Arab Street, Chinatown, and Bugis

Thursday, February 12

We're tired so we sleep in. The bed quivers and tilts with each move. We're half-asleep much of the night.

I love rice porridge. Who knew! (I thought it awful the first time.)

The food court is in the next block. W gets chicken rice and I get a chicken porridge. Rice is cooked for a long time: about 8 parts water to 1 part rice. It's completely yummy when seasoned and sprinkled with onion and chicken floss. What is chicken floss, you ask? Chicken fried, shredded, and dried. Looks a bit like breadcrumbs.

Posters in the Arab district: Bali Lane

By the time we walk to our first errand, we've put a few miles on our shoes. By the time we get back to the hotel at 8pm, we've walked almost 10 miles.

Arab Street: fabrics galore

We pass Chinatown and head for the tech mall. W doesn't find the tools he's looking for, preparing to teach a tech class. He may bring things from Seattle. We pass a variety of temples. All the Chinese cultural centers are dressed in red and lit with gold for New Years next week.

Reminders of why we're here

We pick up a wallet left at a hotel by a friend earlier this month. We'll drop it off in Jakarta for pickup in May. The money and credit cards are intact. Kudos to the Village Hotel at Bugis for their honesty.

We buy a young coconut at Chinatown. A thin old man wields a cleaver and chops the top off the coconut, sticks a straw into the water, clamps the top back on, and hands it to me. Delicious and refreshing. All along the way, we pray over the city. Every person has a story and God's attention. People pass by in a constant flow. We meet many expats and Western tourists.

Goods of the world are exchanged here. 

Near the hotel is a gourmet pizza joint. It sounds so good after a lot of meals with rice. The salad is fresh, the pizza delicious. It's the freshest salad we've had in months. And we are tired. 22,400 steps. My feet felt the last few thousand.

Read more:
*Know that the Lord is God. Psalm 100:3 NEV

*Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them. Psalm 126:5–6 NIV

*Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. Galatians 6:9 NASB

*The Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true. 1 John 5:20 NEV

Moravian Prayer: Peaceful Savior, our strength is in you. You deliver us from the difficult times in our lives and you give us peace through hope for what is still to come. May our struggles always find us in your care. 

Great Truth, we never see you directly but we know you are there. Deep down, we feel your power and presence. Help us to share that understanding with those for whom the trials of the world cause their faith in you to falter. In Jesus’ name. Amen.