Interview with Salesian Cooperator from Jakarta

By Our Own Correspondent

Jakarta, Indonesia, 5 February 2019 -- Interview with a Salesian Cooperator from Jakarta. Ms Ernie Djohan is an active member of the only Salesian Cooperators Centre in Jakarta, Indonesia (INA). Last March 2018 she took part in the EAO provincials meeting in Dili, Timor Leste, with other Salesian Cooperators from Indonesia and Timor Leste.

What makes you happy as a Salesian Cooperator?

Being part of the great Salesian Family makes me happy as a Salesian Cooperator. Staying in touch and closely connected with the other local Salesian groups (SDB and FMA) encourages me to learn more and more how to live out the Salesian spirit in my daily life and responsibilities.

What makes you grow in your Salesian Cooperator vocation and mission?

The daily encounter with Christ in prayer and in the Eucharist gives me lots of joy and strength to keep a steady growth and to remain faithful in my Salesian Cooperator vocation, even though I have not been able to put my knowledge and my abilities into a particular mission yet. All I can do at present is to give of my best by taking part in the regular meetings of the Salesian Cooperators, and to support the Salesian Family activities in general. I also try to keep the other Cooperator members updated with all the news concerning the Salesian Family in the EAO region and worldwide.

What are the major challenges in your vocation growth (personal and centre)?

The major challenges at personal level: I belong to a non-Salesian Parish in Kelapa Gading, which is a neighbour to the Salesian Parish in Sunter. So, there is a concrete barrier in living out the Salesian spirit in my community (my neighbourhood). Fortunately, I can now spend most of my time with the Salesians in Sunter.

Challenges at the local centre: The Salesian Cooperators come from a wide range of backgrounds and characters, which may cause some misunderstanding at certain times, due to communication gaps.

What do you expect from the 2019 EAO Formators Workshop in Cambodia?

I really expect that the Formation Workshop in Cambodia (May 2019) will produce a formation module/program that may attract more youths to become Salesian Cooperators (rejuvenation).

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