Location : Kecamatan Kelam Permai, Kabupaten Sintang, Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia.
Somewhere in the hills of Bukit Kelam lies the Gua Maria an outdoor church with rows of concrete benches to cater for Sunday mass in a very beautiful jungle setting like all the other Gua Marias that we have visited all over Kalimantan.


Reverence to the Virgin Mother of Jesus can be witnessed all over the interior of Kalimantan, something very unique to Borneo in general. Different colonial masters emphasized different aspects of Christianity in their evangelical endeavours. The Dutch with their Gua Maria in Indonesia, the Spaniards with Baby Jesus in the Philippines and the British with the Crucified Jesus, each with their own message that Christians can relate to.
Bukit Kelam’s Gua Maria is by far the largest set up we have come across in Kalimantan. It took us more than hour to finish strolling the shady trail of mostly bamboo jungle.

Along the trail were at least 10 groups of golden painted statues depicting the stories of the crucifixion of Jesus. Walk and meditate guys.


The huge carpark here suggested how busy this place could be on a Sunday and Christmas Day of course. Next ……Ensaid Panjang longhouse




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