Fr. Petrus is a young Indonesian Xaverian Missionary who was just ordained in June of 2006. He is presently serving in a small village of the Mentawai Islands, following Christ till the ends of the world.

ftentimes I’m asked the following question: “Why do you want to be a missionary is such an isolated area?” In fact, that was the question someone from my own town asked me during my diaconate experience in the mission station of Sikabalua in the Mentawai Islands.
Usually, I answer that since Christ has become the center of my life, as a missionary I find the fullness of my life, even during times of difficulties. I repeat, even during hard times, I have found the fulfillment of my life. A brief account of my last trip from Padang to the island of Siberut might illustrate this thought, even for me, a young missionary with many hopes.

A trip like no other

I have arrived in the mission of Siberut, finally. The house faces the ocean, and it is surrounded by a flowery hill. Right on top of the hill, there is a full size statue of our Lady. Anyone who comes here feels the atmosphere of prayer and protection of our Lady. I had that feeling since I put foot on this island. With the assurance of the mantle of Mary over us, there are not too many things that we can say except a great thanksgiving. It could not be otherwise, because the journey to this mission is a hard one.

My departure from Padang was postponed a few times because the boat could not handle the inclement weather. Just before departing, I had to buy another ticket, because my first one was not valid any longer. Truly, this time it look like we were going to leave… unfortunately from the port of Bungus, at about one hour by car.
Never mind, here I am at Bungus, under torrential rain, ready to leave, in the early evening. Even before approaching the boat, I was surrounded by people asking me to carry my suitcase. I told them that I am young, my suitcase is not heavy at all, but they insisted, and I finally gave in, so that they could buy some food for their families that evening.
It seems like an injustice to me, and yet this is way things are done around here, and we need to bear with it. And this favor I do to them, like everyone else in the boat, comes at a high price, indeed. Plus you have to pay taxes for the suitcase.

In the midst of a squall

Once on the boat, there was no place to go, except in the hallway. I could have imagined that because of the many times we had to cancel the trip. So, I found a place, and started to take a snooze, but to no avail, because everyone who would pass by, or people around me, would wake me up with a kick or brush. And in these humid situations, packed as we were, you could only imagine the stench of feet.
But wait, for the adventure is not yet finished. In normal circumstances, the boat sails from 7pm to 6am next morning. But tonight, around midnight, the boat had to turn around because of a bad squall, that made most people seasick. The boat found a dock in a small island close to Padang. It felt like I was following the same adventures of St. Francis Xavier in his trips around here, some 500 years ago. The trip resumed around 6am, under a gentle east breeze. Slowly, probably too slowly, the boat finally found its arrival point: we docked at Siberut at 3:30 in a hot afternoon. Thank God that the long difficult journey was finally over!

Difficulties in the Vineyard of the Lord

I arrived safe and sound at our mission in Siberut, and thanked our Lady of the Hill. I began here my service as a priest. I think of this mission as the “vineyard of the Lord” for it is both a challenge and a source of hope in my life.

This mission is a “dream come true” for me. Since the beginning of my missionary vocation, I wanted to be present and work in far-away villages, like this one. Here, together with Christ and his work, I feel fully realized.

It is not easy to work and serve here. The challenges, besides the trips between Siberut and Padang, are based on other difficulties: there are impossible roads here, if you want to call them that way. The island is 50 miles long and 30 miles wide, with a road that covers about 6 miles, just enough to go from the political center to the port. That’s all.
The villages are dispersed and isolated from one another, and even the biggest centers are not easily linked. Around here, we use boats, canoes, and mainly our legs, to get around and reach the villages. Twice a week a boat goes to the other side of the island, and even that “convenience” is irregular. That’s, more or less, the mission of the Xaverians here in Siberut. We need to be healthy physically, and the waves of the ocean and the rivers become your best friends. The west coast beaches, those facing the Indian Ocean, are famous from their dangerous and gigantic waves.

A piece of Christ

Though the challenges are many, I see Siberut as a place of hope. The Xaverians have started serving in this area some 50 years ago. My difficulties of today are certainly less than theirs a few decades ago. They came here at a time when no one knew the name of Christ, they established churches and chapels, the vineyard is planted and has developed in dynamic communities of faith. Now, we need to take good care of this vineyard, and wait for the good fruits, for the presence of the church in this place is indeed a blessing to the people.
This mission is a “dream come true” for me. Since the beginning of my missionary vocation, I wanted to be present and work in far-away villages, like this one. Here, together with Christ and his work, I feel fully realized. I’m sure that the love of Christ is not only for the city people, or those places that are easier to reach, but also to the rest of the areas oftentimes forgotten, such as the Mentawai islands. The bread of life needs to reach and nourish the most secluded places, and I feel that I am a small piece of this Bread of Life as I become the Christ who welcomes, accompanies and takes good care of the people. Jesus is the missionary of the Father, and as he did 20 centuries ago, he walks these same roads today doing good, encouraging people in their struggles, loving them. My prayer is: Lord, may you yourself walk in this island through me… Actually, here I am; use me as your instrument of your goodness.”

Fr. Petrus Hardiyanto, s.x.
from Missionari Saveriani