick ‘fever’ (in Indonesian language is “masuk angin”= the wind which enter in my body). I felt this on last Tuesday, which the coldest day for me, and actually I had a fever sick…so I feel colder. The Tuesday is the last day for school, but I pushed myself to follow till ended at 2 o’clock, despite I felt dying…fortunately I could survive. When I backed to home, I had a medicine and slept immediately. But I couldn’t sleep well because my body felt cold and the hot. This is my first experience get a terrible sick in other country, but once again I could defense myself and the time continued, I still could gather for evening prayer with my community and had a supper, however my appetite is really lost. I just ate a little food and slept again. Father Alfredo Turco and Father Victor Mosele took care me very much since I was sick. I felt quick to heal, because they gave me medicine and full attention and caring…and of course of other confreres in our house. All of this made me heal fastly. The medicine from Father Victor was boiled wine and was burnt till the alcohol lost and I drank it. He gave me aspirin and candy of Halls. Actually his medicine just gave temporary healing to me, because my body still sick and my head felt sick as well. Finally, I used my way of healing, that was : “KEROKAN” (= have myself back rubbed with a coin), because I could not defense anymore. At Wednesday night I rubbed with a coin all of my body, so my body fulled of the red sign of rubbed, and at the day after this I felt better slowly. My confreres in my house were amazed and confused about my healing way, very sadist seemingly. They just knew, that was the oriental healing way, and suitable with myself. Father Victor awared about this case.
The other thing which very impressed me is at last Thursday of November is Thanksgiving Day, the special day for American for celebrating thankfulness for everything….there is a history about this vacation day...and usually there is a traditioin to eat turkey. At that day, November 28, all of members of the Xaverian theology community from Chicago gathered with us, there were about 12 men. On Friday we continued with a retreat which was leaded by Father Larry with the topic : “Consecrated live”, and I made courage myself to speak my sharing as my ability of my English. My point was that this year the province of Indonesia Xaverian sent 6 confreres to different various countries which began in August with Maryono and Setyawan went to Mexico for Spanish language and theology, and finally in the beginning of November I was sent to USA, then Father Yacob to Paris studying French, Father Suhud to London studying English and the last Utomo to Parma studying Italian languange and theology. And I said that the difficulty of my visa to USA, the lost of my I-20 document in Rome, the 2 months left of my studying English than my 2 other confreres from Mexico so I have to make struggle to make adjustment, and my sick for 3 days in fever….I gave the meaning about all of these, that the Lord has different planning and way for my live and he still works support my body however out my mind, and I summarize my sharing with the Roman 8:28…”We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose”.
The third thing is this evening we were permitted to watch theatre of “Christmas Carol” of Charles Dickens with the main star Mr. Ebenasar Scrooge, at the theatre building of Milwaukee down town together with our classmates of ESL Program of SHST. This performance was very beautiful and impressive, however I just understood very little word which was spoken by the players. Unluckily, we watched the movie and read the book, so I could know the plot of this story. The duration of this performance was 2 hours with 15 minutes break.
So I want to say greeting for all of you to enter the Advent eve this year 2002, may all of us who sinned want to penance ourselves to the Lord our God of full of Forgiveness, and thanks a lot for all your attention.

Denny Wahyudi


2. Today is Sunday night, The Second Advent term, December 8, 2002, at 07.20 o’clock p.m., the time of Franklin-Wisconsin, USA. The outside of temperature is minus 7 degree Celsius. Last Monday was snowing, but till now there isn’t snowing again, and now there is little bit snow at field.
The feast of Saint Francis Xavier the patron of Mission and our congregation, Xaverian was not celebrated specifically. We did a mass in the morning and at night we went to Knight of Columbus, a simple restaurant, we ate together with the older men, the friends of Xaverian with the food was taken by them. After I was sick last week, my appetite at the first time is too high, now I can’t eat too much, so I can’t eat cake. That is a meaning of my sick last week, that I will no too fat, I thank to God for this case, like I was remembered to eat enough, not too full, because it’ll make me not comfortable with my stomach. Now I feel good and health.
