The rainbow never sets
singing secular songs before, albeit Australian, and I pleaded with him to allow the young people to share their culture in this way. Eventually he agreed, but still shaking his head.
Filus had recently passed his driving test, and he was of great help during the work camp. Unfortunately he was involved in an accident, which was not entirely his fault. He had to go through a creek in Tarus, as the bridge was being repaired, and his breaks were wet and slippery. When a car approached him from the opposite side, he stepped on the breaks but they didn't grip. To avoid a collision he drove the car into the ditch. Bill Gresham was his passenger, and both landed in hospital with minor injuries. Bill's head had left a dent in the steel frame of the car, which is probably still there. To my great regret, this was the end of Filus' driving career. As far as I know, he never had enough courage to drive again. Or was it because nobody entrusted their car to him?
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Early in 1971 I had a clash with Chris BanoEt, the Principal at Tarus. I was thoroughly frustrated as he wouldn't call a meeting to discuss the curriculum. He wanted me to teach in addition to my New Testament subjects also Pastoral Theology for all classes, and for year four elementary Philosophy. I had asked him several times to call a meeting, and when nothing was done, I called a meeting myself. This brought about an immediate reaction, as it was unconstitutional. Chris immediately suspended me from teaching at Tarus. Then a meeting took place without me, where my suspension was ratified and all the other items I wanted discussed came also on the agenda and were decided upon. I was certainly the looser, and had the Moderator of Synod not intervened, I could have been thrown out of Indonesia. But Chris and I made up again. He forgave me, and I think from then on we had far more regular meetings. I was restored to the staff, and the year's work went ahead full steam. Later on I was appointed as Assistant Rector.
After the Oppelaars had gone on furlough in 1970, I became the treasurer of the school. The main funds for the running of Tarus came from our Presbyterian Church. Here too a lack of meetings caused me a lot of frustrations. Decisions were often made by Chris himself. We had talked about purchasing a motorbike for the school before, but nothing had been agreed. One day I was presented with a receipt for the purchase of a motorbike. I was somewhat flabbergasted, as our Board of Mission in Sydney had asked me to send them the price for a new motor bike. When I saw the receipt, however, it showed a price more than ten percent above the one I had been quoted.
My conscience would not allow me to ignore this. I felt that I had to report it to the Synod. This caused quite a stir. There were some who had
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