Flying over Indonesia gave me a sense of what a wonderful, rich and diverse country it is, so many islands (more than 13,000), so many mountains, such dense, green jungles and bright sunshine. We were met at the airport with great warmth by a welcoming and smiling people.

In the WARC executive committee we have heard of the troubles in Indonesia for several years, and have wanted to visit our churches to assure them of the prayers, love and support of the Reformed family around the world, so it was good to be there. I was sorry that I could not go to Poso in Central Sulawesi, but I recognized that the presence of Christian visitors there would endanger their lives so it was better for them to come to us in Jakarta.

I was so glad that it was an interfaith visit, that those of us coming from outside were also Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists as well as Christians. It was my first time on such a visit and I appreciated just how much we gained from the thoughtful perspectives of such a diverse group.

It was hard to hear the pain of so much violence and the fears of both communities. Too many people have died already and so many have fled in fear of their lives. That it is Christian as well as Muslim fundamentalists who make the trouble, and that more Muslims than Christians have died, was painful for us to hear. But there is hope in the Malino agreements, and the courage and faithfulness of the people in small and big ways, and especially the women who took every opportunity to work together across the community divide, was so encouraging. It was therefore even more painful to hear on August 17 that five Christian villages near Tentena had been razed to the ground, taking the violence even closer to the those who had already fled for their lives.

I continue to think of the people I met and of all those I had no opportunity to meet, and I pray for peace.

Elizabeth Nash, United Reformed Church in the UK