Servant leadership and gender equality built farmers sovereignty to food

All the valuable experience I have gained in ARI is not entirely my effort privately. Many people sacrificed their time and effort of my preparation until today learning which are cannot valued by any material.

I want to say thank you to my husband, Daudy Brahmantyo who always provided exceptional support, started from giving full motivation to me, always responding positively in any discussion, he is always assuring that our kids will be fine as long as I am gone, since 4 years ago and until this day he has never changed. His love makes me stronger here. Thank you to my dear kids, although you are still small but very high-minded you face this difficult situation. My family, you are the greatest treasure of my life.

Of course this opportunity is not possible I got without support from Trukajaya Christian Foundation member, where I grew up in work together with rural communities.
Thanks also to all ARI community members 2014 all of participants, volunteers, staffs and visitors. I learned many things from all of you for 9 months, you was inspiring me in daily activities in the process of growth together to be leaders.

Special thank to my consultant, Mr. Osamu Arakawa, who gave me a very strong support and ensure every detail of my focus on my goal to come to ARI. He inspires me to recognize my zero point at ARI then reminded me to always focus on what I want to learning during the 9 months. So that it will in line with a follow-up planning after the training, and what I need to achieve my target. Moreover, in his work was outstanding, he remained at my side in the experiment of making tempe in the term of Practical Field Study.

Thanks to JELA (Japan Evangelical Lutheran Association) who supported me and providing excellent facilities for my involvement to Lutheran Churches Worship. Thanks also to the Nishinasuno Church which is have history associated with ARI contributed to the establishment I learnt in ARI.

Introduction

My essay during application letter to ARI- BY SHARING LIFE WE LIVE

One thing that cannot be resisted by all living things including human being is that it will eventually die. It’s important to know how to make meaningful life, it's a free choice. We want to be remembered as a kind person, angry, gentle, stubborn, dishonest, deceitful, we have the authority and the opportunity to be that as long as we are still alive.

To achieve a good self-image that we want to be remembered, we must be willing to set up. Hurt, disappointed, tiring but definitely developed, awareness and ultimately change us to be better. That is the lesson that should be enjoyed at ARI and grateful to God's presence and the Holy Spirit.

ARI is not a school to form people into superior and inferior, or to make people self-assertive, competitive and or down each other. ARI is a nursery that fosters the importance of sharing and mutual support through learning activities, discussions, managing organic farm and ministry in the church. It's not something simple and easy. It requires physical endurance, willingness to simple living and high concentration to pass all the learning process. It is up to the participants to be "reborn" and ready to continue the work for assisting rural communities in their countries.

Assisting rural communities is the path chosen by the trainee. ARI will make it a more meaningful option for service to rural communities and of course for the self-development capacity of participants in realizing the self-image, they would like to be remembered for in his/her life.

···

I am very grateful for this opportunity, to be accepted as one of participants in this great learning at ARI. My zero point in this learning can be different with other’s zero point. So, I should know where was my own zero point, then how to grow it. What kind of my weakness that I want to remove, what kind of my strengths I need to improve. Everything can be different and the growth also depends on each of us.

Too many interesting things that I got to write here. But I tried to write a short but left a strong impression to readers. For that I organized this paper into 3 parts. The first part is background of myself, who I am and what I had done and my sending body (Trukajaya Christian Foundation Central Java Indonesia) with our community. Second part contains my biggest learning in ARI. Third part is my dream with my sending body and how to follow up this learning in my community.

Chapter 1

My self Introduction

My name is Eunike Widhi Wardhani. Eunike means victory.  That is my given name from my mother, she took from II Timothy 1 : 5. I am the last of three brothers - sisters. My sister and brother stay nearby my parents. I am the only one who went and left my parents to follow my husband moved to his home town. When I was child, we stayed at the rental house, from one rental house moved to another rental house, so many times. It’s high risk, because we never know, when we can make our own house. My father still cares for our big family in the village, from my father side. After grandpa passed away 1974, my father has paid his brothers and sisters school tuition, support of my grandma in the village.

My father just can build our own house when I was finished my junior high school. Our own house is small, kitchen at same room with bicycle, dishwashing place, eat table, as well as for reading room. We only have the ground floor, no cover. Sometimes it is humid, sometimes there is much dust everywhere. Sometimes snake from surrounding paddy field  came into our house because it was not closed properly. But every house always leaves a memory. We faced this condition in 12 years.

Before moving to our own house, there is unforgettable memory. The last rental house contract is expired before we finished our small house building, there is no other choice, the same day we moved into our own house that was not finished yet.

The first three days bamboo roof frame already installed, but there didn’t have roof yet. Then drizzle came, we became panic, how to save our stuffs if the rain fell heavily. But we are lucky when the drizzle stopped eventually. So we went to sleep at night, by counting the stars in the sky from inside the house : twinkle - twinkle little star .......

Even though I'm lucky because my father supported me to get an education, I chose Majority Agriculture Diploma. And step by step I continue my education at a University of Agriculture in Yogyakarta and totally since Diploma up to University I finished within 8 years. Too many wasting time, but no choice for me at the time. I chose the cheaper school, because my parents have to manage to pay my tuition fee and my sister tuition fees and any other needs, including our big families. Even though I got some scholarships from the government, but it was very small and I had to work at my free time of my college that arranged by the University for getting my scholarship. During 8 years, I always reach my achievement not because I am clever. It’s just because if my achievement becoming down, they will stop my scholarship. That was high risk.

My great experience

I was born in a village, where my father first served as a Christian Elementary School teacher for 2 years. My parents are not farmers, but they grew up in the farmers family. My grandfather and grandmother are farmers and live in the village. Many of relatives are also farmers and lived in the village on the slopes of Mt. Merapi and Merbabu Central Java. Every time I had a long school holiday, I was escorted by my parents to grandma’s village and I lived there until holiday was over. As long as I follow in my grandma's village and the family are working on fields planted with vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, cabbage and mustard greens or corn and cassava.

Although now I live in the Salatiga town I have a lot of friends in the village. I think that agriculture directly intersect with the lives and can be the core of the welfare of all people, but I also wonder "why my family remain poor even though they own a farm?". I want to learn a lot of things that show how life was going, how to cultivate them up with how to manage it. I am interested in spending time learning about a life where it came from, one of my reason selecting agricultural college.

My father has 11 brothers and sisters, my father was not the eldest son but he took the responsibility of protecting his brothers-sisters and his mother because he felt he was the luckiest among all his brothers (he has got quite a good job, only small salary as a teacher in a village elementary school but he could not live without thinking about how his brother-sisters are in suffering in life). So that he has to manage and pay their school tuitions and any other resources to care for us and our big family in the village.

At that time I often complain to my father, why he took a high risk as a responsible person of more than our ability. But he just said: “You will understand about it in your future”. Many difficulties that I faced in my life made me want to learn about poverty and rural life.

