Read the first part of the essay here

Having spent some years in the U.S., I decided to join the Oregon Jesuits and here I am the only Indonesian among a small number of Asians. The dominant culture in this province is still Euro-Caucasian culture, which is totally different from my culture and the issue before me is how I can identify myself as a Chinese Indonesian while at the same time be a Jesuit of the Northwest United States. This was on my mind as I traveled to distant Bethel, Alaska as part of my novitiate experience.

The beauty of Alaskan nature helps me to deal with these issues of identity. Moreover, the spring in Alaska is particularly beautiful, with light snow showers and a sun that sets as late as 11 pm. Spring is also the season for bird migration and Bethel is under the flight path of many species that fly north to breed high in the Arctic before later returning to warmer regions far to the south. Some of the birds flying above Bethel are on their way from New Zealand or South America and have traveled a long way to make it to Alaska. Watching those birds speed on by makes me realize that they have many homes as part of their identity as migratory birds. I am also like those migratory birds, flying thousands of miles away from my home country, and yet I can also call this northern country my home.

I am still a Chinese Indonesian but I am also a Jesuit novice of the Oregon Province. And while I still prefer my Asian ways of using chopsticks for every meal and kicking off my outdoor shoes when I enter the house and slipping on my sandals – these cultural matters don’t make me any less of an Oregon Jesuit.

Apart from experiencing God’s grace from watching Alaska’s migratory birds, I have also received many graces from meeting the people of Alaska. One day, a Yupik Eskimo lady invited me to her home for dinner. She has a very small house but she shares it with five adopted children. Out of her compassion she has adopted Eskimo kids from troubled families and her generous character reminds me of the poor widow in Luke’s Gospel who gave out of her poverty. I also met a Chinese man who regularly works for fourteen consecutive days without a day off. He is Catholic and the only time for him to go to Church is when he gets the rare day off. He doesn’t earn much money as a cook but nonetheless he always brings fresh fruits to the Church. If you hadn’t guessed, fresh fruits and vegetables are very expensive in Alaska and this makes his giving all the more significant.

That being said, I personally did not really experience living in actual poverty while in Alaska for my ‘poverty experiment’. Nonetheless, I can say that my trip was full of graces because I have come to a better understanding about my own identity through the prism of that distant town of Bethel. This is the way God wants to embrace me and, as is often the case, it is in a way that I never expected and I can say that I am very grateful for this experience. I would like to offer much thanks for all who pray for novices while they’re out there in Alaska or some other place deepening their relationship with God and the people of God. We are certainly praying for all of you.