(Group photo after the outbound)

The Diakonia is one of the functions and duties of the church to carry out the works of Christ in the world. Diakonia ministry is not always conducted within the church but also outside the church.

Volunteer Jamboree #2 is the part of disaster preparedness training activities for church volunteers who have participated in training with YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU) since 2022. After completing the series of training, the church volunteers were invited to the Jamboree which involved 84 participants from various churches. 

This activity lasted for 3 days, starting from the 3 to 5 August 2023, and took place at Wisma UKDW, Kaliurang, Sleman, Special Region of Yogyakarta. With the theme  "I Am Ready to Be Sent", this activity has become a gathering place for church volunteers to exchange ideas, as well as good practices related to disaster management. 

I Shall Be Able to Coordinate and Ready to Be Sent

GKI Pondok Indah Jakarta representatives shared good practices that have been carried out by the church.

The Church Volunteer Jamboree activity was opened with a fellowship led by Rev. Henny Yulianti, General Secretary of the Indonesian Christian Church, Central Java Regional Synod. In the opening service, church volunteers were invited to become volunteers who understood their duties. In terms of service, church volunteers are expected to become volunteers with readiness in carrying out their duties. In her sermon, Pastor Henny Yulianti invited all participants to become church volunteers who understand their duties and calling, as well as ready to carry out the responsibilities entrusted to them.  

Likewise, in the presentation delivered by Pastor Simon Julianto, M.Si, as Chairman 1 of the YAKKUM Management with the title Church Volunteering as a Form of Diakonia in Humanitarian Service. In his presentation he explained that Salvation is an important part of the Christian faith that focuses on Christ as the Savior and is therefore multidimensional – theological. According to him, volunteering is the willingness to give up part of one's identity consciously in developing volunteer tasks. According to him, volunteering is the willingness to give up part of one's identity consciously in developing volunteer tasks. He also advised that church volunteers do not need to worry about the various kinds of competencies that are and because they will be added. 

Furthermore, the Jamboree participants were also provided with material on Inter-Church Coordination Mechanism in Disaster Response delivered by Banu Subagyo, S.H., M.P.A., as Chairman of the PBI Jakomkris Steering Board. In his presentation, he conveyed the importance of coordination between the church and other humanitarian institutions. This is very important so that in carrying out emergency response, the church does not work alone but can build networks with other institutions, both religious institutions and non-religious institutions. This shows that the church is able to carry out holistic and inclusive ministry by not discriminating the background of disaster victims. Good coordination is needed for the basic needs of survivors to be met, Church Institutions need to demonstrate accountability in emergency response activities to foster trust from beneficiaries and partners who work with the church. 

In the last session, Jamboree participants were invited to get to know the good practices of disaster management activities that have been carried out by churches such as PB Palma GKJ Ambarrukmo, GKJ Kemadang, GITJ Synod Diakonia Institute, and GKI Klasis Jakarta II. 

 

Understanding Resilience Action from Upstream to Downstream

(Insert Pic: Kegiatan Fieldtrip dan Penanaman Mangrove)

Field Trip Activities at Jeep TLCM Merapi Community

The second day's agenda, which is on Friday, August 4, 2023, is a field trip activity . Participants of Church Volunteer Jamboree #2 were invited to understand how mitigation and preparedness processes are carried out in schools and at the village level government, as well as how to recover from post-disaster socio-economic conditions. This study visit was carried out at SMA Negeri 1 Pakem located on the slopes of Mount Merapi, as well as at Kalurahan Pakembinangun. Furthermore, socio-economic recovery learning was carried out at the Toyota Land Cruiser Merapi (TLCM) Community, and Randu Sari Permanent Residence. SMA Negeri 1 Pakem is a Sister School or buffer school that accepts students from schools affected by the eruption of Mount Merapi.

Kalurahan Pakembinangun, also a buffer village for residents who come from Kalurahan Hargobinangun. The location of Kalurahan Pakembinangun is located in the disaster risk area of Mount Merapi. The   form of mitigation carried out by Kalurahan itself. It was established by a Disaster Risk Management Forum (FPRB). FPRB was formed to prepare the Kalurahan community to be responsive in facing disaster emergency situations. There are documents such as RPB, RAK and Contingency Plan that are prepared as a reference for volunteers during emergencies. 

In terms of post-disaster economic recovery, participants were invited to visit the Jeep Merapi TLCM community. This community was formed in 2014 which offers tour packages to get around the area affected by the Merapi eruption.All actors of this community were originally farmers and ranchers, but the eruption of Mount Merapi in 2010 has destroyed their business so they turned to other livelihoods as Merapi jeep drivers.

Participants were also invited to visit communities affected by the eruption of Mount Merapi and had to move and live in the Randusari Permanent Residence relocation. Randusari Permanent Residence is one of the relocation for victims of the Mount Merapi Eruption disaster in 2010 for 113 families, but currently there are only 89 families occupying the permanent residence. 

Mangrove planting at the mouth of Trisik Beach, Kulon Progo

The Field Trip trip was closed with mangrove planting activities at Trisik Beach which is the mouth of the Progo River, and Baros Beach which is the mouth of the Opak River. These two beaches were the path of cold lava flows when the Merapi Mountain eruption occurred. This mangrove planting means to reduce the impact of abrasion and tidal waves that occur on Trisik and Baros Beaches. With the presence of mangrove trees, it allows local residents to carry out agricultural cultivation on the coast. In addition, participants were also invited to understand how the role of the Tourism Awareness Group plays a role not only in terms of improving the community's economy through the tourism sector, but also there is concern from them in terms of preventing the impact of climate change.

I'm Ready to Be Sent

Emergency Rescue as one part of outbound

Closing the series of Church Volunteer Jamboree #2 activities, jamboree participants are invited to take part in an outbound session on August 5, 2023. This outbound session aims to increase familiarity, cohesion, and coordination among church volunteers, so that strong ministry goals can be implemented by church volunteers. In this outbound session, church volunteers were reminded again of the training materials that have been delivered at the Church Volunteer Training since 2022. 

The outbound with the theme "I Am Ready to Be Sent" builds the skills of volunteers, for example in collecting disaggregated data, Emergency Management, and Heart and Lung Resuscitation. Outbound was closed with the activity of making the words I Am Ready to Be Sent by utilizing used goods scattered in the outbound area, such as plastic bottle caps, pine tree fruits, and so on. It aims to raise awareness among church volunteers regarding environmental sustainability. 

Nathanael Dandy (number 6 from the left  wearing a blue t-shirt and yellow pants)

Nathanael Dandy, one of the participants of the Church Volunteer Jamboree said  that the knowledge he gained while attending the Church Volunteer training and jamboree, helped him and his fellow congregational assemblies, as well as church activists to have the ability to map disaster threats that might occur around his church. They can also take preventive measures to prevent disasters from occurring. 

He also advised, “if the church gets the opportunity to participate in this activity I encourage every church to be able to send its messenger. Not because the church is in a disaster-prone area, but by being a church volunteer who is ready to be sent, each of us can be a blessing to the near and far to everyone who needs help without discriminating political background, ethnicity, religion, race, class, gender, sexual identity and orientation, economic status, physical or mental health or other status. This can support Inclusion which is not an illusion.”