Me and my work

Way of life brought me into rural development movement in a local NGO, Trukajaya Christian Foundation, instead of poverty. Trukajaya Christian Foundation was established 1966 by the Synod of Javanese Christian Churches, a member of WCC (World Council of Churches).  The Vision is to empower the people as a reflection of compassion toward others. We served our communities by partnering with the churches to help people achieve food sovereignty as well as help develop social diaconal programs based on people's potentials.

This can develop independency which will help to realize justice for the poor as well.  The poor are inclusive of women, youths, and farmers in rural areas.  They will receive justice through producing and managing their food. 

We also are working to develop the ecosystem, integrating rice fields, forests, and other critical areas to make productive soil, this also through the development of environmentally friendly technologies and farming methods.  We hope in the long run this will develop a social justice system in food management, in normal conditions or as a local disaster prevention and the development of social entrepreneurship units.

My role in my sending body and community

Thirteen years ago I joined this institution.  From 2001- 2009 I was field worker in several villages. My main responsibility was assisting several villages in grant program follow ups.

The first time I accompanied a village in a slope Mount. Merbabu Boyolali district for one year. I live in the village and attend group activities being assisted Trukajaya by monthly meetings, with the various participants. The main activity is organized several small business group which are majority women member.

 Then, I was assigned by Trukajaya to assist another Village in Grobogan district, that is Rambat Village. I was fortunate to get a new experience that is different from before. Rambat is directly affected by Kedungombo dam construction project. Rambat people experienced a political violence during the 1960-1970's, which is considered to be followers of the Communist Party of Indonesia (Partai Komunis Indonesia/ PKI), a triumphed political party in the 1960's but later became a banned political party because it was considered a rebellion to the state.

Subsequent violence they felt some conflict about land acquisition, that is not fair to the people involved in the projects Kedungombo years 1980-1990. In the name of development, people must be willing to give up their land with very little compensation, and for those who do not want to give up their land intimidated, again with the PKI accused. Many families who lost their homes and took refuge in nearby villages were not flooded or outside the resettlement areas. To date, half of the rural communities still life of land inundation Kedungombo project.

Bad experience in the past makes Rambat people not easily to accept the presence of foreigner outside the village. As long as I live with Rambat people, I heard the story from older people who are witness of violence to the PKI.

During 3 years I stayed fully in that village which has a history of conflicts of land being transferred by the government  to others in order for a big dam construction project as a resource of electricity supply to occur. For the first time in my life, I learned about the struggles of farmers and their families who lived on the land that they used to be the owner, but now the status of that land is inundation  lands (in a simple meaning is: they still may work on that rice fields, but if at any time the water outlet door is opened by the project management, then the water inundates the land, the farmers do not have the right to protest, they are not the owner of the land anymore, the land owner is the project management). They are marginalized people.

With the character of the people who had "hurt" so, they difficult to accept outsiders to enter their village. So that the necessary approach acceptable to all elements of society : parents, youth and children is to live together with them. With good cooperation, now that they have started to open to the entry of outsiders. Some of the programs we run well there, organic farmer groups established in 2003 is still active in organic farming even on land inundation. After that I moved to accompany other villages with the main program of organic agriculture.

I was there on behalf of Trukajaya as a rural development worker in the various programs : water supply system, house renovation, farming and credit for small business development. I started by building communication activities with the village government and several community leaders, both in formal meetings and informal discussions then I proceeded to the stage of the formation of groups, activity planning, implementation and monitoring. After getting married and having children, since 2006 until now I could not stay together with my community fully but only commuted.

Then from May – August 2008 Trukajaya gave me a special duty to help initiate a program of organic farming in Titian Budi Luhur Foundation (Y-TBL) Parigi Moutong Sulawesi Island. This led me to becoming the Program and Training Manager of Trukajaya from 2009.  I managed the programs, field worker activities and also facilitated joint programs between Trukajaya and partners. 

From 2011 to the present  I am a Food Security Program Coordinator of Trukajaya. My main responsibilities are managing the Food Security Program in the Trukajaya, in which I work in 7 villages with farmer groups, women's groups and youth groups.  I have to continue to encourage rural people to find their potential to develop their villages to be better while respecting nature.

Me and my husband

In my culture, to build relationship between a man and a woman, usually the man starts to approach the woman. But my story is opposite, I started first. It is not good according to our culture but I broke it, this way is high risk because I did not follow our culture so that people can have negative thinking of me. But I’m lucky my husband always is positive thinking since the first days of our relationship. I knew him when we are together in our institution, Trukajaya.

I just know his thinking from every meeting and every discussion when there is a problem in our institution, he had a lot of positive ideas. No falling in love between us. It was very zero in our feeling. At the time I was 32 years old while he was 37 years old. For other women who just silence then they get partner easily, no need to do something. But for myself I realized that I really need someone who wants to share with me as a good partner in my life. But reality in my life, I never get something easily by waiting only. Then I took the first initiative to bring him closer to me. But I honestly told him I just wanted to have a good friendship for sharing many idea. We discussed many things. I tried to fall in love with him quickly but failed. During our closeness, I discovered that he is a good man and smart.

Then I started to take the liberty to clarify, I said "Now we are close to each other, which would we brought this relationship?”  He doesn’t talk anything. Then I said “I want to know your opinion now, because for 10 minutes again I do not want to talk about it anymore, so please think and answer me in 10 minutes " Then he replied : “I also do not know what to do but I need to think to answer you and 10 minutes is not enough for me, you do not joke, please. I said : “Ok, this is my decision: we have to take a " moment of silent " to know what happen if we are apart. But 2 days after, in wedding party of our friend, he began to show an answer, he fixed my hair, helping to tie my shirt and hold my hand with a confident without asking, without a single word and always making sure I always have in his view anywhere. Then he catch me very seriously toward marriage. The first time I was invited to his house and I was introduced to his parents as the bride of his choice, that's when I just fell in love with him.

I am hesitant, but I found myself also brave. I don’t remember where the braveness came from, when I decide to started my relation with him. Apparently, my braveness was what made him fall in love to me. That big decision makes me aware that everything we want is easy for people to understand when we show it positively, seriously and respectfully. Then my self confidence grew more.

My husband really likes the martial art, especially sotokan karate. Long before I knew him, he was a karate athletes, he was a winner in some competition and games in the provincial level. I learn from him about achievement. In our life, achievement is very important for increasing our confidence but another learning in my life taught me how to be humble.

We had grown in the different background, different thinking and different habits which raised some misunderstanding and conflicts. Two of us wanted to be the winner. Interaction with our each big family are also special learning for both of us. But he said: “All these process during interaction arise as a sign that we're both serious in our relationship. So let's go ahead continue our steps together”. Finally 1.5 years after, we decided to get married. We aware that true love is not just falling in love. If we can do or give our best thing to others when actually we don’t want to do it, that is true love.

