Community thank-yous

Kirsten starts to make friends in Bandung

Catching up today before we teach for 2 weeks in Singapore.

Saturday, August 29
Kirsten has a great evening with some young women - and meets our dear friends Augustine and Sumathi. Hurrah for a friendly culture.

Sunday
It's potluck day at a neighborhood church. We chat with a few familiar faces and meet some who are not known.

Love these neighbors!

In the afternoon, the community is celebrating two milestone birthdays (70, 80) with food, music, and cheering on the sponsors of the new community garden. The organizers say a big thank you and everyone claps. And of course there's more food!

We enjoy the company but turn down an invitation to sing.

"Oh sing 'Twinkle, twinkle, little star,'" one of the ladies encourages me.

Javanese tunes with a synth backup

I chuckle and shake my head.

Ummmm. I don't sing much. In fact, almost never, having grown up as an accompanist not a vocalist. So I steadfastly refuse. K is resting at home so misses meeting everyone.

Monday
We get a note early morning that our flight is already an hour late. We are glad to spend the hour packing and wrapping up here. We call the family in Canada / USA. I thank God for the blessings of modern phones.

Two lines: food and birthday greetings.
Our beautiful friend DrW in foreground

Can you imagine leaving everyone and not hearing again for a half-year or year ... with everything that happens in that time? We feel blessed. Far away, but blessed.

Read more:
*You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 ESV

*I am merciful, says the Lord; I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the Lord your God. Jeremiah 3:12-13 ESV

*Your people say, “The way of the Lord is not just,” when it is their own way that is not just. Ezekiel 33:17 ESV

*And lead us not into temptation. Matthew 6:13 NIV

*Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4 NIV

*There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 ESV

*So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. Ephesians 2:19 ESV

*The Lord is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 ESV

*Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. James 1:19 ESV

Moravian Prayer: Eternal God, we cannot fathom the depth and width of your grace. We strive to earn that which is freely given. We sin when judging our neighbors’ souls. Your patience with us is our salvation.

Help us, Lord. We are such easy prey to the tempters’ wiles. We so quickly blame you for our own willful ways. May we repent with broken hearts and be renewed by your forgiveness. In Christ our Savior we pray. Amen.