A whole lot of shakin' going on

Monday, November 21, 2022

Minutes before we land in Bandung, there's a 5.4 earthquake 40 miles (60 km) away. Buildings on Java are constructed of soft brick and mud mortar. They're plastered to look solid. When the ground shakes, walls and roofs come tumbling down. Hundreds are killed or missing, more are injured, and thousands are left homeless.

The city of Bandung is not harmed. PakG reports dizziness due to the heaving ground as he waits for us at the airport. We're happy the runway is still and level when our wheels touch down. Everyone knows someone in that area - whether family or friends. Please pray for Indonesia and for those affected as the recovery efforts begin.

The Lembang Fault lies just north of Bandung, cutting through the forests and fields we walk each week. It shifts 3mm/year so geologists are expecting a catastrophic earthquake. It won't be pretty in this city of millions.

Tuesday

A walk and an online meetup with the team defines the morning. Lunch is good: leftover rendang (spicy beef stew) and Paulina's green-mango salad.

We haul Christmas things to the IES hall, the two helpers bake cookies, and W and I start to catch up on work.

Rebekah gifted me with a RocketBook (digital notebook) last month. I finally open it today - and I love it! It's easy to understand, quick to use, and ... it works!

I make rough sketches of where the Christmas decor will go. Then I scan the pages to my computer and print them out. We'll pin copies around the IES hall this weekend, for volunteers to interpret and bring to life.

Wednesday

On our walk, we notice how the volcanic tropical soil brings sticks to life. At the end of last year, someone rammed some dracaena branches into the ground close to the street, outside their hedge. This is what the "sticks" looked like by February.

Now they're thriving and leafing out. That will make the already-narrow 1.5-lane road almost impassable in the chaos of weekend traffic. But it keeps tourists from parking on the public strip in front of that person's house!

Workers are digging a 10' (3 meter) deep trench nearby by hand. The homeowners are erecting a wall to keep others away. 2 weeks ago, the guys augured out holes, poured in cement and fixed wire cages, though they're hardly level. Once the workers have dug out around the footings of the cages, they pack in big rocks and pour cement between the rocks. It's a foundation for a whale of a wall!

Today is a day of small pieces and long prayers. I'm awestruck and appreciative that God listens to us, speaks to us, loves us, and patiently waits for our attention to return to him.

He is greater, more beautiful, and more wonderful than we finite creatures can grasp. Yet he reaches out to us day by day - in nature, through other people, and by his holy Word and prayer. We can't be more privileged that that as his children!

I wrestle the contents of holiday boxes into their places. The Christmas tree and ornaments were brought down last week and are waiting for us. I like to unpack the day I get home, so the stack of holiday "stuff" meant visual blocking and more blocking. Much of it went to the hall yesterday so it's a reduced chore to decorate with the rest.

I start to putter as I think about the room. I'm mostly done by mid-afternoon. IbuS carries the packing material, empties, and unneeded boxes back upstairs.

One of the tree traditions is that every Christmas card received in Indonesia gets tucked close to the trunk. This picture of our grandkids is dear to our hearts.

The new Nativity set was found online after Christmas last year. I unpack it for a first look - I was taking my chances and am pleased with it. 2 new mirrors - purchased to be stuck onto the big old pitted one in our bathroom - have fallen off this year. I've kept the biggest pieces for occasional decor. They give a bit of shine all around the room.

Read more:

*Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:1-6

Prayer: God, you who loves us and watches over us all, you gave us your scriptures so we could know you. You designed us so that following your Word will make us content and happy. We ask that you give us obedient hearts that seek your ways. Give us the peace that passes all understanding. Thank you for each day of favor and grace. 

We also pray for those who are suffering. Come near to them and help them to draw near to you. And show us how we can be your hands and feet in the world. We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.