We find out more things we don't know

A surprising physical resemblance: candidate Jokowi
(presidential candidate of Indonesia) and Obama

Wednesday:
Today Indonesians vote for their new president. It's peaceful in our neighborhood, with a feeling of celebration. The outgoing president served two five-year terms and cannot be reelected, according to term limits he put in place.

I'm awake from 2-9am, so after I make rice and eggs for breakfast (delicious, we both agree), I read and snooze the morning away. So much for being over jet lag! Some people tell us to go watch the voting, while others say, "Best that bules (foreigners) stay inside, in case there's violence." We decide to venture out mid-day and eat supper in the flat.

Broccoli juice: it's what's
for breakfast

Part of the learning curve wherever we go is figuring out how appliances and bathrooms work. Around noon, we toss our bedding into the washer. The washing machine on the patio has two sections, a separate tub for washing and soap, and a rinse/spin tub. I don't drain the wash tub after washing the first load of bedding. Instead, we pull the wet bedding into the spin tub. We change the water intake from the washtub to "spin cycle" so rinse water pours over the spinning sheets. The first load rinses while the second load washes beside it. Next, we drain the wash tub, moving the spun-out first load to the dryer and the second load to the spin tub.

Once the second load is rinsed and spun, it rests in the rinse tub while we wait for the first load to dry. (Turns out, the dryer is very inefficient; the bedding is still wet after 1 1/2 hours, so we drape it outside to dry.) W and I walk a few kilometers to the Indo Super and the Holland Bakery. At 1:30, we can't get lunch: most restaurants are closed during the day for fasting and elections.

"Forbidden," smiles the gal behind the counter. "Only takeaway." It's 92oF when we find a donut shop, where we order iced green tea and sweet donuts (tiramisu flavor for W; cappuccino for me.) I take pictures of the pretty sweets. I'm perspiring off all the sunblock and relieved to be in the shade. It's hot even with a hat on.

Risky business: first time cutting
my hair without a comb
or back-mirror.

By the time we buy tomorrow's breakfast at the bakery, it's overcast and temperatures have moderated to a more pleasant 84o. We walk back to the grocer, and, hands full of groceries, we catch a cab home about 4pm. Time for a cool-down swim: 40 lengths today. Last minute, I tossed sunglass-goggles into my suitcase and I'm so glad! The pool's 12-14 double-strokes long, so I'm turning often. I swim on my stomach one way, on my back the other, always facing away from the sun. My new self-haircut dries without fuss.

Each afternoon, Yahoo's Indonesian home page counts down the minutes to the end of fasting. We watch the day's fasting end on TV with clips of mosques, calls to worship, and people praying and celebrating. Newscasters update election results all evening. Based on various exit polls, both candidates claim the most votes. Final results will be announced by July 22.

I wake at 11:25pm for an online coaching webinar (the more reasonable time in Seattle is 9:30am). It's great to hear the voices of friends who have been big influences on me. I connect with some of them afterwards. By 1am Thursday, it's time to go back to sleep!

Thursday:
We have a relaxing morning. When the wall phone rings, we don't understand enough to respond. But soon. Very soon, we'll know enough to converse.

A mini-parade of 15 people strolls by the flat, two gold-costumed figures twirling and a little band banging drums, playing a flute, and collecting money in plastic buckets. They hop off the street when traffic backs up behind them, then continue on their way.

I want to upload pictures for the blog. But where oh where is my IPhone? Between the grocer and home, my phone and wallet have gone missing. Inside: my driver's license, some money, and a few credit cards. Sigh. W walks back to the places we were yesterday but doesn't find it. My last pics were at the donut shop. I text my phone so if the finder is honest, they can contact our Indo friends. Perhaps it was lifted from the grocery cart at our last stop. Maybe I left it in the taxi. I last remember holding it in my palm, the strap looped around my wrist.

Searching my suitcase just in case, I read a verse tucked between clothing: "God of all of me" and appeal to God. He knows where that phone is. Fortunately we have our passports and other ID with us. Prayers appreciated for recovery of what was lost or taken.

Read more:
*Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth. Psalm 48:10 ESV

*After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power to our God.” Revelation 19:1 ESV

Moravian Prayer: Heavenly Father, we raise our voices in praise. Let those praises and our good works also proclaim your glory. Let our voices and actions carry to the ends of the Earth—Hallelujah! Amen.