Big support for this learning

I’m very lucky my husband is strongly agree and very supportive, and he handle everything to support me to go to ARI. Taking care our children, bringing them to everywhere, because he cannot leave them, he delivered our daughter to go school, then prepare many thing to our baby, then he go to work as a preschool teacher, then pick out our daughter from school back to home. I imagine how difficult to do it. Even though his mother helps to care for the baby, but she cannot help all the day, we stay at the same town but quite far from our house and she visits them every time he go to work, only.

We broke many difficulties, my children still young but I left them, I will lose their growing period, my daughter like my friend at home and she really missed me as much as I miss her. I knew that hurt them, but this learning in ARI also important and became good learning for my family.

Ten days before came to ARI , I'm 40 years old. I really want to celebrate my birthday, even simple it’s OK. Many friend and family gave me " happy birthday" by face book and SMS when I woke up in the morning. I want to get something special from my husband, but I got nothing, he forgot my birthday. Even only say " happy birthday " , no ... nothing. I waited from morning, he forgot. At the afternoon  he still forgot. Then night, he still forgot ... Ok, time was over. I have to decide by myself. I came to him and said : Hey, today is my birthday .... let's say happy birthday to me ... and my husband just remember my birthday and say " Oh, my God, I'm sorry and I'm stupid, I regret, etc ".

And it is also happened in the last year, and the year before, and the year before. And I always remind him. So, my 40th birthday goes by, nothing special. But I realized that he was giving his sacrificed to raise me up and to support me to reach my dream by joining training in ARI. That is the biggest support for me.

How I came to ARI?

Three years ago, I was offered by my director for a golden opportunity to ARI. I passed a long process and struggling during discussion in my application letter until I am being accepted as a participant ARI 2014. It’s not a simple thing and I am very grateful with this blessing. My director offered me after some friends refused by many difficulty reasons : leaving family and fear of goes away for long time.

When I took this opportunity, many friends asked "why did you go to Japan when your children are still small, they need your presence in the golden age, you will lose that moment”. That’s also good question and it makes me realize that I will take a high risk again, not only myself but many special person sacrificed to me, so I have to do my best and I have to respect them by catching all of learning from ARI to give to my communities and my family.

I’m very lucky as ARI participant, there are many new experiences and special lectures everyday through my eyes, my ears and through all of my senses. Before coming to ARI, since the year 2012 in my application letter, I told also about the big questions. That the rural community is the master and ruler of all food products that support all human beings on this earth, but why do they always remain poor?

Poverty contains many difficulties and risks. I learned about how tough the villagers live a high risk throughout life. World trade in goods : cars, buildings, and other valuables and even soul, they got insurance. But there is no insurance for the agricultural activities carried out by the villagers. If they failed harvest due to pests or disaster, no one wants to bear. But they have always proven to get past all the high risk. That's what makes me impressed and amazed at the villages and farmers. They are very special in my sight.

Some of them, the village became famous leaders. But the rest remained in the village became an inspiration to many people because of his work with his/her hands and all his/her efforts to support all the people who deserve reward often without even treated unfairly by the government of his own country who prefer to think of personal interest.

Those who live in the village became leader who led me to this place along. Sending body is just a medium, but the villagers we are working with, they are delegating me to learn and I have to report and share my learning to them.

Similarly, sustainable agriculture movement in the term of empower rural people is a never-ending learning. Tired, hard, long process and high risk. But I remember of my community who have contributed to make me to be here, those people who had given their love to me so that I am here today.

Chapter 2.

My Learning in ARI

In relation with question number 9.c in my application letter about Training Center “PUSPAPARI” which is established by my sending body, I reflected learning in ARI. There are 3 basic things :

1.        Curriculum learning in ARI is very unique and multi-dimensional and containing of useful  message knowledge for rural leader, NGOs worker, social worker, church member as well as parents in educating children, as members of the community who live in plurality, as the church in society, as human beings have a responsibility in 3 pillar: LOVE GOD-LOVE SOIL-LOVE NEIGHBOUR.

2.        We may not be able to apply exactly all the ways in ARI into our communities. We capture the basic concept but follow-up and the development will be a challenge for us to do based on the beneficiaries need or the characteristics of our communities.

3.        Particularly in the context of us as a church, I get a lot of inspiration that can drive Trukajaya together with the Synod of GKJ (Javanese Christian Churches) to continue Organic Farming church steps and develop more broadly in the context of the church's role in society and nature.

Then, I would like to inform several learning in ARI:

The first semester ended with the summer individual project, that we are given the freedom to choose what want to deepen our knowledge. But it’s also opened to new ideas beyond the options offered. Activities such as training / practice, internship in organic garden owners outside ARI, literature studies or other activities that can be done independently to add depth analysis of each participant during first semester studying at ARI. I chose the topic Nishinasuno church role in community development through cooperation with ARI. I learned how the church role; how the founding fathers of the church met and accord-ARI founder and having a same mind to perform continuous cooperation to date in community development through the training program, how the church congregation Nishinasuno encouraged to understand, how the theology of empowerment developed Nishinasuno church.

Daily activities and the lesson learnt

The following daily activities that have been scheduled in ARI and everyone should be involved without exception:

6.30: Morning ExerciseAs a village leader, we must always maintain our health with Radio Taiso (exercise by following instructtion and music from Radio at 6.30 pm every morning. One person guides to start every morning with leading a prayer. She/he was the one who will lead morning gathering that day. In this activity I learned about spirituality to start the day with meditation and the mind and physically health. Besides the influence on the pattern of a healthy body's biological time and waking up every morning at the same time. Every movement in morning exercise contains its own objectives for the health of every part of our body. The movement is very important for continue activities all the day.

6.35: Cleaning choreNo servant at ARI who the only one responsible person to do the cleaning anyway. Everyone take a role as a waitress in each part without exception, from the director, staff, volunteer, participant or visitors. Organizing all activities in ARI is unique and a new learning for me. Scheduling will be changed every certain periods. For example my first schedule of my first 2 months  is cleaning the office/ admin building then in the next 2 months will move to other parts such as koinonia, classroom, farm shop or other place. So everybody will have experience in cleaning all parts of ARI campus. Servant leadership is shown strongly in this activity. If in another office usually the top leader just direct and ask to do something to the employees, in ARI I saw Mr. Kenichi Otsu (Otsu Sensei), Director of ARI cleans the toilet every morning. Maybe that is only a simple thing and only one example, but it is a proof that ARI educates the community for having servant leader character.

7.00: Morning Foodlife Work and 17.00: Evening Foodlife WorkWe have 2 times a day : Morning Food life Work and Evening Food life Work in each group. I joined in FISH SECTION, we managed crops and vegetables, fruit and paddy fields. Also we manage fish ponds, ducks and goats. In comparison, group 2 is pigs management, groups 3 and 4 is chicken management, because the chicken population is quite large and should be done by 2 groups daily activity. Each group there are 6-7 members who led by a leader, while the leader was appointed alternately once every 2 weeks, so that each group member will experience as a group leader. In addition to livestock, each group was also given the responsibility to manage the crop and vegetables field each area of ​​1500-2500 m2 plus 1000-2000 m2 paddy field. Group 1, having a garden crop-veg most widespread among all groups.

The division of tasks in groups organized by Curriculum Coordinator (Yukiko Oyanagi) with the current leader.

Meal Service

Within Food life Work, from 6-7 members of each group, one person will be on duty at meal service met with representatives of other groups (one person will be in charge of meal service for 3 consecutive days to prepare breakfast and supper, then replaced others the next in a group). In group 1, one person will be in charge of feeding the fish and duck, so still stay 5 people, they are further divided 2 persons will manage other livestock activities such as making fish pellets or management around the fish pond, goat management (milking and providing grass for the goats) and 3 other person take care of a garden area of ​​2500m2. Rotation of the members of the group are set by the training curriculum section. Besides participants as group member, there are volunteers, staffs and visitors were joined in our Food life Work. Food life Work is the central of all the learning in living together with all community members.

8.15: Breakfast & break

12.30: Lunch and break

18.30: SupperBreakfast, lunch and supper time are medium for sharing, telling stories, funny or sad stories in the day time. This is a good time to build our communication and know each other well.
Morning Food life will be ended at 08:00, then 08:15 is breakfast time in a large room called KOINONIA. The food was prepared by meal service team that day, which represents 4 groups so that the number was 4 and accompany by volunteers and staffs. Of the 4 people that one of them be the leader who organizes the work of cooking and the leader is also responsible to introduce what foods are cooked and presented, such as main dish (main menu) and a side dish (companion menu) on a small table or soup or other additional food that are usually served at a large table (main table) for everyone who wants to take have to queue.
Meal times were particularly special time according to the Japanese culture. No matter how busy we are, or we have a personal business, all that had to be postponed because mealtime is time we began to socialize with the community of staff, volunteers, participants and visitors, we shared stories about the activities in the field, acquainted with each other because there is often a new visitor coming. The Japanese are very appreciative of this moment. If someone is sick and cannot come to take food in the koinonia, the roommate responsible for picking up the food and deliver it to her/ his friend who is sick in their room.
9.00: staff meetingWhile the participants prepare themselves for the day's lesson on schedule.

9.15: Morning GatheringMorning gathering is a very special event every day. All members of the community at ARI: staff, volunteers, participants are schedule to lead the morning gathering interchangeably. Morning gathering is a golden opportunity for the chair person to inspire all members of the community, through a presentation during a maximum of 35 minutes, can be supported by reading the Bible or Wedha or Al-Qur-an and sang hymns of Christian hymns or other community songs. In the morning gathering, chair person usually introduce him/herself, tell about personal or family life and values ​​that are important in life that can inspire the community.

10.00: Morning activity (in class / outclass)

14.00: Afternoon activities (in class or outclass)The next important activity is lecture. It can be in the main class if only a theory, or in the Farm Shop Classroom if continue to the practice. This course contains materials presentation, discussion, role playing, and also watching movie about community development, Sustainable Agriculture, Servant Leadership, Earth-quake warning system,  credit union, Tei Kei system in Japan at this time as well. Those lesson can also be filled with Farm Work is work in the field for example: planting sweet potatoes, planting corn or making silage for livestock feed supplies. In class activities are also very important to the make sharper thinking in our analysis and development. Lesson learned from those learning are the importance of organic production process in producing food for humans and animal feed and is based on theory and long discussions about the dangers of pesticides and chemical fertilizers as well as mastery of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides by transnational corporations who did destruction to the environment. In class activities are also very important to make our thinking sharper in analysis and development. We can discuss, agree, disagree and sometimes still have different arguments until the end; those never become problems in the learning.

Field Management Activity

Field Management Activity (FMA) every Friday, is time to reflect, report and sharing experience within group 1-4 during 1 week and arrange all activities for next week. At FMA, each group is expected to share experiences in the group, for example if they found their cabbage were attack by caterpillar then what is the solution and how its effectiveness, or encounter any problems. It can also be share on the subject to request a solution to the other groups. In this FMA observations garden and planning activities for the next week, led by the leader of the group. Leader is chosen by member and she/he had responsibility to facilitate and manage all activities during 2 weeks then continue other leader. Leader has a reflection time at the end of their leadership period. Lessons learned from this activity is sharing experiences to help each other in the community, also organize: how to lead and to be led.

19:30: Evening meetings, other activityAdditional class: Languages, Minngos Choir, discussion, movie, etc are wonderful learning opportunities that give enrichment to be a good leader. We can get many skills and knowledge from those learning.
Informal discussion to develop our understanding about villages, rural development and how to upgrade our capability as a good leader, in here everything is never limited. All of the learning method is applied with pedagogy. As adults we are always stimulated to open mind, open thinking, trying to understand, trying to accept a new learning from everyone.

21:30: Night PatrolEverybody have to stop from all activities, then go to sleep or rest in their dormitory, take care of health condition for the next activities tomorrow.

Practical Field Study

In addition to receiving knowledge from lecturers / teachers, we are also given the opportunity to share knowledge that we have brought from our own countries. So, for my part, coming as a Food Security program officer, I shared about how to make tempe (an Indonesia traditional food, made from soybeans and yeast).

Then tempe was also contributed as one of traditional food that served in Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration in ARI October 11-12^th 2014. Not until 2 hours, 50 pieces tempe are finished, because many people like to eat tempe. Good for everybody including vegetarian, high protein and vitamin, made from the best quality of Japanese soybean (ARI soybean is the best quality soybean and that is not GMO).

Leadership

I chose my biggest learning about leadership to be my individual project that have done in July as a small research about

THE HISTORY OF NISHINASUNO CHURCH MOVEMENT CONCERNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WITH ASIAN RURAL INSTITUTE

The objectives of this learning are :

1. To learn about the history of Nishinasuno Church establishment (describe the condition before establishment, what character of the foundation Christian makes the Church very different in Japan)
2. To learn about how Nishinasuno started to bring up community development issues as part of church responsibilities and concerns.
3. To learn about how Nishinasuno Church implemented community development activities in its congregations. What kinds of problems were prioritized and what kind of solutions were given.
4. To learn about the connecting between Nishinasuno Church and Asian Rural Institute that has led to sustainability terms of spiritual growth and care for the rural poor/ serving the marginalized people.

Methodology

This project have done in the form of :

1. Making terms of reference
2. Literature collecting,
3. Interviewing,
4. Analyzing,
5. Organizing discussion material,
6. Focus group discussion,
7. Evaluation
8. Writing and report

I arrange all the main activities together with Nishinasuno members and also in discussion with ARI Staffs (consultant/ curriculum coordinator).

Background selection of topics

Nishinasuno Church celebrated its 121 years birthday on September 16th 2014. This small study is not to produce a complete record of the history throughout the life of this church, but I tried to limit the background history of the Church Nishinasuno and immediately jumped on the results achieved in the realm of Community Development. The only reason why I jumped was not possible to collecting all the story because the study I completed in a matter of days or weeks. And that's just a starting point that can be developed into many topics. But I will give several recommendations that could be followed by other history enthusiasts of Nishinasuno Church and ARI.

