Oxford…, I’m Coming!
The endeavor to secure a proper education represents a challenging and profoundly meaningful journey. Over time, humanity has encountered many obstacles and impediments in its pursuit of access to quality education. In this context, reflecting on this struggle reveals the pivotal role of education as a foundation for personal development, empowerment, and societal advancement on a comprehensive scale.
Confronting that numerous individuals must transcend societal, economic, and cultural limitations to access quality education underscores their unwavering commitment and passion. In various regions across the globe, there are those who surmount financial constraints, contend with gender biases, or challenge social class disparities as they strive to acquire knowledge. Despite facing these obstacles, this struggle serves as a testament to exceptional determination and dedication in the pursuit of their goals.
I find myself deeply impressed and hold great respect for the collective struggle of women in their quest to attain a proper education and degrees at Oxford University after decades of relentless advocacy.(1) The struggle for the right to quality education encompasses intricate social, economic, and cultural dimensions. For many individuals worldwide, pursuing education necessitates substantial sacrifices, ranging from overcoming financial constraints to challenging societal norms that limit access to education. Numerous communities even grapple with systemic barriers to education based on gender, social class, or ethnic background. Nevertheless, this struggle also underscores the resilience and enthusiasm that prevail when confronting these hurdles. Educational champions from diverse strata of society and backgrounds have confronted inequalities and injustices with unwavering determination. While this journey may be fraught with twists and turns, its outcomes often result in transformative changes in individual lives and valuable contributions to societal progress.
In order to enroll in the second advance program at Oxford this year, a significant and challenging process had to be undertaken. It is well-established that holders of Indonesian passports lack substantial global mobility, limiting their access to other nations, particularly those in the developed Northern Hemisphere. Consequently, the acquisition of a visa is an imperative prerequisite for entry into these countries. The application for a visa is not without its uncertainties, as there exists the possibility of rejection. My own visa application necessitated a journey to Jakarta, located approximately 500 kilometers away from my place of residence. Officials responsible for visa submissions indicated that the processing period might extend from 3 to 5 weeks, or even longer. Under these circumstances, I felt powerless, yet my desire to immerse myself in the ambiance of Oxford University, a place where history converges with the future, as articulated by Dr. Clifford Berger in his communication with students, was unwavering. I persevered through fervent prayers directed to God.
The Almighty seemed to comprehend the intensity of my longing. Remarkably, within just one week, I received a notification from the embassy confirming the approval of my visa. Some of my acquaintances marveled at this swift turnaround, attributing it to the current efficiency of visa services, coinciding with the holiday season and the departure of students embarking on their academic pursuits in England.
This experience has imparted a profound lesson – akin to the struggles endured by women at Oxford in the past who persevered for decades to secure their rights. It underscores the notion that where there is a resolute will, there exists a path forward. Furthermore, when accompanied by fervent prayers and supplication to a benevolent deity, there is a profound sense of assurance. Presently, I am poised to embark on my journey to Oxford, fully prepared to partake in the spiritual and academic experiences it has to offer. As exhorted by Dr. Berger in his previous email, students have to activate their “leadership antennae” while in a particular context. In my assessment, this counsel possesses considerable merit and is highly conducive to practical application. I shall endeavor to maximize the utilization of this invaluable opportunity by engaging in a dedicated pursuit of leadership learning and exploration during my journey in Oxford. Leadership involves the substance of management in which the “shaping of ideas, values, perceptions, and feelings is central”, where the goal is to “maintain, revise, or strengthen ideas, beliefs, morals, virtues, and understandings.”(2)
I am eager to immerse myself in a city where history converges with technology and envisions the future – Oxford. This excitement reminds me of the wise words in Proverbs 24:5-6, says “The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength. Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers.” Oxford…, I’m coming!
(1) Paul Sullivan, The Secret History of Oxford (Stroud, UK: The History Press, 2013), 38.
(2) Mats Alvesson and Andre Spicer, “Critical Perspectives on Leadership,” in The Oxford Handbook of Leadership and Organizations, ed. David V. Day (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), 42.
About the Author
Dinka Utomo
Dinka Nehemia Utomo is an ordained pastor of the Protestant Church in the Western part of Indonesia (Gereja Protestan di Indonesia bagian Barat or GPIB). He has served for more than 15 years. The first five years of his ministry were in the remote area of East Kalimantan, including people from the indigenous Dayak tribe in the small villages in the middle of the forest, frequently reached using small boats down the river. For more than 15 years, Dinka has served several GPIB congregations in several cities in Indonesia. He has always had a passion for equipping Christian families, teaching and guiding them to build equal relations between husband and wife, maintaining commitment, love, and loyalty, creating a healthy and constructive Christian family atmosphere, and rejecting all forms of violence and sexual violence. Dinka's beloved wife, Verra, is also a GPIB pastor. They have two blessed children. Dinka and his wife and children love to spend quality family time, such as lunch or dinner, and vacation to exotic places.14 responses to “Oxford…, I’m Coming!”
