I am Miss Riani from St. Aloysius Gonzaga College located in South Jakarta, Indonesia. Months ago, some of our students and teachers joined an event named RUN4U, a charity run held by the Archdiocese of Jakarta. Our students felt so blessed that they could take part in the event that this is why they wanted to share it with other Jesuit schools around the world.

Here is an article / testimonial written by Joanne Kathleen Halim, one of our students who participated in RUN4U.

We hope you enjoy it!

Solidarity Through Sports

I had the incredible opportunity to take part in RUN4U with my Paskibra Gonzaga friends as a 5 km runner. Paskibra Gonzaga, also known as the Flag Hoisting Troop, is an activity that trains discipline and develops mental maturity for students of Gonzaga College. RUN4U was not just any run, it was a fun charity run. RUN4U 2023 is a charity run with “Compassion for Common Good” as this year’s theme. RUN4U is an open event that welcomes people of all ages from different backgrounds. This running and biking event has been held annually by the Archdiocese of Jakarta since 2018 and it has been participated by thousands of people from all across Indonesia. This year’s proceeds will be given to refugees in the Archdiocese of Jakarta territory through the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) and Lembaga
Daya Dharma (LDD).

Surprisingly, the 5 km run wasn’t as exhausting as I had imagined. During the run, I had the pleasure of meeting wonderful individuals from my church community. I also saw inspiring individuals like cancer survivors and amputees. They joined the charity run with a lot of energy and spirit. It was really inspiring. Their determination reminded me that people can overcome tough challenges. Seeing them take part in the event made me realize that a charity run is not just about running, but also about coming together and supporting those who need help. Their presence showed how strong people can be and it encouraged all of us to do our best and help the cause with even more enthusiasm and kindness. What’s also interesting is that it wasn’t just Catholics who participated, I noticed Muslim ladies taking part in the run, showing the spirit of unity.

As a student of a Jesuit college, I was deeply moved by the compassion and energy of the youth. It was heartwarming to see people coming together, driven by a shared desire to make a positive impact through their donations. Participating in RUN4U was an eye-opening experience for me. It taught me the power of unity and giving back, even in the simplest of ways. We also met the Wacana Bhakti Seminary and we proudly took photos together as a community from Pejaten Barat 10A. For your information, Wacana Bhakti Seminary is a Catholic Seminary owned by the Archdiocese of Jakarta. The Seminary is located in Jl. Pejaten Barat 10A, in the same complex as Gonzaga College.

I am grateful to have been part of this event and to witness the generosity of our community. I hope we can create a better world for everyone. Together, we made a real difference.