One of my expectations came to ARI is to learn to know how the poor and farmers (including community and I accompanied my sending church) who have great potential, they should have the opportunity to develop themselves and their village. Participants who came to ARI are prepared and honed their ability as a leader to return to their village / country doing community development and community organizing is not personal but institutional. And this little church is a typical example of how a church institutions start, maintain and implement community development with strong leadership character they have.

Why I chose Nishinasuno Church?

As we know Christian people in Japan are only about 1% of population. This number is very small compared to Indonesia which are 7% of population. There are very rare big church in Japan. And compared to my church in Indonesia (GKJ Sidomukti Salatiga with the congregation of about 800 people), this Nishinasuno Church congregation is very small with few in numbers.

Many churches are doing various forms of community development. But I chose Nishinasuno because there is historical connection directly with ARI, the institution where I am now participating the rural leadership training. The concept of rural leadership that have passed through the history of this century is not likely to happen in an instant. From there I became interest in learning more about the church's role in community development as evidenced by the existence of the which has been educating 1272 graduates of participants to do Community Development of strengthening rural people from 5 continents on planet earth. It shows that this small church has been doing a lot of great works in term of community development.

I am very happy that I got permission from ARI campus and Nishinasuno Church to learn about it during my summer individual project. I am grateful to have the opportunity to do this project, to meet and listen the stories directly from the offender's history.
Interview results and collecting information

Flash back of Nishinasuno church history is very interesting to learn. I want to divide it into several periods that show what happened in the history of Nishinasuno Church and ARI in that each periods.

Pre establishment of Nishinasuno Church (1873 - 1893) I met 3 resources person are: Mr. Hajime Kikuchi, Mr. Hyuya Tamura and Mr. Kazuho Makino during July 26-28^th.

1.         Mr. Kikuchi is the second generation in the history of Nishinasuno Church and establishment ARI actors directly.

2.         Mr. Hyuya Tamura in his youth had been doing many activities with Rev. Haruo Fukumoto (Nishinasuno Church founder and the first pastor of the church) who also played a major role in the establishment of ARI. Mr. Hyuya Tamura also have a thorough knowledge of the history of the Nasu Canal which is little bit related to this article.

3.         Mr. Kazuho Makino is the next generation who still follow the history Nishinasuno and ARI until this day.

This is the story......

After the construction of the Nasu Canal by Innami and Yaita this area became fertile. Many newcomers from outside prefecture who eventually settled here, one of them is Mr. Tajima from Gunma Prefecture who came to Nishinasuno / Nasunogahara with his extended family at 1873. Gunma-ken is famous of silk worms cultivation. Tajima brought his knowledge from Gunma to Nishinasuno about how to manage the silkworm to one marketed to Yokohama. In Yokohama Tajima met a Christian Missionary and he became a Christian. It is not known whether the previous Tajima is Sintoism or other religion. Then the history of Christianity in Nishinasuno/Nasunogahara is began enter this place.

Nishinasuno community which is consisting of farmers and imigrant has characteristics that are open minded and receptive to new ideas. Tajima organize silkworm farmers in Nishinasuno. That is why nowadays we encounter many of the mulberry tree in surround ARI field. Tajima also formed a farmer cooperative that time.

Tajima show a good leader, so that many farmers followed his footsteps become Christian. Many times meetings was held in the framework of the organization of silkworm farming activities and worship by him. Church as communion has been formed but have not had a special place of worship. They call it Christian Meeting, not a church. Tajima leadership is really rooted in the community together in a fairly long period of time. Be told that Tajima also foster communication and excellent relations with Buddhist and Shinto communities around Nishinasuno.

Nishinasuno Church Establishment

The history jumps in the presence of Rev. Haruo Fukumoto from Tokyo to Nishinasuno. The foundations of a strong Christian community has been built long ago by Tajima in his day. Haruo Fukumoto is the next Christian leaders in the community sequel.

Fukumoto is a graduate of South East Asian Course (SEAC) 1960-1972) of Christian Rural Leader's Training by Evangelical Theological Rural Seminary in Tsurukawa Tokyo. Rev. Fukumoto later founded the church Nishinasuno on September 16th 1893 under the denomination of Methodist Church. Several other churches are also growing simultaneously as the development of Christianity in Japan that began at 3 centers : Yokohama, Kobe and Hokaiddo. The three centers had a same Japanese way of Christianity, that is implemented in a pluralistic condition.

In the Second World War the Japanese government applied the rule should not be any denomination, so all the Protestant churches in Japan became one unity so that easily to be controlled. Nishinasuno joined in UCCJ (United Christian Church of Japan) or Kyodan. That is why Kyodan homestay program for participants is a part of learning and effort for future relations with ARI history can be understood by participants.

History of the ARI, Tochigi (1960-1973)

History jumps back to the founding of ARI. As the material history by Otsu Sensei, before named ARI is now, it was once named SEAC in Tsurukawa (1961-1972). Rev Fukumoto one of the students in SEAC who attended various rural leadership training programs in several Asian countries. Fukumoto met Dr. Toshihiro Takami in Tokyo.
In the summer season, SEAC partisipants visited for survey to Nishinasuno Church congregation in farming community and their farming practices.

Having made ​​several observations about the condition of Nishinasuno, SEAC program moved from Tsurukawa to Nasunogahara / Nishinasuno in 1973 and renamed to be Asian Rural Institute whose program is the Asian Rural Leader Training. According to the Kikuchi Sensei telling, the reason why chose this place is because it is not too far from Tokyo (easy to access) but it is still village condition, fertile land (because of Nasu Canal building) and open-minded society.

Rev. Fukumoto fully supports the establishment of ARI in Nishinasuno. Due to a variety of support and has maintained an intimate relationship between SEAC and Nishinasuno Church for more than 10 years.

Therefore, the location of the new site ARI training program was decided in Nishinasuno in 1973 by Dr. Takami Sensei. Rev.Fukumoto is a key person who continue strong leadership character as one of the skills that must be owned by a community leader. Rev. Fukumoto became the first pastor in Nishinasuno Kyookai (1956-1991)

As Tajima did, Rev. Fukumoto also maintained a good relationship with the Budhist Monk and Shintoism people. In addition, he also developed a good relationship with some of the entrepreneurs in Nishinasuno, Major of Nishinasuno and banks, one of those is Asikaga Bank (because of always maintained a good relationship for decades, so this day Asikaga Bank became one of the supporters of the program at ARI).

Year 2004-until nowA little jump in 2004 the government Tochigi combine 3 locations: Nishinasuno, Kuroiso Nikko and Shiobara into a city. In that time the population of the three regions around 25,000 people but now increased to around 100,000 people. Like a ship, across the sea Nishinasuno Church Community Development continues with ARI. Establish a long history of this small church to be strong to face the challenges of the world.

