My father celebrated his 83rd birthday. Love you, Dad! No one has a better father. And our daughter comes to visit us in Indonesia. What's not to like about the week?
Monday
The driver takes us to the Jakarta Airport (at the blazing pace of 3 hours each way, winding his way through traffic between vehicles and on either shoulder ...). We pick up our daughter after 1am. after she negotiates her tourist Visa on Arrival with 3 immigration agents.
Tuesday
We talk most of the way back to town, arriving in Bandung at 4:30 or 5am Tuesday morning. Everyone falls into bed exhausted. The driver has the rest of the day off.
DrW tells me the arisan (neighborhood women's group) is meeting at a doctor's home nearby. We stop by the language school on our walk over. DrW appeals to a staff member (speaking in Indonesian) for my admission as a classroom observer. (My visa's the wrong one for admission. The director nixes that later in the week. I'm not allowed in.)
By 11, we're meeting with some of the lovely women:
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| Though she's in her 80s, this doctor still practices medicine. Her specialty: dermatology |
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| Nasi kuning |
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| on our plates |
Wednesday
Our driver is a university graduate. He agrees to reads phrases from a language phrasebook onto my phone, adding more each time he waits for us.
In a week, I learn more Indonesian than I've acquired in 6 months.
Thursday
In the morning, I walk through tea plantations and jungle with friends.
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| On the narrow jungle trails |
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| Friends from around the world on the walk |
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| Tea harvesters |
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| Rows cut between the tea shrubs |
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| Hill upon hill of plantation tea |
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| beautiful ferns |
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| unfolding in the forest |
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| 3/4 of the way in, we reach the volcano crater, where we soak our feet in the hot pools. We're 1.5 km from the car. |
In the afternoon, several friends come over to read Ruth 2. We feel privileged to sit on the porch and talk about scriptures together.
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| Perches on the porch |
Sunday
Our Canadian pastor is back at the local church. Hurrah.
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| Sunday lunch, a family tradition |
DrW comes by to say a quick goodbye before she travels again. I send along freshly baked chocolate cookies for her flight. She promises to send her helper over to get some seeds. She's set up a composting house for the community and with the compost is nurturing a garden next door. (IESJakarta sent seeds with us to be distributed: DrW's garden is certainly a worthy recipient.)
Sumathi and Augustine come after lunch. We relax on the porch while we catch up on their recent trip to Bangkok and progress in learning the language. (I forget to take a picture.)
And this week, I'm really missing these munchkins, though we appreciate FaceTime.
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| Young Isaac and his mommy. He's growing quickly. |
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| Miss K pulling her brother in the hula-hoop |
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| Brothers - pre-mischief together |
*Lay aside immaturity, and live, and walk in the way of insight. Proverbs 9:6 ESV
*Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21–22 NIV
Moravian Prayer: Dear God, we are often too slow or too quick to forgive. We pray that your Spirit would guide our response to hurt and resentment that we hold close. Help us to love with both the honesty and wisdom of Christ this day. Amen.
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