{"id":8112,"date":"2023-07-18T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-18T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/each-in-their-own-accent\/"},"modified":"2024-12-09T17:17:43","modified_gmt":"2024-12-09T17:17:43","slug":"each-their-own-accent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/stories\/each-their-own-accent\/","title":{"rendered":"Each in their own accent"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cI learned that each participant has their own accent; it comforted me to know that having an accent is normal,\u201d says Hens Sita, a member of GITJ Kelet, Indonesia.  <\/p>\n

In advance of the Mennonite World Conference Assembly in Indonesia, IndoMenno (a collaborative of the three Indonesian synods*) facilitated language classes in both English and Indonesian.  <\/p>\n

Up to 1 000 guests, many of them English-speaking, were anticipated to attend Mennonite World Conference\u2019s Assembly 17 in Indonesia in 2022<\/a>. Some 100 local volunteers were recruited to serve them.  <\/p>\n

MWC offers all written and most spoken communication in English, Spanish and French. For Assemblies, English and the local language \u2013 in this case, Bahasa Indonesian \u2013 become the stage language while interpreters relay proceedings through headsets in Spanish and French.  <\/p>\n

Not only were Indonesians learning to speak English, MWC event staff also took lessons in Indonesian.  <\/p>\n

Deeper knowledge <\/h4>\n
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Hens Sita (Interpreter: English-Indonesian), Maria Hoffscholte Spoelder, Henk Stenvers, J. Nelson Kraybill. Photo: Nelson Okanya<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

MCC International supported the classes, teachers and materials. <\/p>\n

For English, a two-day training session equipped teachers to offer local classes (supported by videos and written materials). The target of 60 trainers was nearly reached: each then trained multiple learners in their local congregations for more than a hundred volunteers to serve Assembly guests. <\/p>\n

Hens Sita joined the classes \u201cto have deeper knowledge of the English language and self preparation on how to welcome guests with proper and polite English.\u201d She interpreted English into Indonesian in some workshops and appreciated the opportunity to join seminars to learn more about Mennonites during Assembly.  <\/p>\n

Her highlight was serving as interpreter at the Margokerto satellite site for the presidential transition <\/a>from J. Nelson Kraybill to Henk Stenvers. <\/p>\n

Key words and good attitudes <\/h4>\n

Indonesian classes were offered online twice a week for about two months for the six Assembly staff who were based in Indonesia. <\/p>\n

Although the instruction wasn\u2019t enough to learn the language, Assembly staff learned key words, basic language structure and some cultural factors. \u201cAlthough I always brought someone to translate for me when meeting with people [on business], it was still very helpful [to have taken the classes],\u201d says Ebenezer Mondez.  <\/p>\n

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Ebenezer Mondez. Photo: Nico Yonatan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In his work on the multilingual website and the complicated registration forms, this basic knowledge of Indonesian language and culture often proved useful. <\/p>\n

Tagalog-speaking Ebenezer Mondez had an advantage in learning Indonesian from a related language family. \u201cBecause of the training, I was able to connect some dots between the two languages\u201d and he was pleased to be able to get around the city independently. <\/p>\n

\u201cI never had any opportunities to speak Bahasa Indonesia after leaving the country and I\u2019m afraid I will lose it in the long run,\u201d says Ebenezer Mondez, \u201cbut I actually think it is a very important language for us in Southeast Asia since it\u2019s spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Timor Leste.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cMWC is about creating relationships in our global family,\u201d says Liesa Unger, chief international events officer. On a day-to-day basis, this happens between national member church leaders, but at Assemblies, MWC congregation members cross barriers to know each other face to face as members of the global Anabaptist-Mennonite family together.  <\/p>\n

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*Today, there are three Anabaptist-Mennonite groups in Indonesia:<\/a><\/p>\n