Jakarta – "I'll pray for GKI Yasmin so that [the church] will open again and people can pray there. Keep the spirit! Lord Jesus loves GKI Yasmin."
The postcard was sent by 6-year-old Regina Sharon to the GKI Taman Yasmin church congregation, which is facing prolonged persecution from anti-pluralist forces who locked them out of their church building in Bogor.
The Send Love Letters to GKI Yasmin Bogor movement was initiated early this week by several people who turned the church's persecution into an effort to promote religious tolerance to the younger generations and offer moral support to the oppressed.
"[After last week's violent attack] the church congregation members are starting to lose spirit," said human rights activist Ester Jusuf, one of the movement's initiators.
Last Sunday, the church endured more harassment, this time at the hands of a group calling themselves the Indonesian Muslim Communication Forum (Forkami), as the Bogor municipal government remains steadfast against reopening the church building.
The church has been sealed by the local administration since 2008 despite a Supreme Court ruling overturning the city's decision to outlaw the church, pushing members to gather and hold Sunday services on the pedestrian walk in front of the church.
Grace Emilia, a lecturer who supports the Love Letters movement, said the movement was a form of participation as an Indonesian citizen in what is the third-largest democracy in the world.
"We thought of this as an 'investment' in promoting democracy and religious tolerance," Grace told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Markus Hidayat from GKI Taman Yasmin said that within less than a week, they had received dozens of simple yet meaningful drawings from children from various backgrounds.
"A drawing depicted a church with an open door – it was really simple but also really powerful. Other drawings contained their prayers for us," Markus said.
Other support came from high-profile figures. "GKI Yasmin fellows, we are very proud of your persistence to fight against injustice and to uphold basic citizens rights in a respectable way. We support you in our prayers and in a way that we can do. Jesus blesses you. May God give His mercy to them who have no idea what they are doing," Jakob Tobing, a senior politician, said in an email.
Management expert Anugerah Pekerti wrote, "Keep fighting for the supremacy of law but without provocative acts. Don't turn religious rituals into a political tool."
Markus said, "The support means a lot for us. It encourages us and reminds us that we are not alone." Ester also suggested that supporters create simple small stickers containing supportive messages and attach them in public spaces.
Grace said that within a few days, the group had received dozens of responses, including those from politicians, businesspeople and housewives. People can send messages of support to gkibgr@cbn.net.id.