So many extras: feels like an extreme ride

Sunday, June 21, 2019

Our neighborhood walks are smoky - if you have asthma, you're in trouble here. Leaves and garbage are swept and burned at the roadside every morning.

Otherwise, the flowers are blooming and after rainy season, every tree is bursting with new leaves and color. Even the neighborhood gazebo is being overrun with plants. 

 At BIC, W and I speak about Solomon.The kids are in the auditorium for Family Month. However, the children's director is sick. She texts a half-hour before the morning starts for me. I grab a few plastic animals from our kid-gift drawer and ready a kid talk. Only two youngsters show up. They're game but their English isn't strong enough to participate as hoped. No worries - but

• Another last-minute cancellation (the slide doesn't get removed from the PPT = awkward)
• Someone else is leaving town so we have a farewell prayer for her
• The media team needs a script edit when I duck into the office. Ok, done
• And something else unexpected happens, but from the distance of a week I can't remember it ... It was a full Sunday morning, for sure.

A friend texts at 3:30 - can they come at 4 to talk? I don't see the message until 4. No worries, they were already at the gate. I'm in full zone-out mode so W takes her question.

Monday and Tuesday
It's study day again, led by Nina. I'm happy to see everyone. After, I spend some time in the office Monday afternoon.

We have our team meeting on Tuesday and a bunch come back to the house with us for lunch. Writing, planning, catching up on the teams and their work - it's a pleasure to see everyone using their gifts to bless others.

We have to pick up a few things at Borma (Indonesia's Woolworths). The groundskeeper needs new boots for $4, too.

Tuesday afternoon, W stays home while the groomers come - they love using our American clippers. Gypsy snarls and W ties her up. Meanwhile, Cocoa is a jewel - she loves to be groomed.

And she's so happy when she's done, she's like a bouncy ball.

 

Wednesday
W and I have a date day - starting with breakfast @Pino Terrace. It's yummy, just over $1 for chicken chowder in a biscuit, and a short walk from the house.

The groundkeepers are pounding new "lawn" into place with a brick - the low-lying area is a soggy mess that washes out with big rainfalls.

We head back home. I wait while W does a bit of work. It's our Sabbath so we're on the way to town before 11. What a hot dry day. We walk up and down an empty street in Chinatown.

Trees are not cut down here. They tower into the sky. At root level, they break up curbs and paving goes around them.

We're following directions from locals. We loop around and around the neighborhood, passing the same shops (10,000 plus steps and 6.5 miles).

Finally we find the streets we want. I find fabric I like for upholstering the porch furniture, which is shredded by sunshine and a plethora of guests.

What? I have to buy a 100 meter roll of each? No thanks! At the egg store,  motorcyclists pick up a stack of cartons and deliver them to the shops. 

I'm looking for a clay teapot for the Chinese tea a friend brought. I find 2: a good Chinese one for $13 and a local set with tray and 3 cups for $6. There are also baskets galore.

I happen on a baking store. A kg of cocoa is Rp125.000 (under $9). We're out of cocoa, but I'm not in the mood for another splurge. I leave the shop owner our bread recipe and he gives us a discount for the few items we buy.

When we get home, I soak the clay pots and cups in boiling water like WuJin taught me, rinse them, and fill them with water to hydrate for a few hours. Then we dry them overnight.

Thursday
It's our first walk in the hills in ages. I love it - but skip one steep side trail to save my knees. A friend from BIC joins us - what fun to introduce her to the wild woods across the valley from her house. "I've seen this trail so many times, but never been here," she says. (She's lived on the opposite slope for 20 years.)

Lunch is at an overlook on the side of the valley. Beautiful.

Three pickup trucks full of wedding guests drive by. Old and young are in wedding finery - I try to imagine my mom and mother-in-law dressing up and hopping into the back of a pickup on these cratered roads. Nope - too much of a stretch for my imagination.

We have time for a quick shower to wash the dust and sweat off, before a guest comes to sit on the porch for a few hours. I have enough in me to make a quick and simple supper before relaxing with a book and an episode of a Korean drama.

Friday
It's an early morning at the office. The vines along the way are beautiful.

I get a message, "Can we come by?" Fathima, a grad student who came to movie night 2 years ago, brings 2 friends to the BIC office. They're in charge of a linguistics and 4.0 technology conference at a major university.

The organizers just found out that their Australian keynote speaker is not coming: he's sick - is there any chance that I could do a 90 minute session tomorrow morning? WHAAAT? They're a bit desperate: they're expecting 180 guests, national and international lecturers, doctoral and grad students. Oh boy.

I feel a release in my heart - ok, I'll try. I take notes as we talk. I don't really know what the conference is about - I can't read the Indonesian description. Our assistant Sanny reads the conference manual later and explains a bit more before the office closes for the day. I ask my friends to pray for success. Have I ever done this kind of a lecture at such short notice before? Nope. Anything can happen.

A young couple takes us for lunch. They're working out details for their wedding: W will marry them in October.

While they check out nearby wedding venues, I head back to the office to work on the talk, based on the notes and our conversation. And then it's home, a quick supper, and early-to-bed, hoping for a miracle.

Saturday
I wake after 2am. By 5:30, my talk and PowerPoint are done. I've read the lecture through once, so I lay the clothes I'll wear on the chair, fill my bag with a computer, cable, timer, etc. I'll be ready to go when I get up.

I go back to sleep for an hour. W hands off a thumb drive for my PPT. Apparently MACs are not working on the screen at the university. They had trouble last night. Ok. Thumb drive it is.

At 7:30, the dogs start yapping. Someone is already at the gate.  I fine-tune a few things on my presentation and get dressed. I text Fathima, "Please tell them wait for me. " They said they'd send a driver at 8:00 to pick me up.

I grab a few chocolate chip cookies and make a thermos of tea. No time for breakfast. I'm out the door at 8, but not a minute earlier, computer bag in hand.

The driver and a grad student drive me to UPI on the next hill. We arrive a few minutes after 8:30 when the greetings and other formalities are over. The linguistic department is already assembled.

I'm ushered to the front row where one of the professors waits, along with a table full of water, tea, and snacks. There's an extended introduction (15 minutes) before the moderator and I take our seats on the platform. The enormous gong is struck with a red paddle (oh that lovely rumbly vibration!) and we're in session.

The lecture goes well - the faces are friendly. Participants are engaged, interested, and have fun with a hands-on activity - conceptulizing a children's counting app based on local language and traditions.

Afterward, the moderator translates the Q&A. Many come up to say how much they enjoyed it and take pictures. It's fun to see how everyone crowds in - I get one pic on my phone, when accepting the thank you plaque. (Picture taking is a 10-15 minute finale in any conference.) The professor/moderator says he got a lot of ideas for his own class, which makes me even happier. I'm home before noon.

There's something about saying YES to the impossible or implausibe that is deeply satisfying. This time, I felt covered in prayers. I didn't feel nervous or anxious, but more anticipation to see the ways God intended to bless this time and the people who were gathered. I came home with a smile.

When has that last happened to you?

Read more:
*Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad? Job 2:10

*Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress. Psalm 31:9

*Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 NIV

*Jesus said, “But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid.” Luke 12:7

*Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” Luke 22:42 

Moravian Prayer: Help us, O Savior, in times of trouble and trials, to know that you are fully aware of every aspect of our lives. Help us, Holy Spirit, to trust in our heavenly parent who is full of compassion and mercy. Help us to walk by faith, surrounded by perfect peace, knowing that God is taking care of us through every need, storm, or situation. 

By your example, Redeemer, show us, during times of our persecution and trials, how to accept God’s will and purpose in our lives. Assist us to remember that all things will work for good to those who put their trust in you. Give us the grace to say at all times, “Your will be done!” Amen.

A few things you may not see elsewhere ...

Nothing particularly special happening this week - been writing and planning, but that's normal stuff. I send a "New Normal" pic and paragraph each week. Send me your email if you want it. 

Here are a few things from that collection that you might not see in your part of the world:

Hey, look out above! And you, BEHAVE or else.

Recycling pickup from a grocer: just pack that cardboard up high - crawl as high as you can to fasten the boxes down.