On last Wednesday, I made presentation in my school about ‘Wayang Kulit of Java’, I wore ‘blangkon’ (a hat) and traditional shirt from Java which I bought in Malioboro Yogyakarta, and a wayang kulit miniature with a mini stage. I tried to record the music of ‘gamelan’ for wayang kulit from Internet and I can do successfully to complete my presentation, which was limited only 10 minutes. The result is good enough and the tools I used can help me and full of interesting. My classmates and my teacher who watched my presentation were happy. The last minute I switched off the lamp and I tried to play my wayang…’ooo bumi goncang-gancing langit kelap-kelap…oooo’ and not deliberately the light of candle in front of me for the playing was blown by my voice and off, so the playing was ended. Every presentation was recorded by video, so I can evaluate myself, which the positive and the shortage, it’s useful for my next presentation.
On Wednesday I could call Mrs. Sian Lie by phone in Colorado-USA. She and her husband have been visiting their children who studying in Colorado, and they will present the graduation of Lidia, their first daughter which will be held on December 14. (Mrs. Sian Lie is a benefactor and friend of Xaverian Society in Indonesia).
This Friday is the last day of our school in Sacred Heart, we played some games and graduation both of our classmates, young Indian priests, Father Sojan and Father Tobiyas. They will work in Texas, in a parish. Then we ate a little bit of cake and fruits, watched a video. This Friday is feast of Saint Nicholas too (December 6), the day which I fulfilled my vote to cut all of my hair. It’s my desire when I was in Jakarta, I want cut all of my hair to be a new man with a bald head. My vote was executed by Mario Toledo Guzman, my Xaverian classmate from Mexico successfully, after supper. Don’t worry next time I will send my photo via email, with a bald shinny head, like Shaolin bhiksu.
On Saturday, I watched a video of the World Youth Day in Toronto-Canada, with Pope John Paul II and was attended by 800 thousand youth from all of the world, include of 600 cardinals and bishops. Father Victor gathered this event with Bishop Biguzzi, a Xaverian bishop in Africa. It seemed Pope with the old physic, but still can read without glasses and could speak various language of the world. This video was ended by the coming back of Pope by a black helicopter. See you next time in the World Youth Day in Koln (Cologne) – German in 2005.
This second week of Advent, I followed Father Alfredo took a mass in the nursing home of Mount Carmel. There are about 400 patients, and more about 70s patients gathered the mass. I helped some patients to gain the place of mass with their wheeled-chair. At afternoon I was picked up by Mr. Ben and his son Francis, went to a site which gathered a group of Dutch-Indonesian, celebrated Saint Nicholas. There were about 50 people of children, youth family and the older. It seemed an assimilation married, ther was a face of Indonesian and Western and mixed both of them. Most of the older people have stayed for long time in USA, and ever lived in Holland. Their children and grandchildren don’t speak Indonesian language anymore. Mr. Ben and Ms. Netty Ridijk his wive are the close friend of Mr.Wiranto and Ms.Linda (benefactor of Xaverian in Indonesia) which were introduced to me when I was in Jakarta, before I leaved for America. I was welcomed very well by them and picked up me back home. In America the older man still drive a car, like Mr. Ben is 69 years old. I was introduced for all of them by Mr. Ben. There was a saint Claus and Black Piet which consoled the children, remind me when I was a child in a Christmas day of my Kindergarten in 1980s. In order to I seemed not to shinny, I wore a black hat, ‘peci’ specifically of Indonesia, and took a photo with them as a memory.
Other thing is: I have been trying to translate my experience writing every week in English. It’s for my exercise to write the right English, and I send to my teacher, Ruth for correction. I do this job too in this holiday, and I like to do it. I hope my efforts can help me to improve my English. Our school will off till open on January 13 next year. Our planning in next week there will a lesson from 3 teachers about conversation in American English about tradition of Advent in America and how to read the bible correctly. They are teacher or activist from a parish who available to help us to improve our English. Father Larrry will teach us about the Scripture of healing. How will these work, I will inform you next week. An the other planning in December 15 we will gather with the theology community of Chicago for vacation and trip to Florida and other states, knowing more about America, the history and culture.
OK, that’s all my inspiration, thank you very much for your attention to read patiently.
My best Greeting and prayer always for all of you,
Denny Wahyudi, sx
Franklin, December 08, 2002