From the participants stories about the activities of Community Development in their respective countries on ARI Sunday, Nishinasuno Church members can follow the movement of Community Development. Then the congregation is also involved in several activities in ARI. In the process of continuous interaction and mutual support that's Theology of Empowerment truly uniquely applied in this church.

Valuable lessons that can be taken

1.    Rev. Fukumoto and Tajima have the same way of thinking and a strong Christian leadership character is also applied in organizing farmers and farmer cooperatives. Leadership skill and knowledge was developed and became the core training program  by ARI.

2.    The leader is always be a pioneer of changing. Tajima pioneered Christianity in Nishinasuno. He was a brave and willing to work hard and thus provide a good example, then he is respected and members followed his step even passed on to the next generation. Fukumoto was also respected leader figure, because not only is willing to continue the positive steps of Tajima predecessor but Fukumoto also made bold steps in establishing Nishinasuno Church. Then Fukumoto together with Dr. Takami Sensei are the main thinker of ARI establishment. Dr. Takami developed servant leadership on learning in the next ARI. Their coordination is very good and effective by leaders. Leadership style may be different but they have the same goal in Community Development.

3.    Maintaining a good relationship with many parties is one of the strategies that must be mastered by a leader if she/he wants to do sustainability of Community Development.

4.    Leadership in Community Development was already started since before the establishment of the  Nishinasuno Church that makes this church is very special in Japan.

The Conclusion: Nishinasuno Church does not merely establish ARI, but the presence of ARI in Nishinasuno could not separated from the role of Nishinasuno Church. In its development until now, training in ARI activity was also strongly related to the activity of Nishinasuno Church. Both of these institutions are not belong to each other formally, but the philosophy underlying the establishment of these two institutions are the same, that is Community Development.

Benefits of Community Development concept by Nishinasuno Church and ARI The life of faith in Christ is not only shown in the weekly praying and worship in the church but the real action for the defense of the weak and marginalized people is a part of praying. This small church is an example of how to practice the teachings of Jesus Christ's love. In his day Jesus was speaking the truth and defended the poor and oppressed by the peace movement, the anti-violent but very effective and clear result, that is a change. Changes that we feel right now, but follow-up is the responsibility of the followers of Christ and it must be performed continuously.

Until today injustice is still happen in various forms all over the planet. In the name of development, the rural poor are often sacrificed. In the name of modernization and of some interest groups who have the power, people often ignore weak groups especially in rural areas. Yet they have great potential to act as subjects, not as objects of development.
Just as Jesus did, this village addressed church leaders in the world regardless of religious, ethnic and political backgrounds to serve rural communities in their countries. True Christianity realizes itself in plurality and this is truly appreciated by this small church.

Recommendations Recommendations for Nishinasuno Church are:

1. This small research is only a first step which is very shallow. I wish there was a development of ideas or a more in-depth study of the history of this church by many historians, church members or society at large. Can be a study of the literature and interviews or more complete researches.

2. Community Development topic in the church would be able to bring up other topics that realistically happening in many churches

3. Nishinasuno should begin to prepare new leaders who continue Community Development as Jesus Christ did.

4. Other recommendations can be added by anyone who is involved in the community development church

Recommendation for ARI are :

1.        ARI remains a tool of the church in serving the community in diversity and plurality as a part of church itself.

2.        ARI continues to educate the village leaders based on Christian Leadership, educating them to be able to capture the global issues of concern, then pass on to farmers and rural communities in accordance with their understanding then act locally with their idea and potency.

3.        Servant leadership will continue show and apply clearly into the whole learning.

4.        Village is a potential area to be developed in the future. ARI already have a lot of good resources : staffs, nature, partner or other support resources. ARI can develop themselves into larger institutional capacity to respond to local needs in the future, by providing a formal program as an example: Organic agriculture specifically, Community Development, Rural Development Strategy with Christianity spirit. So that participants will be better prepared by this learning and they will be ready to go back home with a clear image of good leader in community development.

Gender in the Community Development

Another my biggest learning I got from Rural Community Study Tour Group A in Okitama Yamagata. As a representative of my community, I am also accompanying several women groups in Central Java to participate in their village development. I am very grateful finally I met someone special who is a good example of leader.

For complete impression, I just want described her story about gender equity in community development by doing organic farming.

This is the story....

Mother is a manifestation of God's presence in this world. She is gentle but extremely powerful. She is punishing but she is educating. She sacrificed but she does not lose herself.

Background

I am searching so long to learn a real women right movement in rural community, and I am very happy to meet one special woman among many great rural leaders. She is our host family in group A who has very strong spirit and never give up to reach her dream to raise women right up to be equal with men, our mother, Misako Watanabe (57 years old).
Somehow the story that flows from her was able to overcome my sleepiness that night, when I felt very tired all that day. It's really remarkable. The character of a true leader is shown in her speech straightforward, but at the same time humble, and also honest but very touching. I did not get time to ask her personally but during 2.5 hours her sharing truly effected and inspired me. I admired her.

Organic Farming

Misako married when she was 23 years old. According to Japanese rural culture, after married, a woman have to follow her husband and lived in her husband family’s house. Before getting married Misako only involved in harvesting vegetables in her family garden, she doesn’t have enough knowledge about field management. But after married, she was given the responsibility to manage the whole family farm. “My best teacher is actually my grandfather-in-law. He taught me about farming : how to make seedling, hot beds, making compost, sowing, transplanting and apply organic fertilizer. “The teaching from my grandfather-in-law gave to me was only one way, that is what people now refer to as Organic Farming” she said.

But after grandfather in-law passed away, her parents in law applied chemical fertilizer and pesticide in their farm. "In the division of roles in the family, I managed vegetables with father and mother-in-law, while my husband was managing paddy field with organic way" she said. “One day my parents in-laws asked me to apply chemical fertilizers and pesticides on our vegetables, I doubt then I asked my husband, and my husband says: No, don’t apply, it's not organic”. Parents in-law was angry. Misako should obey the parents in law rule as a fellow at the vegetables section, but she ignored them. She said “I follow my husband decision because I knew he is right”.

Maybe because she has a strong willingness to know, she tried to learn more about Organic Farming from her husband. She said "My husband got a lot of chance to improve his knowledge about Organic Farming, but as a woman I never have time for it”. I asked him to share his organic farming knowledge, and we thought together how to develop women related with food, because women had important role in food management. After 3 years they made farmers wife activities within her husband farmer group meeting in their free time after lunch and dishwashing. They discussed about organic farming, natural cosmetic and food issue. At first time there were 30 members of farmers wife, then decrease became 10 people and finally only 3 people until now. Many difficulties in Organic Farming movement. Many neighbors insulted her. Only consumers who support her because they understood about safety food and the dangers of chemical inputs in agriculture.

She was struggling to pass many difficulties. When there were many small holes at the soybean, it dropped the price down, directly. Another experience is also 10 kg of Zuchini were valued only 100 yen. She and her husband tried to check again, maybe they are wrong counting, but there is not, their products are valued very cheap. She does not give up, she wants to meet her customers, whether they were satisfied or not to her products. She said: “Nowadays many people speak about safety food and food security, but at that time no one spoke it like now. My product are different, that is organic, people have to know it and I must  explain about my product”. It’s not easy to get trust from consumers. Many members give up.

