A week of movement and sitting

Monday, April 22, 2024

After W teaches at the English Center in Jogja, it's midafternoon. It's great meeting the Jogja team.

We head back to the hotel during the break. Supper leftovers and an evening of "Stump the Professor" round out the day. I'm theoretically on call during W's sessions. 

In practice, I sit around all morning (4 hours at the back of his class until 1:30) and spend 2 more hours in the evening at the back of the hall where W's dumped our stuff. I plug in my iPods and listen to books until he's done. Reviewing lectures I've heard before or hanging out with nothing to do exhausts me. 

Tuesday

We have a quiet morning and a pleasant breakfast. The restaurant heats up as the sun shines through the overhead windows.

The 6-hr train ride goes from Jogja to Bandung (12:00-6:30 p.m.) I plug in the iPods again. Outside our window, farmers burn rice husks after harvest.

Many villages are lined by rice paddies. It's a quick and hot commute to work for farmers.

The workers wear triangular sun hats as they cultivate the paddies near their homes.

The rain floods the terraced rice. The government shifted the staple food to rice near the end of C20. Now no meal feels complete without it. Simultaneously, there is every season of rice cultivation, from planting new plugs to harvesting rice stalks.

Bamboo is common scaffolding and structure for new buildings. This one will get a corrugated steel roof before the walls are filled in with brick or woven rattan.

It's stormy much of the day. The rivers are swollen and muddy with the heavy rains.

Sometimes the sun breaks through. These houses and sheds are built on piers to extend buildings over the water, especially in swampy regions with high populations.

Our driver picks us up at the train station. We unpack, check for urgent messages, and fall into bed.

2 years ago today, our beautiful Cocoa (standard poodle) was found in a Dutch irrigation shaft. She disappeared during a hike in the mountains. We were told our reward for finding her was "too much!," but I've never regretted it.

The villagers kept looking during that week before Ramadan, when money is scarce and it is mandatory to give gifts. On the fourth day, an old man found her, took off her collar as requested, and buried her in those beautiful hills. I kept her collar and still miss Cocoa.

I take a sleeping pill (usually only for long flights of 12+ hours). What a mistake. It's a quiet night but I'm dopy all the next day.

Wednesday

I don't get to my main to-do between catching up on the missed weekend, a foggy head, and a trip to town. 

I rearrange Titik's IES flowers from 2 weeks ago - they lasted through Sunday while we were gone. There are a lot of mums left for a new bouquet this morning.

We re-home a white board and finger puppets to a neighborhood English Center.

Then we drive to town. W's looking for some Tek screws. The store below is the closest thing to a "Home Depot" nearby: the door hides a crammed shop of hardware. You have to know what to ask for. No browsing the jam-packed aisles and shelves that stretch to the roof.

Ambrogio is a beautiful lunch setting. The fish swim right up to our table.

I choose a smoothie bowl, which turns out to be an icy blueberry drink sprinkled with granola. Oops, I want a breakfast bowl. I order homemade mushroom soup that's pretty good for $2.50.

Thursday

The hike is cancelled because it's rained all night. Too bad; the rain holds off until late in the day. It thunders all morning. I guess we could have gone, though some hikers were killed by a lightning strike up there a few weeks ago.

Instead, W and I walk up the street for breakfast at #NaraPark. This morning's order includes 3 kinds of crackers and 3 kinds of sambal (hot sauce). Yum. Good thing our stomachs are healthy.

We round out the walk by dropping in at a pharmacy. Over-the-counter and prescription drugs are available if your doctor tells you what to pick up.

Pak G delivers food to a newborn baby's family while W takes apart some tables from home. GG's round tables are being used elsewhere this weekend. PakG makes a few trips to the hall, delivering our tables for Round Table Sunday. Titik is doing flowers for each table. 

What? I have a sermon to write and deliver (with W) but no more? Wow, that's almost a "day off" compared to other last Sundays of the month. Haha and Hurrah.

W is restless at home. He takes an angkot (little city bus) to town. I'm happy to stay in to work on my class syllabus and Sunday's talk. God is good. The cicadas chirp all day long in the tall trees outside the office.

Read more:

*You are my portion, Lord; I have promised to obey your words.

I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.

I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes.

I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.

Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget your law.

At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws.

I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts.

The earth is filled with your love, Lord; teach me your decrees. Psalm 119:57-64

*Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed. Isaiah 54:4

*The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised [from the dead].” Matthew 28:5-6

Moravian Prayer: Loving God, you continually whisper to us to not be afraid. Still, our very human selves often give in to fear. Tune our ears to hear your voice of assurance. Embolden us to serve bravely. Open our hearts to receive your peace. Amen.