The week before a trip is a round of checklists. Darrel and Gail J, trusted friends from Washington State, come to lead our teams in Bandung. We've known them since Northwest U ... a long time. They arrive early Saturday morning from Jakarta.
Sunday, September 11, 2022
W leaves before 7:00 a.m. for BIC. I check the lower seating area - we have kids coming to eat lunch at the house. There are dust and grass clipping everyone, along with bird poop and lizard droppings. Ugh. It takes me 3/4 hr to sweep, wash, and clean up. That will go on the helper list again. We have company nearly every Sunday and the yard and porch have to be as ready as the house.
Then it's time to walk to Bandung international Church with our guests. The neighborhood sellers are out and about. They carry baskets loaded with market-fresh vegetables. When one shoulder gets tired, they swing the pole behind their neck to the other side.
W and I speak together as usual.
Over lunch at Warong Ethnic, we introduce the Johnsen to our leadership team. Thanks to Om Danny for making the reservation in the relaxing setting under the trees.
Back at home, the porch is full of children and their parents. We love it. They've prepared their own lunch so we say hello before we go inside to pray over the families and rest up a bit.
Monday
After a morning walk and meetings, we eat lunch together at Miss Bee. They have the best grilled corn.
Then we're off to find some batik fabric (women), shirts (D), and electronic stuff (men). The tour busses are loaded as they run around town.
We're back at the house after 3:00. We're too full to eat supper, and our friends are adjusting to 14-hrs-ahead jet lag. Up at night, sleepy by afternoon.
Our Aussie friends Ross and Anne arrive as well. They're staying at the house 9 days, waiting for their tourist visa to be renewed. They know Bandung so don't need any directions.
Tuesday
Ross and Anne buy me breakfast at Pino Terrace at 7:00. While I head into the office at 8:30, they go to town to work on their visas.
After the team meeting, Darrel and Gail meet our ministry team over lunch at Maxi's. "So much food," says Gail. Luckily they are adventurous eaters and enjoy the flavors. They gift everyone with hats and journals.
Our landlord has been dropping by without warning. The dogs go crazy - they are the best guards. We tie them up while he looks at the empty house falling apart next door. Our yard man has kept up the property in exchange for my use of the office as an art studio.
"Please build a fence for the dogs," he asks W in the evening. Um, no. We're gone tomorrow. Typical day-to-day life happens without advance planning. That is a cultural norm here. He shows up whenever. Our dogs can savage anyone who tries to break in. They warn us when people we know show up, too. They have the run of the yard ... and they are at the gate as soon as someone arrives.
Wednesday
We take Johnsens for breakfast at Nara Park before 8:00. The new creatures are owls, along with Nara's rabbits, tortoises, and hedgehogs. D/G pose in front of colorful shrubs.
We do some last-minute packing before PakGum takes us into the airport in Jakarta. We leave the house in good hands.
It's the quickest trip we've made in ages: 3 hours for 120 miles. We spot a few "camouflaged" cell towers. You convinced by the artificial palm branches sticking out?
Our flight is at 7:00 so we sit around for 4.5 hours. There is tourist shopping with huge dolls in the store's entry (Balinese).
There are tour groups with matching outfits, whether men
or mixed groups.
The flight attendants are amazing on Singapore Airlines. On the 1-hr flight, they serve a full meal and drinks and have everything cleaned up. They're courteous, friendly, and knowledgable. It's flying as we used to know it, on a Boeing with more leg room than most Asian carriers offer.
When we get to Singapore, the airline won't book a hotel for us. They cancelled our morning flight and booked us on an evening flight so we have a 12-hr layover in the Singapore airport (9pm to 9am). Ugh.
In customer service, Carmela calls all over. We leave without any help ... and then she runs after us. She's found a reserved spot in one of the lounges. She give us the pass and off we go. Thanks, ma'am. Greatly appreciated.
W, who can sleep anywhere, curls up and sleeps on the bench seat while I write. After midnight, we find two massage chairs free - I let it squeeze and rolle me to sleep and enjoy about 6 hours of comfort.
We start to watch the festivities as the world begins to say farewell to a godly and good ruler, Queen Elizabeth II. Hearing "Abolish the monarchy" makes me wonder if people have considered what a comfort and constant presence she was. Many countries experienced revolutions, dissolution, and government chaos, without her steadying presence.
Britain had a queen who led by example, cared for others, and stayed on course, adjusting to her times. We hope her son also has a good character: we'll find out soon enough. What a burden to carry the weight of nations on your back.
Without a sovereign who has integrity, you eventually end in the mess of politics that characterizes the USA and other republics. "We can vote," say the people, ignoring the sorting, sifting, political elbowing, and news maniputation before they get to vote on anything. (Then we bemoan, "We have no good choices.") The backdrop of the monarchy has many benefits - if the king or queen are good people.
I see the heaps of tributes and flowers along the gates and walls of the palaces and think, it's almost that pretty in Bandung, which we have left for a short while.
Read more:*The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17
*Saul said to David, “Who has ever found an enemy, and sent the enemy safely away? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.” 1 Samuel 24:19
*Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. Romans 12:17
*All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. James 3:7-12
Moravian Prayer: Merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, may your presence grow nearer to us every day. In all that we say and do, may we reflect your will for peace, compassion, and care for all, even those who wrong us. Amen.
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