University of Macau Library

Author: O’Brien, Roderick
Title: Friendship In troubled times: the friendship of Jan Ruff-O’Herne
Journal Name: The Journal of the Macau Ricci Institute
Pub. Info: Oct. 2022, No. 10, pp. 122-132
Link: http://mrijournal.riccimac.org/articles/issue_10/MRI_Journal_Issue_Ten.pdf
Abstract: Friendship is a key relationship in many cultures. (Lu et al, 2020) In this paper, I would like to present a single example of friendship in dire circumstances. The friendship described here occurred during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) when a group of young women were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military. The description here is part of a wider study of the spirituality of Jeanne Alida "Jan" Ruff-O'Herne, one of those young women. In the first part of the paper, I will provide a brief outline of her life, while the second part will provide some reflections on friendship, which I have drawn from her experience. Paragraph Headings: 1. Introduction to the life of jan ruff-o’herne 2. Friendship in a dark place 3. Reflections on friendship: mutual need and support 4. Reflections on friendship: benevolence 5. Reflections on friendship: prayer 6. Reflections on friendship: elites and the poor 7. Reflections on friendship: utility 8. Reflections on friendship: symbols 9. Conclusion