Horses sharing traffic with everyone else

Kids walking a 1' ledge around a former 3' deep pond - their parents are eating at the restaurant nearby

More kids - this time riding in the back of a pickup on the main street

And a chess set with local puppet characters as chessmen

It's not the life we had for 50+ years, but we love it here. Every day is interesting.

Read more:

*Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. Psalm 96:1-4

*I will add to their numbers, and they will not be decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained. Jeremiah 30:19

*Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.” Matthew 13:33

Moravian Prayer: Heavenly Lord, may your grace continue to grow in our hearts and change us from the inside out. May the gospel message transform our lives and exert its influence on the world around us. May our lifestyle always reflect God’s glory, that through our testimonies, his kingdom will be extended as others believe in him. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Perfect weather

Hurrah - people are coming back from their family holidays. It's time for Community Dinners to restart. And the weather is perfect - most days have a bit of overcast. It's mostly sunny but not too hot - in fact the nights are cold (68oF/20 C). I wear a sweater or long sleeves most of the time.

As we're out running errands, I just have to snap a pic of the guys cruising by - "safety first"? Maybe more like, "safety last." The traffic is not fast, but still ...

Monday, June 15, 2019
It's a long day after a full weekend. In the morning, the guys cut a few tall branches off the moringa tree. We strip the leaves and set them out too dry.

Tuesday
My first meeting is online at 6:30. I woke up at 2am and started to write the last part of Sunday's talk.  We have to present it to our team today at 9am. I'm not done until 5:30. I'm up again at 6:15. But my host is not online until almost 7. I have a cup of tea and clear emails while I wait.

By 9, we're at the office for the second meeting. It's good to hear what people are doing - everyone's active and working hard. We come home for nasi goring (fried rice, an indonesian staple). The yardman has picked melinjo berries and leaves, which get boiled.

The nanka (jackfruit) tree has a few big fruits, too. Some trees boast dozens of big ovals overhead (pic below). You don't want to stand under a tree when the fruit breaks loose!

The helper strips off the prickly skin, wrapping her hands in newspaper to avoid the sticky sap that can be used as "white glue". It can be very difficult to get off, even with oil and soap. She cooks up an enormous pot of Sunda-style jackfruit curry. (Vegans would love the stuff - it tastes like pulled pork.) Ripe, jackfruit is eaten as a fruit. Before that, it tastes more like a vegetable.

W has afternoon and evening meetings - three more today. While I finish my writing, he is out and about.

Wednesday
It's date day, even if it's just a date with myself. While W works at home, I go to Rumah Doa (prayer house).The retreat center is completely empty except for me today. It's not quiet since the gardeners are hard at work.

I pull on my down jacket and socks (baby it's cold outside when I arrive - 66o or 19. Brrr.). I get out my pen, and put on some orchestral music to block the sound of the hedge trimmers.

I spend some hours there: thinking, praying, and finalizing the calendar of "Stories of the Bible,"  topics for the international church through Christmas. It's strange to plan Advent topics (Hope, Love, Joy, Peace) but satisfying to post them for the leadership teams later in the day.

Lunch is a disappointment: Eatalia has been replaced by a greasy food shop that says it's like a pizza (fillings) but has a deep-fried breading around it. I am too tired to find another place - so I try it. Not my taste. W loves fatty foods and might enjoy it.

I make a quick stop at Daiso, which has shrunk from a big store in the mall to a little strip-mall shop. I find what I need and am home before 3. As soon as W finishes his edits for Sunday, I can make the PPT - that's always the last chore before the final rehearsal of our presentation.

In the afternoon, I drain the two fishbowls on the porch. W refills them with fresh filtered water. No filter or heater is needed in these fishbowls - what a far cry from the fiddly saltwater aquariums I used to have.

I go fishing in the neighbor's pond. I need a few more fish in our fishbowls on the porch. Usually, we have fewer fish after a few months - this time it was almost half a year. Then I walk over to restock from Jez's overflow. The beta has been swimming around in there for more than a year. Seems happy.

The red platys are abundant. I also catch a male green swordtail under one of the lily pads. The little frogs who live in the pond jump out of the way of the net.