International activities but local movement

That time she got sick for 1 month in the hospital. Her husband advised her to stop being a farmer and worked in the city. She does not want, because the spirit of organic agriculture already penetrated her soul.

At the time “helicopter chemical” for pesticides began to be applied every morning exactly time when the kids was going to school. She’s very sad. “To protect my own children, maybe I can take them by car so they are safe, but I think of the other children, they are new generations who need safety and good health” she said.

We knew that chemical toxics in pesticides are very harmful to humans especially children. Misako cannot keep silent, she made a big tarp post and she plug in surround her paddy fields, in the tarp that she wrote: "STOP CHEMICAL PESTICIDES TO FIELDS, REMEMBER CHILDREN". The article made many farmers around got angry, and they complain through her husband: "What did your wife does?”. She’s very sad, nobody understand her, she felt alone  that time. "My husband asked me to remove the post, in that day after. I was angry in my heart but I understood my husband’s feeling, without waiting for day after, that night while raining I ran to the field and I removed the posts while crying” she said with remembering that past.

But she still was not give up, she approached school teachers to announce to all students to use a mask and a hat to school every day. It was in some other areas, many cases of children illness after contact with chemical pesticide sprays. People who are not farmers did not know, but farmers knew that it is due to the chemical pesticide application. It’s very hard to stop "chemical helicopter", it can be understood because it helpful  the work of farmers, moreover they're getting old. Ten years after, the condition began to change. Many peasant communities began to dare to say stop "helicopter chemistry".

Tei Kei system then became famous. There was an invitation to be a speaker on Tei Kei abroad. Her husband (Tsutomu San) was very busy with 350 chickens and 8 cows. He could not leave the fields and livestock. Finally he said to me: "You must leave". Then Misako went there and she shared the experience of Tei-Kei as well as organic farming for 17 days in some countries: Egypt, Hungary, Austria, France, Czech and UK.

In Austria she met a woman who has the same experiences as her about how organic farming campaign struggles. She said: “I was thrilled, somebody in different place was same with me, I’m not alone”. It turns out I was not alone. It was a very treasure experience in my life, when I was 38 years old”. In 1990 she was invited again for sharing the same thing in several other countries: Poland, the Soviet Union (at that time). She also learned from them: no smell at the pig pen because pig pen was covered by wheat straw. “Good lesson for me, they do not know Japanese and do not know me before, but they opened their homes and their hearts to me”.

Bank Account

In the last part, she talked about a very important thing : “I am lucky because my husband is very understanding. When I get married, I do not have freedom of money. Despite my hard work, no holiday and all the results I gave to my parents in-laws. One time I asked permission to my husband to create my own bank account that I will fill it by money from my toil, separately accounts from his family. Unexpectedly, he was very supportive of it.

Since I had my own bank account, the results are very different. I was motivated because I know how much money I got, how much I earn it, and I spend it. Then I also enjoyed my life as a woman, as a wife with happiness, I took holiday for visiting several countries. I am very happy and I started to motivate the wives in our community that: women in rural areas should be able to stand on their own feet.

One by one she achieved her dream and stay humble and focused and straight at the goal from the beginning, never turn the bow. She educates women in her communities to make positive steps without fear. One interesting thing is as a brave woman, independent and she can go flew to where and whenever she wants, but Misako still put herself as a good mother and wife who respect her husband in each decision and step she chose.
Many barriers and obstacles she cleared one by one. Although chemical helicopters still running on ​​fields, we cannot say that her struggle was failed. The condition show the reality how struggle a leaders taking care their movement such as Misako Watanabe that good movement is never end.

Section 3. My Dream

Sovereign Village to Food

As a carrier of the mandate of the Food Security program from Trukajaya’s community, I have a dream which is be divided into two levels, Indonesia and rural community that I am working with. Inspired from PRA / PLA method I taught at ARI, I would describe the dream in particular I appeal only to the context of rural food security.

I want to start my dream from my answer of application letter before coming in ARI. That is question number 8.b. Please describe one or two childhood experiences that influenced you.

My answer is “When I was child, every time somebody asked me about my dream, I said my dream is become minister of agriculture". I do not know at all what I was talking about. During my life until today, I realized that becoming a minister of agriculture for me personally is only a funny dream, but now I can describe that dream in the different shape. My dream about farmer and agriculture, they both will be attractive, beautiful, beloved by everybody, fun all mankind.

In further discussion in my application letter I also wrote that directly agriculture intersect with the lives and can be the core of the welfare of all people across the other business, but I also wonder "why do they remain poor?". In addition I also wrote that I had to see and felt how heavy toil of farmers in Java since planting up to harvesting, how heavy toil of farmers in Japan?

Villages in Indonesia are synonymous with poverty. Villages in Indonesia collectively constitute a major food manufacturer through the hands of the farmers. Farmers should be the master of food. Guarantee of food security should be the rights of farmers and villagers. I found that is my BIGGEST DREAM.

 My Dream of Food Resources Management in Indonesia

This following table is a condition that I want to be come true in Indonesia scope. The left column is containing of food security supporting possibility ideas. While the right column is containing of descriptions of the left column.

Food Management	Food sovereignty and farmers dignity
Seed Management and protecting	Local Seed Sufficiency. Staple food seed: paddy, soybean, corn, vegetables and fruits. Local fruits: mango, banana, durian, guava, jackfruit, sawo. Local Cerealia: green bean, rice, soybean, corn, sweet potato. All of those are always provided by farmer so that they don’t need to buy anymore.
Staple food management	Save, respect and campaigning the diverse of staple food: rice, corn, cassava, sagu, sweet potato consumption. During this time, Indonesia people too much depend on rice as staple food. Diversification of staple food will support food security for rural people, so that when they face paddy yield fail, they can eat other staple food
Government import-export policy	Appropriate import food products. During this time, many kinds of food products are imported by government. Include rice, soybean, cassava, yet we have plenty land and good soil to produce those kinds of crops. Even salt, we also import yet we have soo plenty oceans surround Indonesia area. Indonesia government should reduce import product that Indonesia farmers can produce by themselves, and government should support to develop villagers salt production technology.
Food Processing Technology for farmers	Supporting farmers food product industries: preservation food, salt, etc in term of value added to the product marketing
Nutrient for rural people	Rural people always have enough nutritious food for their family, at least staple food, vegetables, protein, and fruits. No more hunger in Indonesia.
Women involvement	Inspired by Misako Watanabe experience that women had important role in food management (section 2), women in rural area should be brave to take a main responsibility in food security for family. They can arrange each step of food production, processing, preservation, enough nutritious and food saving activities in family.

Availability of local food in the village

This following table is a condition that I want to be come true in Lembu Village as a representative of all our community. The left column is containing of food security supporting possible ideas. While the right column is containing of descriptions of the left column.

