Dream A [Dream] Team

[July 30th, 2007  picture taken at the Sentani Airport, 

my last day in Jayapura, Papua, before departed back to Jakarta]

I have a reunion gathering today with my former colleague and some partners from one of District Health Office in Papua. They were my most favorite partners while worked together for the maternal health issues in Papua :) I am so flattered that they still remember me and spent times to meet me during their hectic schedules here in Jakarta. 

Not only talked about the old days while we still worked together at district, but also about current working condition there, where they have to deal with a new foreign boss who unfortunately knows nothing about local condition and seems that more busy with his owned interest than strengthen the team, which seems to get worst than before.  

Sometimes I just can't understand with some of the international organization's rules, especially in personnel issues. Instead of selecting a local who can understand local condition, they prefer to appoint those who come in from far-out land who doesn't know a thing. Who knows better about Indonesia, other than Indonesian ??? Forgive me to say this, but I have seen, many foreigner posted especially in Papua, not only they have no experience and knowledge about local people and condition, but also can't speak in bahasa where it is difficult to find people understand english ! So can you imagine how they can communicate and furthermore, develop a fruitful development program based on what most needed for Papuan ??? 

I feel bit upset knowing what is happening there now, as I do concern about Papua, my former partners and colleagues there. I really wish that I can hear all good things about Papua and how the development programs there have running and managing well, based on what Papuan's wanted and needed, and NOT based on what donor's or Jakarta's people wanted. [Btw, 'am bored with many people answered on this matter by saying "because of political purposes, etc etc" yaaa yaaa yacchhh, at the end, this is all about "politics" ???] 

But inside my heart, I thank God that today 'am no longer part of a team which concerns more about what Donor's wanted than listening the local voices, and infighting among team members ! It takes time to realized on this [in fact some of the team member including me, have to quit to understand this insight!]. Truly, that to understand what happened in your life, is one of the greatest gift God can give you. To have it explained. And especially about this issue, now I understand it...but still hope to have another opportunity to back in there again, and put things right for Papuan ... with a better solid team. 

This is [still] my dream. My ambition.