Read more:
*The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Now I have put my words in your mouth.” Jeremiah 1:9

*Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23-24

*But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom. Luke 21:14-15

Moravian Prayer: Lord, often we are not bold in our witness or we are afraid in sharing our testimony, so we remain silent. Encourage us to speak without fear and dwell in your word and presence each day. May we trust you to teach us to speak with grace and wisdom, that the good news may be proclaimed wherever you lead us. Amen.

New week, new life

Once we are on our own, life restarts in full swing. We have a week or so before the next guests arrive, so we start to catch up. We have awesome teams who are picking up work - that makes the load a lot lighter. Here's a digital media team, newly created by Ivo to coordinate non-profit communications. Thanks, all of you.

Monday, June 10
Dr Hanna invites us to a holiday wrap-up feast. Wow - she has gathered so many friends for a good cause, combining several charities to care for children. And the food is delicious - coordinated and cooked by Alice.

Tuesday
We have staff meeting as usual. A few of us have extra meetings most of the afternoon, deciding on how best to serve local children. I try to get some paperwork out of the way, but frequent interruptions and my "must-dos" keep me from making much progress.

By nightfall, I am still wound up. W falls asleep but I finally get up again for to cook some of tomorrow's meats. By 11, I'm back in bed. I read until I feel sleepy. A late night. Not good, considering tomorrow's load ...

Wednesday , June 12: Happy Birthday to Waldemar
It's movie night tonight! I pull things from the freezer and start to cook at 7. It takes most of the morning. My rhythm is off. I have a 9am appointment. I set a big pot to boil water for pasta and rush online to the meeting. (Well worth it, tho. Thanks for good counsel, V.)

Prep takes longer than usual - I'm not in synch with any good flow. There's a lot on my mind after a week of people coming and going and extra appointments. I feel like I'm dabbling at cooking rather than skating through food prep. But the meal comes together. Thank you, God.

I wait to nap until the helpers arrive at 3pm to cook the rice. Man, I'm tired by then but they need a few instructions before they steam the Melinjo leaves and berries from a tree out back. They cut lettuce and chop fruit for the salads. (The dressing is done, along with pasta, meats, breads, and sauces.)

The food is plated as people start to arrive: the steam trays are hot and the bowls ready. Good help shows up for the final details.

We start by celebrating June birthdays, among them Waldemar's. Birthday friends get special plates (cheers for the dollar store USA). They come to the front of the food line as we sing Happy Birthday - and the evening is underway. After a prayer of blessing, the kitchen fills up with young people.

The first person through the food line whispers, "Are there eating spoons?" Oops, haha - I've forgotten to set out cutlery, though the serving spoons are out. Not to worry - I know just where the cutlery is. Within a minute, the fail is rectified. The rest goes smoothly.

The serving bowls begin to empty. We refill over and over.

People heap their plates. Tonight, our satpams are fierce. (Food sentries: "Here, you can have 2 of these, but please take only 3 of those.")

Seating is crammed inside the house and spills onto the porch. W's chosen his favorite movie as a birthday gift to himself., The Princess Bride. Everyone howls with laughter and sighs with frustration, just as it should be.

Intermission means dessert. The birthday cake is a total fail. It's humid so the eggs for the angel-food cake can't be lifted off the pan - we have a smoosh of meringue... what to do?

I put the crumbles between flat layers, onto a cookie sheet. It looks kinda yucky but a quick taste test affirms it's gooey deliciousness. Before the meal, a young man asked, "What can I do to help?"

I have an idea. "Here, beat the cream," I say, pouring cold whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla into a stainless bowl. I hand him a whisk. "Whip it!" He sweats up a storm to make a the perfect bowl of whipping cream. (It's 85o in the kitchen.)

"Want another challenge?" I ask when he's done. When he nods cautiously, I hand him a rubber spatula and the cookie sheet of crumbly meringue. "See if you can put that atop these crumbs." Wow! He carefully spreads the whipping cream on the meringue - perfect. HIRED

Best dessert ever. I snag the last small pieces from the tray when people come back for seconds and thirds of ... (hmm what to call it, a delicious mess?) Anyhow, I pop the plate into the fridge so W can savor the last bit tomorrow. Our guests love the movie and the last bunch heads home after 11pm.

Thursday and Friday

I am up before 6 to say goodbye to our houseguest, who leaves for the Jakarta train by 6:30. Over the next days, piece by piece, W and I put back furniture, trays, dishes, and other things used or moved for movie night. The Roomba robot vacuum runs constantly for a whole day, picking up dirt and lint. Every time it runs out of power, we empty it and recharge it for the next round.

We swing by a home shop Friday morning. I find 4 floor tiles - I'm a bit tired of the dark tiles that cover a ruined formica counter in the kitchen. How about a white marble pattern? $15 later, the counter and 2 tabletops are updated. Before and after: nice, right?

Saturday
We have Community Dinner tonight. We start to pack the car early.

Apparently (I forgot that) I'm helping with table decor. Dr. Hanna comes by in the morning to forage our yard for possibilities. She cuts flowers while Waldemar saws guava pieces off the old branches lying around the yard. We toss the flowers in buckets and load the car with supplies before noon.

W and I get to the hall first. I like simplicity: place guava pieces on the tables, pluck flowers from the watery bucket, and tuck the blossoms around the wood Voila - seven centerpieces in five minutes. Easiest ever. I leave a few petals lying around for a natual look. Here are 2.

We plug in the steam trays, plate the catered food, and think through the meeting together, Josh and Clau have brought photo-booth items (hats, scarves, frames) so that's going to be a fun activity. We're sending our dads a message for international Fathers Day tomorrow.

In no time, friends start to arrive. It's the last time for some. This week, they will head home to several "stan" countries (former Russian satellites). They're warm and hospitable people. Oh how we'll miss them.

Dr Hanna talks about her father, an outstanding man and principal of a local school. We read through Jesus' Prayer about God as our father. He provides, protects and forgives, and expects the same of us.

Sunday - International Fathers Day
Josh and Clau are speaking - it's fun to hear their prep earlier in the week. They inspire us.

In the evening, we meet for a farewell at Josh and Clau's with DrH. They're hosting grad students returning to their countries - complete with good food. It's fun but bittersweet, with hugs and goodbyes all around.

At 7pm, W hails a Grab car for DrH and us. We'have one more stop today, a funeral home a half-hour away. Last night, a friend's 41-yr-old husband crossed the street (walking under a pedestrian overpass before 2am).

Oki had just been dropped off by one friend after a trip from Jakarta, for pickup by another. He was wearing black clothes, so the motorcyclist zooming around the curve didn't see him. He was instantly killed, and the 25-yr old on the bike has broken both his arms and a leg.

Family and friends are heartbroken. By 9am, the body is washed and the coffin place in the hall and draped with netting. Friends start to arrive soon after. All day, the hall fills with mourners. When we leave after 9pm, many people remain, talking quietly and eating the ginger dessert provided.

Dozens and dozens of flower boards are lined and stacked outside the hall - the family is very well known. The body will be laid out for another day before a mass is said Tuesday. The cremation takes place Wednesday, according to Chinese tradition.

I call my dad and chat with my mom to wrap up the day at 10pm.

Monday
It's catch-up time. I start early - 6am. Our study lasts from 9:30-11. I haven't led it for a while, so today's my day. Our story is about Dorcas, a beloved and appreciated "do-er," described in Acts 9. Many women can identify with her, a helper, concerned volunteer, and creative crafter who assists the poor and needy.

But we also talk about the men we know who are generous handymen. Such men and women are vital to the health of any community. I think about Pak Chandra, one such man in our circles. His current volunteer project is designing and building universal access ramps for a public auditorium.

I'm still writing the talk W and I will give next week (King Solomon). Somewhere, I remember the start of a talk - maybe in a notebook? I remember someone dropped by and started chatting, so where did I put it? Oh well, I pour out new ideas for an hour or two. (If I find the previous material, I can integrate it, too.)

WhatsApp is the message service of choice in our region. I have dozens and dozens of message to send today - to leaders and teams, to friends, and to people we may never see again. Some people are leaving their jobs; some are leaving the city. Deadlines are coming up, I have blogs to write, and I need to check my notebooks for other to-dos.

My ideas are jotted into notebooks. Currently, I have four going at once because I seem to reach for any empty page nearby, night or day. They're my brain capture. Today I sort through the "don't forgets" written at meetings or events, in bed or in the car, at home or away. There's a lot to think about - I get about halfway. Carry on tomorrow.

The international church partners with worthy organizations, giving 10% of its donations away, starting in February. Have we distributed that yet? (Nope. We need action steps from our team, updates from potential orgs, and work by the office staff = I churn out a bunch of WAs and field responses.) Is the e-news, handed off to a volunteer this month, underway? (Not yet - that requires a few more finger taps. The deadline is next week.)

Etc. It's almost 5pm by the time I look up. Where has the day gone?

Read more:
*For me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, to tell of all your works. Psalm 73:28

*Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1

*You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

Moravian Prayer: Lord of all, we are reminded that we are yours for a reason—to show our allegiance to you by how we live in the world. We beseech you to enable us to see this world with fresh eyes as you guide us to understand that all dominion belongs to you, and that we are your servant creatures. Amen.

The end of Ramadan 2019

May 28/30, 2019
We celebrate our third child's birthday - YAY Timothy! and two days later, the birthday of Timothy's third son, Isaac. He's a cutie. At 4, Isaac shows all the curiosity and humor of his dad. Sometimes, justice is served. hehe

The rhythm of life changes during Ramadan. The helpers are weak and tired (fasting food and drink during sunshine hours). They move slowly. The women have to cook for their families - the call for preparation happens around 3am; we hear the chanting but fall asleep - they don't. They cook, then the second call is a wake-up for men and children to eat, before the call to fast and the sun rises.

People shop for "Gucci" (really?) and other new clothes - it's a time to be your best.

Our friend DrHanna cooks a spectacular meal, which we and friends enjoy at her house.

 

 Everywhere, the best of culture is on display, like the puppets below.

Our friends are traveling or celebrating with family. The last week of Ramadan is a family holiday where people go back to their hometowns, like Thanksgiving is for Americans and Christmas is for Canadians. We miss our family as others get together.

We have lots of people in and out. Studies continue - with 20 people on the porch on Monday. We have guests as usual - but also lots of regulars show up to read, learn, and chat (and eat) together.

We cancel a few meetings and have a quiet last week. By which we mean, fewer meetings. A full volume of chanting, prayers, firecrackers, and community events goes on night and day. We wear earplugs most nights and pray along for peace and blessings on those around us.

May 30-June 6
Dear longtime friends from the USA are on their way home from working India and the Philippines. IThey stay most of a week. It's a joy to have conversations and encouragement - our own company.
They take cold showers for a few days before the water system cooperates. They're troopers, used to working around the world without complaints.

The helpers are on vacation so I cook breakfast and supper. It's a change of routine and something I need to think about each evening before we sleep. We have lots of food - that's never a problem. (It's a change of pace: W mostly prefers to get his own breakfast and I usually skip mine or graze. We rarely eat a full supper when we're by ourselves, either.) W helps clean up and we eat out for lunch. Whew. No one goes hungry.

We can't go into town much with many shops and activities shuttered, but we shop outlet stores twice. Our guests find some souvenirs. W and I find a few tops ($3.50/$4 mine/$8 his. No big splurge!) It's fun to get out together. And they'll have quiet nights once they get back home, in contrast to the nights here.

We send them off Thursday for the beautiful train journey to Jakarta and the airport. They write that they arrive back in Seattle safely - tired, as expected.

June 8 - 13
A children's work leader (an American raised and working in Asia) arrives 2 days later. She's sharing resources and ideas with the children's workers. Jaimee's days fill up around our regular meetings. People want to meet her but we leave it up to her to set her schedule after we make connections for her.

We never know what to expect of our guests, especially if we're meeting them for the first time. Sometimes they leave treasures and good resources left behind. We're so grateful for materials given to our awesome children's director, Nicole (below).

Read more:
*The heavens declare the glory of God;  the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. Psalm 19:1-4

*O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Psalm 95:1

*“‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:17-21

Moravian Prayer: Lord, when we gather for worship, we are aware that your Holy Spirit is with us, giving us strength to accomplish what we cannot do on our own. As we work together, we thank you for your power. Amen.