Hiding<\/p>\n
By Sri Kiswanti<\/p>\n
The ancient church on the road was located precisely next to
\nMr. Sartono's house. It was going to be demolished and everybody
\nknew this. The village head had distributed a circular to local
\nresidents about the road-widening project two weeks earlier. The
\nproblem about this was that the church was not just a place of
\nworship for the local residents. Oh no. More importantly, the
\nchurch had its own historical value, it was said, and many local
\nresidents voiced their disagreement of its slated demolition.<\/p>\n
Everyone in the village recognized the good intentions of the
\nvillage head when he told them that he would have a new, better
\nand larger church built on a plot of land owned by the village
\nadministration. But, once again, the problem was not that simple
\nfor the local residents.<\/p>\n
\"Although we have never visited the church, it does not mean
\nthat we don't care about its presence. However bad one may think
\nof us, we are sane enough to continue taking care of it,\" said
\nsome villagers. But what about Mr. Sartono? He looked calm and
\nunperturbed.<\/p>\n
For all the years it stood, there had never been more than
\nthree villagers who went to this church on Sundays. The majority
\nof the church congregation, therefore, was made up of the people
\nliving in the next village.<\/p>\n
Mr. Sartono simply smiled when Broto, a cock-fight enthusiast,
\ncame to his house saying that if the village head had the courage
\nto demolish the church, he and his friends would lodge a protest.<\/p>\n
\"This is a matter of self respect!\" Broto said.<\/p>\n
Looking thoughtful he added that the disappearance of the
\nchurch would bring discomfort to the lives of the villagers
\nbecause in its absence they would become too concerned with other
\npressing matters.<\/p>\n
Mr. Sartono could guess where Broto was leading him. Broto's
\nhouse, also located on the road but to the east, greatly depended
\non the presence of it. If the church was torn down, so would his
\nhouse.<\/p>\n
Parlan, Lopeh, Sukas and Kawit, who usually spent their
\nnights playing cards at the night watch post, also came to Mr.
\nSartono's house. They expressed their disapproval of the plan to
\ndemolish the church for a road-widening project, too.<\/p>\n
Their houses, just like Broto's, were located on the road and
\nwould also be demolished if the church had to go. All the houses
\ndepended on the outcome of the church.<\/p>\n
\"Trust me, sir, we will go to church regularly,\" Sukas tried
\nto assure Sartono.<\/p>\n
\"In our childhood we often performed a mass there,\" added
\nLopeh, trying hard to revive a past memory.<\/p>\n
Again, Mr. Sartono only smiled.<\/p>\n
Words were passed around that Mr. Sartono disapproved of the
\nplan to broaden the road. No one knew who first spread this
\nrumor. As the villagers understood it, Mr. Sartono never objected
\nto this plan although his house was located next to the church.
\nThe village head gave his promise to have a better church built
\non a plot of land owned by the village administration.<\/p>\n
As Mr. Sartono was one of the village figures, this rumor had
\nspread rapidly. Mr. Sartono himself was not aware of it until
\nsomeone visited him and told him about it. As usual, he only
\nsmiled. He knew well that his name had been intentionally used to
\nblock the road-widening project.<\/p>\n
But Mr. Sartono didn't take the trouble to respond to the
\nrumor. He believed that it would disappear by itself and the
\neventual truth would be found out. Mr. Sartono simply proceeded
\nwith his routine and went every day to his rice field to till the
\nland, unruffled by the rumor.<\/p>\n
The rumor that Mr. Sartono was against the road-widening
\nproject was spreading even wider now. Everybody talked about it.
\nAt the food stall, in the rice field, in the market or even at
\nschool; all the villagers had heard about it. All of them.<\/p>\n
Yet, the rumor remained just that. The road-widening project
\nwent on regardless. The village head and some administration
\nofficials had measured the yards which would be appropriated for
\nthe project. According to the village head, after it was
\ncompleted, the road would be asphalted. Then they would propose
\nto the relevant authorities that rural transportation could use
\nthis road. In this way the villagers would no longer need to walk
\nnor ride a bike to town.<\/p>\n
All these nice plans, however, failed to arouse the villagers'
\nenthusiasm to support the project.<\/p>\n
One day, the villagers whose land, houses or yards would be
\naffected by the project visited Sartono's house. They knew Mr.
\nSartono kept quiet and they also knew he was the only person who
\ncould help them stop this project.<\/p>\n
\"It is not that we are unwilling to give up our land for the
\nroad-widening project. No. But, the church, Mr. Sartono. We must
\nstop it from being pulled down. You must remember that the church
\nused to help us a lot,\" said one of them, trying to recall
\nsomething about it.<\/p>\n
\"Right. Besides, this is the oldest church in the village,\"
\nadded another person. Sartono knew full well that this man
\nusually sat on the bridge close to the district market, a red-
\nlight area.<\/p>\n
One day, the village head came to Mr. Sartono's house. He
\nthought he would discuss the rumor about his disapproval of the
\nroad-widening plan.<\/p>\n
He was wrong. The village head told him that the plan had been
\ndropped.<\/p>\n
\"Why?\" Mr. Sartono asked surprised.<\/p>\n
\"The usual financial difficulty.\"<\/p>\n
\"Yesterday?\"<\/p>\n
\"Yes, yesterday. We got a promise that the fund would be
\ndropped,but ...\"<\/p>\n
\"But why?\"<\/p>\n
\"Suddenly there was a notification that the plan had to be
\naborted. The funds promised will be used for other important
\nmatters,\" the village head said.<\/p>\n
Mr. Sartono sat in front of the church with the other two
\nregular churchgoers. Just as before the introduction and aborting
\nof the road-widening plan, there was only Mr. Sartono and the two
\nothers.<\/p>\n
Three weeks later, the old church which was already hundreds
\nof years old collapsed. The walls and rafters were rotten and
\nhollow. Mr. Sartono tried asking the other villagers to lend a
\nhand to rebuild it, but there was no response. The villagers'
\nhouses remained locked as if they were unoccupied.<\/p>\n
-- Translated by Lie Hua<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hiding-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }