Siburian, Rytha (1965–2013)
By Paul Emerson Zai
Paul Emerson Zai
First Published: September 21, 2022
Rytha Siburian was director of the Seventh-day Adventist Medical Clinic of the Jakarta Local Conference, West Indonesia Union Mission, Indonesia. The Medical Clinic address: Jl. Tebet Barat Dalam No. 129, South Jakarta, Indonesia.1
Early Life
Rytha Siburian was born January 9, 1965,2 to Adventist parents Sampe Fredy Siburian and Paulina Sormin, in Jakarta, Indonesia. She was one of five children. Her siblings were Ricky Sihar Togar Siburian, Erline Siburian, Rickson Saut Siburian, and Raymond Saor Siburian. Siburian spent her childhood in Jakarta, Indonesia. She graduated from Jakarta Adventist Primary School in 1977 and Secondary School in 1980, and was baptized by Pastor S. Martaatmadja on August 10, 1977.3 Rytha’s father, a successful businessman, dedicated his life to helping build Adventist churches and schools and contributing to student scholarships.4
Education and Marriage
Rytha Siburian received an undergraduate degree in dentistry from Universitas Prof. Dr. Moestopo (Beragama), Jakarta – Indonesia, on June 27, 1989,5 and finished her Magister of Health from Gadjah Mada University on September 25, 2002.6 She successfully completed continuing dental education in the subjects of endodontic, restorative dentistry and patient-centered care November 15-7, 2010 in Ciputra Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia.7 This program was sponsored by Dental Services, Health Ministries Department, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and Loma Linda University, School of Dentistry, California, U.S.A.
She achieved a lecturer certification and was declared a professional lecturer in public health by the government on December 14, 2010.8
Siburian married Harun Tavip Ariawan on December 10, 1995,9 at the Seventh-day Adventist Church of Kramat Pulo – Jakarta, Indonesia. The couple was blessed with four children: Tarisha, Adrien Tiominar, Samuel, Gideon.
Ministry
In 1991, newly graduated, she was immediately assigned by the government as a teacher in the School of Dental Management of Health Department, Kupang, Indonesia.10
In 2001, she was upgraded by the government as teacher – lecturer in Dental Health Academy of Health Department, Kupang, Indonesia.11
In 2006, she was one of the Teaching Staff of the Department of Dental Engineering, Jakarta Health Polytechnic II (Staf Pengajar Jurusan Teknik Gigi Politekkes Jakarta II).12
In 2007, the government assigned her as Teacher - Head Lecturer in Work Unit: Health Polytechnic, Ministry of Health, Jakarta II, Department of Dental Engineering (Dosen - Lektor Kepala dalam Unit Kerja: Politekkes Depkes Jakarta II Jurusan Teknik Gigi).13
In December 2008, during the constituency meeting of the Jakarta Local Conference, West Indonesia Union Mission, she was elected as a member of the executive committee for a period (2009-2012).14
In 2009, the leaders and the executive committee of the Jakarta Local Conference asked her to help to develop and move forward the Medical Clinic of Jakarta Local Conference, and elected her as director.15
She served as chairperson of the Board of Jakarta Adventist Academy (Perguruan Advent 1 Jakarta) from 2010 to 2012.16
Rytha Siburian was an acclaimed speaker.17 She volunteered her time for a year to give lectures and prepare the laity for serving and share the word of God through a series of Health and Public Worship seminars called “Seri seminar Kesehatan & Kebaktian Umum (SEHATKU) tahun Pelayanan 2009.”18
Rytha Siburian died in a road accident on her way home from Yogyakarta to Jakarta on December 28, 2013.19
Sources
Birth Certificate (Kepala Kantor Catatan Sipil Propinsi DKI Jakarta, Wilayah Jakarta Timur. Kutipan Akta Kelahiran), No. 2456/DISP/IT/1990. Province Civil Registry, East Jakarta Region.
Committee Executive Minutes of Jakarta Local Conference, West Indonesia Union Mission. 2009.
Marriage Certificate (Kepala Kantor Catatan Sipil Kabupaten Kupang, Kutipan Akta Perkawinan). No. 04/DISP/1996. Civil Registry of Kupang Regency.
Drs. H. Ahmad Yani, President of Boarding School of Islam (Pesantrenm Yatim Assa’adah). Letter of Statement. Jakarta on January 29, 2010.
Executive Committee Minutes of Seventh-day Adventist Jakarta Local Conference. No. 09 - 046, June 4, 2009.
Rytha Siburian’s Death Certificate (Kutipan Akta Kematian). Registry Office Nationality Indonesian, Purwakarta Region (Pencatatan Sipil Warga Negara Indonesia, Kabupaten Purwakarta).
Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook. Washington, D.C./Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, various years.
Notes
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Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2018), 358.↩
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Birth Certificate (Kepala Kantor Catatan Sipil Propinsi DKI Jakarta, Wilayah Jakarta Timur. Kutipan Akta Kelahiran), No. 2456/DISP/IT/1990. Province Civil Registry, East Jakarta Region.↩
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Erline Siburian, sister of Rytha Siburian, interview by author, October 29, 2020.↩
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Kramat Pulo Seventh-day Adventist Church, Plaque of tribute (1995); Jakarta Adventist Academy (SMA Perguruan Advent 1 Jakarta), Plaque of appreciation on May 26, 2007.↩
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Drs. H. Prajitno S.H. President of Prof. Dr. Moestopo University, Diploma. Jakarta, Indonesia, on June 27, 1989.↩
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Dominggus Frans, BA. The Head of Civil Registry of Kupang Regency, Marriage Certificate (Kepala Kantor Catatan Sipil Kabupaten Kupang, Kutipan Akta Perkawinan) No. 04/DISP/1996.↩
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Dental Services, Health Ministries Department, The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists & Loma Linda University, School of Dentistry, California, U.S.A. Continuing Education, Certificate of honor, Ciputra Hotel, Jakarta - Indonesia on November 15-17, 2010.↩
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Dr. H. Ahmad Yani, President of Boarding School of Islam (Pesantrenm Yatim Assa’adah). Letter of Statement. Jakarta, Indonesia, January 29, 2010.↩
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Marriage Certificate (Kepala Kantor Catatan Sipil Kabupaten Kupang, Kutipan Akta Perkawinan). No. 04/DISP/1996. Civil Registry of Kupang Regency.↩
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Dr. R. Iswandi Kartasentana, president of Malang National Technology Institute, Diploma. Malang, March 9, 1991; Decree of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. No. KP.04.03.1.3. 2674, October 1, 1991.↩
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Decree of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. No. KP. 04.04.4.3. 8415, August 1, 2001.↩
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Decree of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. No. KP. 04.04.1.01. 344, February 9, 2006.↩
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Decree of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. No. 234/Menkes/SK/III/2005, June 1, 2007.↩
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Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2012), 439.↩
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Executive Committee Minutes of Seventh-day Adventist Jakarta Local Conference. No. 09 - 046 on June 4, 2009.↩
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Jakarta Adventist Academy, Plaque of tribute, August 12, 2017.↩
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For example, the International Scientific Forum Foril X, Balai Kartini, Jakarta, Indonesia on October 6-8, 2011; Dental Courses Forum Fokus 2012, Balai Kartini, Jakarta, Indonesia on October 11-13, 2012, Collaboration in Science, Technology and Skills of Dentistry to Enhance Comprehensive Dental Practice. Certifications of attendance in Rytha Siburian’s family’s collection.↩
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Chinese Ministry Center of Jakarta. Certificate of honor. 2009.↩
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Rytha Siburian’s Death Certificate (Kutipan Akta Kematian), Registry Office Nationality Indonesian, Purwakarta Region (Pencatatan Sipil Warga Negara Indonesia, Kabupaten Purwakarta).↩