Per Angusta Ad Augusta

‘Per Angusta Ad Augusta’, is a Latin term having a meaning ‘from the difficulty to the glory’. These words encourage people to be tough during 'difficult time' by being optimistic until final success. Actually, failure can not be separated from human life, and how people respond to the failure in a constructive manner without losing good attitude is the very important, and most of all is how they learn from failure to find energy to start a new mood.

As an institution for mentoring students from various regions in Indonesia who studying in Yogyakarta, Stube-HEMAT understands that students going to study in this city bring their own burden on their shoulders. Hopes of success both from oneself and family, as well as relatives and local community become one of them. While during their study, they face competition, challenges, complexity, demands for high standard of human resources and changes that could obstruct them in realizing hopes of success. Many sad cases occurred in the midst of the process of realizing hopes, such as depression and even suicide. Through the Training on Learning from Failure with the title 'Per Angusta Ad Augusta' at Villa Taman Eden 1, Kaliurang, 18-20 October 2019, Stube-HEMAT invited students to build optimism to face all challenges especially how to respond failure.

Rev. Bambang Sumbodo, M.Min, the Stube-HEMAT board, opened the training by inviting students to be wise in making decisions. Making decisions is not easy. There are several types of decision making, namely, first, to make decision carelessly that tends to his own safety; second, to decide by considering the profit and loss of the decision, the most profitable will be taken; third, to make decision by considering the motivation of decision, based on true motivation. Nelson Mandela is one example of a decision maker based on true motivation, even though he had to bear 27 years in prison for his anti-racial struggle and discrimination in South Africa.

The efforts to define failure based on Christian perspective with Rev. Dr. Jozef MN. Hehanussa aroused participants’ enthusiasm to wonder if God had ever failed also? Some stories of figures in the Bible such as Adam and Eve who failed to keep God's commandment by eating the fruits of knowledge of good and bad, Moses failed to enter the promised land, Peter denied Jesus and Judas betrayed, became concrete examples of failure. If humans failed, it means God also failed in accompanying humans, doesn’t it? Exciting debates and discussions enlivened this session. If God really failed, what will be done? Go and turn away from Him? The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3: 17-18, "If our God we worship can release us, then He will deliver us from the fiery furnace, and from your hand, O king; but if not, let my lord know, O king, that we will not worship the god of my lord, and will not worship the golden statue that my lord set up", answering how to behave when God's plan is not in accordance with human desire, that is to remain faithful. God's plan never fails, only human inability to understand makes God seem failed and unjust. Truly this session provided insight and reinforcement to participants to face failure.

The psychological approach with Drs. T.A. Prapancha Hary, M.Sc, helped the participants explore their personalities through the drawings they had previously made. Not only that, participants also filled out questionnaires to uncover their own characteristics and tendencies, which later could be developed to complete their study and enter the workforce. Not a few of the participants recognized the suitability of the 'readable' self situation through pictures and accepted suggestions to be developed.

Understanding the causes and context of failure will help people avoid further failure and help find effective strategies. The experiences of several figures, such as Marco C. Alvino who dropped out of college but now live from corn business; Maria Calista, with her voice raised her family’s economy; or Sudarmono, a disabled person who makes living as a tailor, are real examples of people who rise from failure and have strategies in their lives. It is not easy to uncover failures because it means admitting mistakes and weaknesses, can bring down spirit and even open disgrace, even though this is a part to improve themselves and to find new provision of life.

Some of the participants' determinations to avoid failure are to expand their network by getting to know people, mapping out the causes of failure, sharpening skills to speak, practicing English, having sewing and business skills. So, young people remain optimistic to be self-equipped and to move forward to face the future. Per Angusta Ad Augusta! (TRU).