Potencial issue	Kinds of food material
Seed sufficient	Rice, Ground nut, Cassava, Taro, Sweet potato, Local beans, any other tuber plants. Farmers always keep the seed continuously, do not need to buy seed.
Staple food	Rice, Cassava, Sweet potato, Corn, Taro, Gembili. People respect to all of those kinds by consumption them as staple food equally, not only eating rice
Cereal:	Cassava, Sweet potato, Corn, Green bean, Taro, Gembili
Vegetable	Cassava leaves, Amaranthus (jawa spinach), Chili, Long bean, Eggplant, Others: tomato, kangkung,
Local fruit	Farmers have enough harvest Mango, Banana, Coconut, Sourshop, Jackfruit, Papaya and they know how to manage, preserve and market those products.
Protein resources	Farmers enough consumption of protein from local beans, cereal, ground nut, egg, chicken and meat
Cash Crop	Farmers will sell their product as left over from family food sufficient (after enough for their own family, then they can sell the product, not the opposite one)

   

During the 8 months of my learning at ARI, the overall perception of its own material form of peasant poverty, the gap between the poor and the rich in rural and urban areas, the role of government should be, the mentality and character of the individual farmers, natural resource management and the future of agriculture.

Farmers should be the richest groups in Indonesia because they feed all people in the world. But the poverty label affixed to the farmers in the village have turned the state. Central Java famous as area that have fertile soil. But in reality the situation in the villages assisted Trukajaya : which is rice-producing village in Central Java, farmers cannot manage food resources in the village. Farmers in these villages trapped in poverty along. They need to be strengthened and built up their confidence that they are able to make decisions on their business and all aspects of life in the village, not dictated by the rulers continued from outside the village.

During this time the Indonesian government implemented RASKIN Program Policy (Rice for the Poor). Farmers received several kilograms subsidiary rice in the cheap price. This program is a portrait of perversion status from farmers as food owner becomes famers as the weak ruler who depend on food aid. All were governed by rulers from outside, not by the farmers. Even more terrifying, that rice from the rice program were distributed to farmers are bad quality of rice. Food products of the village are treated as a commodity to be reckoned with economic formulas to benefit investors, ignoring farmers as the original owner of the food itself.

Also various credit assistance programs and grants to farmers for increasing agricultural production. Farmers in the village assisted by Trukajaya are representation of Indonesian farmers. They produced harvest every season. But they remain poor and hungry cases were still occurred in various parts of Indonesia.

From Shimpei Murakami class about FAO survey in food consumption, at the global level it was noted that when the one-third of food in the world are wasted, on the other hand one billion people were suffering from hunger (CGIAR Annual Report 2013). So the issue is not the production of food. Because no matter how enhanced production, will not solve the problems of hunger in various parts of the world, if still continue one-third of food are wasted.

When I got home, I would be a farmer group facilitators to conduct PRA from this my chapter 3 extended. Farmers will describe their dreams about food sovereignty in their family and it will spread in their villages. From the results of the PRA I want to bring them to the goal of "Sovereign Village to Food" is still in line with my sending body, Trukajaya’s vision and mission.

I would to share the experience of this training in the following manner:

1. I am going to organize all the material learning such as hand out, note and documentations into a group of module consisting of: leadership, community development, rural development strategy, philosophy-farming techniques and movement, alternative education, environment-life and culture, gender and food security. 
2. I am going to make a schedule for the sharing and discussion of the modules with my communities, especially in food security issue and gender in rural development.
3. I am going to empower my community to find out a suitable alternative application for the conditions and the nature of Indonesian society.

My personal dream

One more my personal biggest dream is “I want to be a farmer”. This dream was inspired by Haga Sensei in the very last learning in classroom which is one answer of my question. Farmer do not need to be poor. They should be rich. How? They should be smart, creative and diligent to do their farm. They should have many skills and always increase their capability as farmers.

I want to start my dream in the following manner :

1.                                                                                      I’m still working in NGO, I also want to be a cattle rancher

2.             I need to learn to raise cattle for 1 year in my community to know clearly how much time, energy and effort that I have to spend to maintain one cow.

3.                                                                                      For that I will rent a small land, cultivating enough grasses for feeding my cow

4.             I will join the existing farmer groups in my neighborhood, to improve my knowledge and information about cattle management.

5.                                                                                      I will build one unit biogas digester in my house.

If I could realize my dream, I will be more confident when talking to the farmer than I am not a farmer.

Conclusion

We cannot directly compare the conditions in Japan and in Indonesia only of what we see and we feel at one time. In Indonesia, farmers never take care of the availability of healthy food for their families, instead farmers are preoccupied with how to generate tons and tons of rice, corn, soybeans, vegetables and fruits to produce a certain amount of money. Farmers do not produce their food crops, but produce cash crops.

Poverty contains many difficulties and high risk. I learned about how the villagers live  high risk throughout life. There are insurances for goods such as  cars, buildings, and other valuables and even soul. But there is no insurance for the agricultural activities carried out by the villagers. If their harvest fails due to pests or disaster, no one wants to care. But they have always proven to get past all the high risk. That is what makes me impressed and amazed at the villages and farmers. Some of them became famous leaders, but the rest remained in the village and became an inspiration to many people because of their work with his/her hands and all of his/her efforts to support all the people who deserve reward.

Women in rural area could be brave to take a risk in a movement to reach their dream and encourage each other to explore their great potential. Women should be able to describe what they have, what they need and what they want to do in community development clearly. They should not only wait and follow some decision which is dictate them without critically thinking.

Many great leaders and successful persons come from and grow in the rural area. Presidents, ministers, heads of regions, and many formal and informal leaders were villager. The village has become a medium of learning that produces great leaders include women.

The people of Indonesia consists of 70 % of farmer/ villagers and 30 percent are not farmers. As I said in my sending body presentation that the village has great potential and something important if managed in a good way. There is evidence of the strength that they could feed the entire population with agricultural products. The village is rich in terrific resources.

I learned from them about how to lead and to be led, never give up, even though nowadays nature in the village and their environments is not supportive of their life. They are the heroes of food security, but those who bear the greatest risk of hunger. It is ironic. Rural area is a provider of foods and great people in the world .

My church community started several projects together with other people to do many activities related to Organic Farming to Food Security Programs and in rural areas. As Jesus did, churches have to take responsibility to do community development for helping poor people which is explained in 2 Chorinthians 8 : 1-9. Churches in Indonesia have the important role to care for the poor either directly or indirectly. Based on that Commandment, from this process of my project, Community Development held by Nishinasuno Church through ARI traning inspires other churches to think and to do the same activities according to their condition and their local characteristics.

Lastly, I want to invite all of you reader, let’s continue our dream more and more.....

You were born with potential. You were born with goodness and confidence.

You were born with ideals and dreams.

You were born with greatness.

You are not meant for crawling.

You have wings, learn to use them and fly to the new hope, life and love

Tochigi, November 2014

Eunike Widhi Wardhani