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Hi Dinka,
Congratulations! I am glad your visa was approved! I had forgotten that you would need to do this. We Americans are a bit spoiled when it comes to visas.
I am looking forward to Oxford, but I was hoping that somehow we would have made it to Asia. There is a different kind of scholarship that I think would have been amazing. I gather the program used to go to Singapore.
I have always been “hesitant” about academic Ivory towers. I suppose I feared that academics have a tendency to avoid “reality.”
You my friend are my hero…The first five years of his ministry were in the remote area of East Kalimantan, including people from the indigenous Dayak tribe in the small villages in the middle of the forest, frequently reached using small boats down the river. For more than 15 years, Dinka has served several GPIB congregations in several cities in Indonesia.
This is amazing, and so are you.
Shalom….
Hi Russel!
Thank you for reminding me about the “academic ivory tower”. I’m afraid I am one of the people who build and bring it to my ministry. Thanks, again!
My wish is my academic journey will become a blessing to many more people.
I am sure that you are also a hero. You dedicated your life to reaching the unreachable people in other countries. You serve and touch them with your sincere heart. How blessed I am to have you as my friend.
Hi Dinka,
I was reliving visa troubles of my own reading your post. God is faithful! I am so glad you will be at Oxford.
I found your statement and quote from Critical Perspectives on Leadership, intriguing. “Leadership involves the substance of management in which the “shaping of ideas, values, perceptions, and feelings is central”, where the goal is to “maintain, revise, or strengthen ideas, beliefs, morals, virtues, and understandings.”” I need to check out that book! How do you conceptualize managing ideals, values and perceptions in a church setting?
Thank you for your response, Jenny!
First of all, my spiritual value is based on the genuine love of God through Jesus Christ who died for us and has delivered us from our sin. Therefore, ideals, values, and perceptions in a church setting are all about God’s love. It means all of the church’s ministry settings must based on God’s love.
The second thing is how to deliver His love to every person in the church. No single person is left behind. As a pastor, I have to make sure about it. I also have to teach all of the church’s ministers to have the same value as me, not only through my words but also through my acts to everyone in the church.
Dinka, I am continually amazed at your personal resilience. You are engaged in a program and dealing with challenges and obstacles that I know not of. I am so proud of you and impressed by your, again, resilience.
I could imagine that at times you may find yourself feeling lonely, not withstanding your dear family and nearby friends. I will be praying for you especially during this graduate program and so grateful that you are in my peer group. You are a blessing.
JOHN
Hi John! Thank you for your response!
First of all, it’s by God’s amazing grace only.
The second thing, it’s that God has brought me to these amazing, encouraging, and motivating friends in this cohort and our peer group. How grateful I am to have all of you as my friend on this academic journey.
Dinka, I am so thankful that the process for securing your visa was easier than expected. I am also thankful for the connection you drew between your own barriers to education and those experienced by women in the past.
Just this week I was thinking about disparity that exists for different groups around freedom of movement and travel, and I was convicted that I had been operating in a bit of a naive vacuum. After all, I take it for granted that I will be welcomed on to British soil while others don’t have the same luxury. Your ability to find a way to relate to the struggles of another group inspires me to try to do the same. Thanks, and look forward to seeing you!
Hi Jennifer, thank you for your response!
I usually use the “put myself in someone’s shoes” method to build empathy and construct my reflection. This method helps me to relate to as many events as people face and to comprehend the spiritual and moral values from it.
I love your story of miraculous provision and your attitude. Your blog post made me even more excited to join you at Oxford in a couple of weeks!
Thank you, Tim!
I am looking forward to seeing you in Oxford, my inspiring friend!
Blessings!
Dinka, I am so grateful that not only are you part of our cohort, but that you are a part of the same peer group! I love your presence and sooooo grateful you’ll be in Oxford. I honestly think, speaking for myself (and maybe our peer group) it would not be the same or as good if you were not present. This is a time where I can say in quite literal terms, “your presence is a present!”. The barriers you have to experience to be part of a group marvel me and I am humbled to learn with you. Your midnight zoom meetings with us, you’re learning in a second language, and the sheer work just to get to the locations is beyond remarkable. Can’t wait to see you! It feels so different knowing everyone we will see and also considering we will have a whole new co-hort joining us and will inevitably change who we are! see you soon!
Hi Jana! Thank you very much for your response, I appreciate it!
I am pretty sure if one of us, including you, were not present in Oxford. I love to learn with/from our peer group and cohort because I can expand my perspectives. Our cohort and peer group are the perfect examples of how we can learn to embrace each other.
I genuinely look forward to seeing you soon in Oxford.
Proverbs 24:5-6, says “The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength. Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers.” Hey Dinka! I love your posts and for some reason I am not familiar with the first part of this verse but it is quite intriguing. I will definitely think about what it means to prevail through great power. I’m sure I’ll see that in Oxford. Thanks again, Dinka for challenging me! See ya soon! 😊
Hi Todd! Thanks for your response. I appreciate it!
In my view, the first part of this verse discusses how wise and knowledgeable individuals possess inner strength, which they use not only for their personal benefit but also for the betterment of society.